Roxborough Football Rolls Past Boys Latin

Their first Public League action of the season proved to be their hardest test yet, but it was one the Indians passed handily in dealing Boys Latin Charter an 18-6 loss, advancing to 3-0 on the season.

Under blue skies and a searing hot sun at the AV Giampetro Sports Facility, Roxborough High School rode a two-touchdown pass performance from quarterback Nick Butts and a third straight stellar defensive performance to the victory.

After some possession hot potato, the Indians opened scoring with a fourth down toss from Butts to tight end Rasheed Bailey from 10 yards out at the 1:50 mark of the first quarter. After a failed conversion, the score stood 6-0 Roxborough.

"Coach said stay calm, stay relaxed. I did, and Rasheed got open for me. The line did a great job protecting for me," Butts said on the score.

Two possessions later, following a Warriors turnover, Butts lofted a pass to the middle of the end zone that flanker Dre-von Williams caught up to—sliding on his knees and into the path of the ball—to give Roxborough a 12-0 lead.

Unlike their first two contests though, this one wouldn't be that easy. A 70-yard Warriors touchdown rush on the subsequent possession and a failed two-point conversion cut the Indians lead in half. They were the first points the Indians had surrendered all season, but on this day the points would be the last.

"Our corner got blocked, and our safety and linebacker didn't make it over," Coach Mike Stanley said after the game. "It was a broken play."

After an exciting but inconsequential handful of series—A long rush by Williams, a badly shanked Indian punt that handed Boys Latin possession as midfield, and a near interception by cornerback Vince Bennet—the Indians entered the half still nursing their 12-6 lead.

The Indians came out of the locker room with a renewed focus. The Warriors sent the post-half kick out of bounds, giving the Indians the ball at the 40-yard line, and the elusive Williams took over from there. He dipped, slid, and cut his way deep into Boys Latin territory on a series of impressive rushes, and though the Indians ultimately failed to score, the drive created a shift in field position that they leaned on the rest of the way. Eighty yards was more than enough leeway for the Roxborough defense.

The teams traded turnovers in the fourth—an over-the shoulder interception by Bennet, an Indian fumble, and a Warrior fumble on the ensuing series—before fullback Tymere Blue tacked another six points onto the Roxborough lead with a short rushing touchdown with five minutes left. And that's how it ended.

"They played a great game, the second half especially," Stanley said after the final seconds ticked off the clock. He was especially pleased with his team's response to its first real challenge of the season.

"It got close and they smelled it, they wanted it. Today was fun."

It looks like this Indians team has many more fun days ahead of it.

Notes and Anecdotes

• The Indians struggled on special teams. In addition to the aforementioned shanked punt, an Indian absentmindedly touched a bouncing punt in the third that allowed the bad guys to retain possession, and Dre-von Williams fumbled a fourth quarter punt the Warriors recovered.
• One gets the sense that quarterback Butts is very close to being very good. All the raw materials are there, he just needs to put it all together. Despite the pair of touchdown passes, Butts' day wasn't perfect. He struggled with calf cramps in the third, and missed a few series before returning to close out the game.