Fumbles Costly in Rams Loss

Daniel Boone defeated Spring-Ford football 20-14 in overtime on Saturday afternoon. After the Blazers had to postpone Friday night's game due to flooding conditions, they came out strong in the matchup, grinding it down to the very last offensive touch.

Despite reports of rain, the field remained sunny and hot while the highly defensive game was being played. Most surprising for the Rams was an opening onside kid, recovered by Daniel Boone after they won the toss and defered to Spring-Ford.

Both squads batled it out in the first, and the first touchdown wasn't scored until only 20 seconds were left in the quarter. Blazer quarterback Thomas Bodolus threw a five-yard pass to halfback Patrick Stone for the touchdown.

Bodolus kept the Rams off balance all day, as he provided a balance of passing and pulling the ball down to run. He totaled 25 carries for 126 yards and two touchdowns and went 7/17 in the air for 69 yards and a touchdown.

"It seemed like he was dying at the end of the game," said Rams head coach Chad Brubaker. "He was gassed, but he kept going and they put us in a bind. When you have a quarterback that can run the ball, it puts you in a bind defensively. He can run and pass and knows how to make a decision, but they can change up the decision and you can’t be right. It puts up a huge bind on our defensive staff in prepping and also on our defense as a whole."

Spring-Ford had an offensive answer for the Blazers when Hank Coyne tossed one to Andrew Scanlan for a 42-yard score. Scanlan was taken out of the game near the end of the half and was projected to be done for the day, but came back to catch another one in the fourth to tie it up at 14. He had five receptions on the day for 65 yards and two touchdowns.

Other Rams stars included junior linebacker Travis Daywalt, who had two early sacks on Bodolus, along with Mason Romano and Kevin Nyce, who teamed up and combined for three sacks.

Yusef Lundi carried the ball 12 times for 55.5 yards and sophomore Jarred Jones had seven carries for 43 yards. Jones continues to impress in his first year on varsity.

"He’s doing a good job," Brubaker said. "We’re in a good position that we have different backs that can run the ball. That’s a good position to be in when you don’t have to give the ball to one guy 30 times. You can divide it up to be fresh in the fourth quarter. I thought we were in a good position in the fourth quarter. Their kids were kneeling on the field and our kids weren’t exactly fresh but we certainly felt good."

The Rams were in it until the very end, making a few key stops on defense that turned the ball over on downs and driving down the field on their own. Coyne went 6/6 for 57.5 yards and a touchdown and carried the ball twice for eight yards in the first half, alone, and didn't throw an incompletion until well into the third quarter. He finished his day 12/18, throwing fo 83.5 yards and two touchdowns.

Despite many successes on both sides of the ball, Spring-Ford struggled with ball protection, which they had a good handle on in last week's game. This week, Daniel Boone forced them to fumble four times, including on the very first scoring attempt in overtime.

"We did a great job game one of protecting the football," Brubaker said. "We dodged two huge bullets in the first half when we fumbled inside our own territory and our defense was able to hold up. That obviously took a big toll. Our defense was on the field a long time in the first half. They didn’t score but it still takes a toll but a lot of people don’t think about that kind of thing."

The Rams get back to work this week, as they prepare for their third straight home game, this time against Pope John Paul II. Brubaker said his team has a little ways to go yet.

"We told the kids, it’s one game, it doesn’t define us," he said. "We wanted to see where we were at. That was our goal. They were 10 yards better. Ultimately at the end, we bent but we didn’t break and they were 10 yards better in overtime. We’re not quite there yet. Their kids have been in huge games before. We haven’t been in those games. So, sometimes that’s the difference."