Trending
BELLWOOD -- Bellwood-Antis has some skill guys that can make plays.
However, the Blue Devils coaching staff and team know those players would have a tough time if the other 10 guys on the field weren't following their blocking assignments.
The special teams return units of B-A helped put the Devils in prime position in Huntingdon's half of the field on two big occasions.
Bellwood was able to capitalize both times on a punt and kickoff that helped spark the Blue Devils to a 30-6 victory over the Bearcats on Friday night at John R. Hayes Field at Memorial Stadium.
"That (special teams) is just as big as an offensive play or a defensive play. So, we really treat those as just as important," Bellwood-Antis coach Nick Lovrich said. "It took 11 guys on those doing their jobs, and we have two guys back there that can catch the ball, and they can do some things back there. I'm really happy with those guys and the performance of our blockers. You can have really good skill kids back there, and if you don't have the blocking, it doesn't work."
Sequence of the game: Leading by just two scores at the half, Bellwood-Antis received the second half kickoff, and Jackson Dorminy returned it down to the Bearcats 38-yard line. The Devils' running game took nine plays and precious time off the clock as Alex McCartney capped off the drive with a 16-yard sprint to paydirt to put his team up 21-0 following the PAT by Miles Smearman at the 6:58 mark of the third.
Lovrich: "That's huge, and that's one of the reasons why you try to defer, so you get the ball back at the beginning of the second half. ... That was kind of a big statement for us to go down and score on that first drive.''
Player of the game: Bradyn Partner ran the ball eight times for 109 yards, and also took over quarterback duties in the second half when starter Brendan McNelis went down with an injury. Partner kept the Blue Devils' ground game going in the opening half as he churned out 61 yards on just four carries.
Partner: "Our 'O' line are always doing their job making holes for us. When you have three athletes like me, Chase (Plummer) and McCartney, coach gave us the ball and they have confidence in us."
Unsung hero(es): The special teams units which, in addition to the Dorminy return, aided the first B-A touchdown of the night when Brady Crist returned a punt, following Huntingdon's opening drive of the night, to the Bearcat 12. Four players later, Plummer bulled his way across the goal line for a 7-0 Bellwood lead.
Most vital statistic: Bellwood-Antis gained 270 yards on the ground to just five through the air as it pounded the ball at the Bearcats' defensive unit.
Huntingdon coach Tim Lucko: "It's extremely difficult when you have three backs that are all quality backs. Their big kids, they're hard to tackle, they run hard. The other thing that impressed me on film is the way they block for one another.''
Notable: McCartney, who ripped off 76 yards on 13 attempts, got his first TD of the evening on an 11-yard run with 5:19 remaining in the first half that put B-A up 14-0. ... Plummer finished the night with 58 yards on 11 carries. ... In addition to the kickoff return, Dorminy also made it into the endzone on a 10-yard run at 5:03 of the third to make the score 28-0. ... Immediately following the Dorminy TD, Bearcat QB Reese Hughes crossed the line on a 4-yard score. ... Near the midpoint of the fourth stanza, Huntingdon had the snap on a punt attempt sail well over the punters head and out the back of the endzone to give the Blue Devils a safety and set the final tally. ... Curtis Shedlock came up with an interception of Hughes in the second quarter with the Bearcats driving and only trailing 7-0. ... Issac Emel recovered a fumble in the fourth for Huntingdon.
Lucko: "There were some things we saw on film that we thought would give us the best opportunity to compete in the game. We left some plays out there. ... Your mistake is marginal against a good football team, and we made some inopportune mistakes tonight."
Records: Huntingdon (1-2); Bellwood-Antis (3-0).
Next week: Huntingdon hosts Bishop Guilfoyle next Friday; Bellwood-Antis travels to Central the same night.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Huntingdon 0 0 6 0 — 6
Bellwood-Antis 7 7 14 2 — 30
First Quarter
BA--Ch. Plummer 1 run (Smearman kick), 8:08
Second Quarter
BA--McCartney 11 run (Smearman kick), 5:19.
Third Quarter
BA--McCartney 16 run (Smearman kick), 6:58.
BA--Dorminy 10 run (Smearman kick), 5:03.
H--Hughes 4 run (run failed), 36.0.
Fourth Quarter
BA--Safety, ball sailed out of back of endzone, 6:24.
TEAM STATISTICS H BA
First downs 10 14
Total yards 232 275
Rushes-yards 25-84 43-270
Yards passing 148 5
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 12-23-1-148 2-7-0-5
Punts-avg. 4-32-3 2-33.5
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-1
Penalties-yards 6-48 5-31
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING–Huntingdon, Lane 16-77, Dodson 3-2, Emel 1-(-5), Hughes 2-3, Easter 2-5, Mykut 1-2. Bellwood-Antis, McCartney 13-76, Ch. Plummer 11-58, Partner 8-109, McNelis 2-2, Shedlock 2-3, Dorminy 1-10, Crist 3-11, Ca. Plummer 1-3, TEAM 2-(-2).
PASSING–Huntingdon, Hughes 12-22-1-148, Mykut 0-1-0-0. Bellwood-Antis, McNelis 2-4-0-5, Partner 0-2-0-0, Guyer 0-1-0-0.
RECEIVING–Huntingdon, Lane 1-2, Dodson 1-10, Emel 5-32, Norris 1-13, Oser 2-12, Carthen 2-79. Bellwood-Antis, Partner 1-(-2), Dorminy 1-7.