Third quarter rally squelches hopes of season opener victory
Sept. 8, BLAZER STADIUM—
The Blair varsity football team fought passionately against the Richard Montgomery Rockets, but was unable to claim a victory in the first game of the season, losing 14-21.
The Blazers began the game with a flurry of penalties, with two called in the opening four minutes of the first quarter.
Despite the shaky start, Blair looked promising in the midst of the swarm of Rockets on defense. With 10:07 on the clock in the first quarter, the Blazers gained 60 yards from their 18-yard line to complete their first offensive play of the season. Soon after what seemed like a promising string of offensive plays, Blair lost possession at the 28-yard line.
The score remained 0-0 until Richard Montgomery's Patrick Pinchinat broke the tie with a 62-yard run.
The Blazers quickly countered with a touchdown of their own, missing the field goal but evening the score 6-7.
Blair experienced their own taste of victory early in the third quarter, when Ross Williams scored a touchdown with an innovative pass play and then led the Blazers to a successful two-point conversion, shifting the score to 14-7 in their favor.
Pinchinat, however, scored two more times before the third quarter ended, putting the Rockets ahead 21-14. His second touchdown, to the delight of Rocket fans, left the Blair defense in shambles. With no apparent daylight in the oncoming onslaught of defenders, Pinchinat headed behind the line of scrimmage to scout for an opening. After weaving masterfully through oncoming Blair players, he scored in a remarkable feat of athleticism.
Blair showed admirable resilience even when they trailed behind Richard Montgomery, but found it difficult to offset Richard Montgomery's seemingly lethargic offensive stratagem. The Rockets seemed to play the game in slow motion, snapping the ball seconds before the play clock expired play after play.
Despite the loss Blazers were cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd, an eager marching band and an energetic pom-pom and cheerleading squad.
The team's next game is against the Springbrook Blue Devils on Saturday, September 16.
Marie Mencher. Marie is anxiously thrilled to be on the Silver Chips staff. She is having a sleeplessly great time covering stories with actual relevance, but nonetheless would like a little more time to do the other things she loves, like being assistant drum major of the … More »
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