Gar-Field Varsity Football Wins Season Opener

Gar-Field High School's Varsity Football team won its season opener over Potomac High School, 14-7. Each team offered a different style of offense; the Potomac Panthers ran the ball the majority of the time, while Gar-Field had more of a balanced attack.

Like any typical early season game, there was contest with a handful of sloppy plays and penalties. Gar-Field's first drive ended in disaster as a bad snap put the ball into the Indian's own end zone and a Panther player landed on it to score the game's first touchdown. Potomac grabbed the early lead, 7-0.

Gar-Field's sloppy play was evident in the first two drives, as they gave up three sacks and committed two false-start penalties. Penalties were a problem for both sides throughout the game as the two teams received 16 infractions total.

Gar-Field's rally began late in the second quarter behind two of their star players, Austin Copeland and De'Vonte Piggott. The Indians were forced to punt, but on the ensuing return, Copeland laid a solid hit on the Potomac player forcing a fumble that was recovered by Gar-Field.

This set up the Indians in a great field position and the Indians chose a trick play to take advantage of it. As a result of that trick play, Piggott -- who showed his tremendous speed by outrunning the secondary -- ran a 59-yard reverse. At half-time, the score was tied 7-7.

In the second half, the Indians found their footing; they controlled the clock and drove the ball down the field. Unfortunately, one drive in the third quarter was stopped as running back, Jordan Miles, poised for a touchdown, lost a fumble inside the opposition's five-yard line.

The game continued on a stalemate until mid-way through the fourth quarter, when Gar-Field's quarterback, Ryan Mason, delivered a perfect ball to the streaking Piggott for the 45-yard game-winning touchdown. Gar-Field starts the season off with a 14-7 win. 

Gar-Field Indians will be on the road next Friday, Sept. 3, against