Hornets Avoid the Springbrook Trap
Devan Pestano had another great game despite the loss
Photo by: Howard Bernstein / GamedayMD.com | VIEW GALLERY
By: Jeremy Moreland
SILVER SPRING, MD - During the week before their game with Springbrook, Damascus head coach Eric Wallich gave each player on his team a mouse trap. His message was that Friday's matchup with the undefeated Blue Devils could be a "trap" game after their big win over Seneca Valley last week. The Swarmin' Hornets responded with a hard-fought 35-14 road victory in a game that was much closer than the score indicates.
Connor Frazier came up big yet again throwing for 129 yards and 3 touchdowns on 11-of-19 passing. But in the fourth quarter a mistake almost allowed for a Springbrook comeback. Leading 21-7 and driving for what would essentially be a game-sealing score, Frazier fumbled and defensive back Brion Robinson returned it 76 yards for the score to draw the Blue Devils to within 7 points.
"Fumbles happen to everybody," said Wallich, "he felt bad but he did a great job tonight running the offense."
Frazier responded with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Zach Bradshaw on play action, to put Damascus up 28-14 with six minutes left to play. They didn't allow the Blue Devils to score after that. Mark O'Hara added a 2-yard touchdown run with a minute left to round out the scoring.
Damascus jumped out to an early 14-0 first quarter lead behind a Frazier touchdown pass to Bradshaw and a 47-yard touchdown run by John Hanley. But after that, in became a defensive battle between the two teams.
Damascus made it their focus to stop running back Devon Pestano. Despite gaining 118 yards on 21 carries he didn't get into the endzone or seem to get in a rhythm all night.
"He's their guy," said Wallich. "We preached all week that we can't let him beat us. He's one of the top five running backs in the county."
The Blue Devils didn't have an answer in the passing game. After one offensive possession Rob Wendel replaced starting quarterback Brandon Washington with junior Irvin Smith. In his first game, Smith showed impressive scrambling ability but threw three interceptions including a costly first-quarter pick when Springbrook was inside the 10 yard line. Standing at just 5' 9'', it was tough for Smith to see over his offensive line and he didn't quite have the arm strength to throw an accurate deep ball.
The big play for the Springbrook offense was a 36-yard touchdown run by Derrick Short early in the second quarter.. Short took a sweep to the right and waltzed into the endzone untouched. But the Damascus defensive line was too much to handle and there were no more big offensive plays for the Blue Devils after that.
Damascus joins Sherwood as the only other undefeated team in Montgomery County. They will host 3-2 Watkins Mill next week, while Springbrook falls to 4-1 and plays at winless Richard Montgomery.
