Blazers feel a rush in first win of season

Sept. 16, BLAZER STADIUM—

For many years, the Blair varsity football team has been all about rushing. The backs come and go each season, but on a team of many questions, they've generally been the stars of the offense. If tonight's game is an indicator of 2005, then Blair may once again have a tandem of backs to build around

Led by Terrin Flowers-Jackson's 50-yard rush and Jacob Wade's two touchdowns, the Blazers (1-1) opened up their home schedule with a 12-7 win over the Springbrook Blue Devils in front of a raucous crowd of at least 1,500. The win was the Blazers' first against Springbrook in 41 years. Yes; since 1964.

Blair's offense was literally all rushing, as quarterback Ross Williams threw one pass the entire game. But Flowers-Jackson had 21 carries for 127 yards and Wade ran 15 times for 50 yards and both Blazer touchdowns. The Devils (0-2) defense struggled to contain the two backs all night.

The Devils' starting offense was nearly similar to the team that beat Blair 14-0 here last season. But Blair's defense shut down the Devils, and helped seal the game.

With under a minute to play in the game and Springbrook down five points, Devils quarterback Harold Brantley completed a pass to wide receiver Nick Oates to get to Blair's 17-yard line. But on the next play, Brantley was sacked and the ball was knocked loose. Blair recovered, sealing the game and sending the vocal crowd into a frenzy of "Go Blazers" cheers and awkward high-fives.

Earlier in the fourth, another Devils drive was stymied when Blair's Tyrel Flowers-Jackson recovered a fumble as Springbrook was marching into Blazer territory. Blair's defense allowed a nine-yard touchdown run by Derek Overton in the second quarter and nothing else, and 12 points managed to stand up for Blair.

But it was the first play after Overton's touchdown that the momentum began to swing Blair's way. On the first play from scrimmage after the score, Terrin Flowers-Jackson ran 50 yards to the Springbrook 10 yard line. A facemask call on the play against the Devils put Blair in position to tie the game right away.

Three plays later, Wade scored on a three-yard rush. The extra point was blocked, and the Devils went into the half up 7-6.

The score stayed the same way until there was 8:44 left in the fourth quarter. On third and goal, Wade ran six yards to pay dirt and his second touchdown of the game. The two-point conversion failed, but Blair was up 12-7 to stay.

When the final second ticked off the clock, at least 50 fans rushed the field to celebrate the thrilling win. One senior called it "the biggest win since I've been here. What a terrific game."

Which wasn't to say that there weren't some moments that caused head coach Jeffrey Seals to think back to last year, when the team started 1-6. With 50 seconds left in the half and the ball at the Springbrook 12 yard line, the quarterback Williams was sacked twice, pushing the ball back to the 30.

With nobody on the team able to kick a long field goal reliably, Blair went for it on fourth and 28. But rather than throwing up a prayer pass in the end zone, Williams chose to run, picking up 18 yards but not the first down. Earlier in the game, Blair's first drive, a 13 play, eight minute long string came to a bizarre end at the 11 yard line of the Devils.

Instead of kicking a field goal, Blair tried to convert on fourth and seven, and the play call was a reverse, with the QB Williams apparently the receiving target. Tyrel Flowers-Jackson took the handoff, and after being cornered by four Devil defenders, threw a pass to Williams, who caught it six yards short of the first down.

For Springbrook, Brantley was three-for-seven at QB for 47 yards. The Devils also used a tandem of running backs, but not as effectively as Blair. But Overton was sharp; rushing for 75 yards and one TD on just 10 attempts. Everett Pumphrey had eight rushes for 36 yards.

With Quince Orchard (2-0), who beat Paint Branch 35-0 tonight, on the docket next week, the Blazers may have to figure out a passing game. And it's hard to know if this is the real Blair team, or if it's the squad that lost 33-6 to Richard Montgomery last week.

But with two solid running backs, a stringent and a loud, supportive home crowd, anything's possible. Are the playoffs a real thought for a 1-1 team that hasn't been there in decades?

If this team can beat a Springbrook team that had 140 kids try out for it in August, then maybe there is a chance that there's something special brewing at Blazer Stadium. And for once it won't be the snack bar's nacho cheese.