Same field, same story

SEPT. 29, Blazer Stadium—

The Blazers were heftily defeated tonight at home by the Sherwood Warriors, 6-43, in a performance comparable only to their play against the Warriors in the 2005-2006 season — where they lost 7-48. Tonight's loss dropped their season record to 0-4.

It came as little surprise to Head Coach Seals. "They beat us last year, they beat us this year. Nothing special about it," he said. "They're just a good team."

Fumbles again plagued the offense. With 9:18 left in the first quarter, the Blazers fumbled on a botched pitch to senior Ross Williams and were unable to recover it, leaving the Warriors on the Blair 30-yard line. Two painful pass plays and one missed point-after-attempt later, the Blazers trailed 0-6.

The Warrior defense, a defense that in the three games preceding the match against Blair allowed only 6 points, proved a solid counterpart to the powerful Sherwood offense, foiling Blair's first and only pass play in two weeks. With 7:20 left in the first quarter, senior Darius Smith's long bomb to senior Alex Byrd was intercepted by Sherwood's Ryan Bonhag, who, to add insult to injury, returned the ball for a 55-yard touchdown single-handedly. The Warriors converted for two more points, leaving the Blazers behind 0-14 with only five minutes played in the first quarter.

The Blazers finally, after three weeks of mishaps and bad luck, caught a break on their next possession. On fourth down on the Blair 29-yard line, Williams punted the ball but was hit after the play, which resulted in a penalty giving Blair a whole new set of downs beginning on the Sherwood 43-yard line. Seemingly motivated, the offense did what it hasn't done since the first game against the Richard Montgomery Rockets, almost three weeks ago: it scored a touchdown. With 6:24 left in the first half, Williams was handed the ball on the Sherwood three-yard line. In a characteristic move of a future Division 1 athlete, he shed two tackles and avoided three more, deftly spinning and weaving, before diving into the end zone. The Blazers failed to convert for two more points, keeping the score 6-14.

That, however, was it for the Blair offense. No more touchdowns, no more field goals, no more points.

The Warriors were not so restrained. They scored on their next possession… and the following, departing from the field at halftime ahead 30-6.

The second half varied little from the first. Sherwood's quarterback, Deontay Twyman, simply could not be stopped. A diminutive 5'11, he scrambled and threw with the finesse and poise of a champion.

When the fourth quarter expired, the scoreboard read 6-43 — another Blazer loss. Coach Short, in his post-game speech to a disheartened team, was optimistic, claiming that before the Blazers could win a game, which they could, they needed to come together as a team. "To play like a team you got to be a team," he said. "And I'm just not seeing it." His orders: all week members of the team were to sit with each other during lunch, class and after school. "Forget your girlfriends. If you got 5A lunch, you eat together," he said. Shouting, he finished, "We are Blazers. We are family. We don't give up."

Still winless, the Blazers have faced their toughest opponents of the year and have emerged shaken and pessimistic about the rest of the season with regrettable, yet credible reason. Last year Blair finished the regular season 6-4, almost qualifying for the playoffs. Another loss could potentially end any hopes of a playoff berth.

The Blazers' next game is Friday, October 6 at Watkins Mill.