[Football] Turnovers Doom Mechanics
The Williamson football team proved to be their own worst enemy during on Saturday's game against CAPP Academy, as they turned the ball over seven times on the way to a 32-30 home loss to the Crusaders.
Midway through the first quarter, CAPP to advantage of a Williamson interception and on a fourth down and goal play from the Williamson 15-yard line, quarterback Landon Church found Maxwell Counts open in the end zone for a touchdown to put them up 6-0. The 2-point conversion attempt was no good.
Williamson would eventually make it into the end zone themselves with seven seconds left to go in the first quarter. Wide receiver Nazaire Miller hauled in an 8-yard TD strike from freshman quarterback Ryan Rodgers to knot things at 6-6. A bobbled hold on the extra point attempt kept it tied.
Williamson would grab its only lead of the day with six minutes to go in the second quarter. Kelly Battis intercepted a pass at the CAPP 23-yard line and one play later, Rodgers found Luke Van Auken for a nifty touchdown reception. Williamson made the 2-point conversion to go up 14-6. That lead would not hold up for long though, as with 46 seconds left, Umar Gardner stepped in front of a Rodgers pass and took it 69 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was good to send the game into half knotted at 14 apiece.
The score stayed that way until a disastrous 22 second span for Williamson saw CAPP first score on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Church to Anthony Albanese to go up 20-14. Williamson then fumbled the first play from scrimmage after the ensuing kick-off and it was eventually recovered in the endzone by Albanese to put them up 26-14 with 4:32 to go in the third quarter.
CAPP would then increase the lead to 32-14 on a two-yard run by Church with 11:55 left in the game. That play was set up by a 58-yard pass from Church to Skye Jarvis the play before.
Williamson would not quit, however. They immediately answered with a 51-yard touchdown pass from Jack Grace to Nazaire Miller. Grace hit Garrett Watkins for the 2-point conversion to pull them to within 32-22.
The Mechanic defense came up strong the rest of the way and allowed the offense to get back on the board once again, this time on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Grace to Amin Porter with 54 second left. Grace found Luke Van-Auken for the 2-point conversion to put Williamson to within 32-30. Unfortunately for Mechanic fans, the onside kick attempt was recovered by CAPP, who then ran out the clock.
Whereas in their season opening game Williamson did most of their damage running the ball, against CAPP the bulk of their success came through the air. Nazaire Miller had a big day with three catches for 75 yards and a TD. He also carried the ball three times for 22 yards. Garrett Watkins had three receptions for 45 yards and Luke Van Auken ended up with three receptions for 43 yards and a TD. Ryan Rodgers threw for 79 yards and a two TDs, while Jack Grace threw for 83 yards and a TD.
Defensively, the Mechanics tried to match CAPP in the turnover area, as they came up with four turnovers of their own. Freshman safety Kevin Mayoros had a fumble recovery and an interception. Cooper Conroy and Kelly Battis also intercepted passes. Chris Meiklejohn had six tackles, while Tyler McLaughlin had five tackles, including two for loss, a hurry and a forced fumble. Joe Kelly added five tackles, two hurries, a sack and a blocked punt. Gabe Walsh added four tackles.
The Mechanics will get right back at in next week at home against Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in a 1:00 P.M. start.