Blazers smacked around by Quince Orchard

OCT. 14, BLAZER STADIUM

The Blazers came into tonight's game excited following their first win of the season. However, one would hardly have known it after watching 48 minutes of pain and a Blair loss to the visiting Quince Orchard Cougars, 41-13.

QO (6-1) came into tonight's game off their first loss of the year against top five-ranked Damascus, and looked ready to get back into the Top 20 rankings of The Washington Post. Following a three-and-out and a six-yard punt by Blair's Tim Yorro, Quince Orchard (QO) quarterback Brian Barrett threw a perfect strike to Scot Riddel for a 37-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass that made it 7-0 Cougars.

The Blazers (1-6) had nearly nothing go right for them in the first half. The first quarter had the aforementioned sloppy punt off the side of Yorro's foot, and included sloppy plays as well. Starting QB Ross Williams threw an interception, and Blair was flagged for three face mask penalties on defense over a period of five plays, giving QO 35 free yards.

The Cougars took advantage of those penalties and scored again, this time off of a three-yard run by running back Cameron George, his first of two TDs on the night.

Quince Orchard travels well, and this was indicated by a crowd as large, and more enthused than those on the Blair side of the field. Not that the game gave Blazer fans much to cheer about. Coach Jeffrey Seals was visibly frustrated by the loss and had harsh words for his players.

"There's nothing good about this game. Everybody just laid down," he said, obviously upset by the blowout loss.

The Cougars continued to pour it on in the second quarter. After Williams' second INT, QO went for it on fourth and short, and Barrett connected with Riddel again for an 18-yard touchdown pass that made it 21-0 following the extra point.

QO scored their next touchdown on fourth and goal from the one-yard line when Bani Gbadyu powered his way through the strong Blair defensive line for a touchdown that made it 28-0 at halftime. Seals was critical of the defense as well. Stated Seals, "[the defense] was bad on defense also, we gave up 41 points, and should have stopped them in some places."

QO extended its lead to 34 when Williams threw another INT, his third of the night, midway through the third quarter. This led to George's second touchdown run, this time from four yards out, that made the score 34-0 after the failed two-point conversion.

Blair actually did play QO even, at least in terms of points, in the second half, tied at 13-13. D'Andre Thomas had a four yard touchdown run late in the third quarter that put the Blazers on the scoreboard.

Another bright spot for Blair was the running of Jason Maryman, a senior who has seen limited time behind Wright and Thomas, who got ample time to shine tonight. And with that time to shine he did just that. Maryman ran 20 times for 133 yards, the best rushing performance by a Blazer this season. He showed great ability to juke, and use his speed.

D'Andre Thomas, usually the workhorse of the rushing corps, ran 15 times for 67 yards, while Michael Wright saw just two carries for 23 yards.

Late in the fourth quarter, with the game in hand for the Cougars, many reserves got their first chance to play all year. Godwin Kennedy took his first snaps as Blair's quarterback, throwing just one pass, an incompletion. Running back Dennis Soznovtsev scored a touchdown for Blair, an eight-yard rush.

QO's passing attack was on the money tonight, with Brian Barrett lighting up the Blazer defense by going 7 of 13 for an amazing 259 yards, which include gains of 25, 26, 37, 38 and 55 yards on various completions. George ran 11 times for 64 yards, and Barrett's favorite receiver was Scot Riddel, who in addition to two TD catches, had five receptions overall for 104 yards.

Seals said that changes were in order for the Blazers. "There's gonna be changes come Monday. Those who didn't give their best are [going to] be gone. I should [have] made them do more this week in practice," he said. This was a noticeable difference from Seals in past games, who generally chose to dwell on the positive even in big defeats.

Blair's next game is Friday, Oct. 22 at the Watkins Mill Wolverines. Blair beat the Wolverines 43-0 last year, Blair's homecoming game.

NOTES: Wright's two carries was easily his lowest total of the season…Steven Ham had the only catch of the night for Blair, an 11 yard gain that resulted in a first down…Blair fumbled on back to back plays in the first quarter, both of which were recovered by the Blazers' Femi Elemoso…seven different Cougars carried the ball for QO, while six Blazers ran for Blair…The largest gain of the night for QO was a 55 yard catch by Brandon Willard, who would have scored a TD had he not run out of breath and been tackled.