Luke Horner (left) returned a punt 70 yards to the ten-yard line before fumbling as teammate Shafiyq Hinton (right) picked it up for the score.
bhopp@digitalsports.comTropical Storm Hannah wasn't the only force that hit the campus of CCBC-Catonsville on Friday Night. The
Eastern Tech offense hit hard as they amassed over 350 total yards to help the
No. 8 ranked Mavericks win their season opener over host
Western Tech, 46-7 in
Baltimore County football action.
After falling behind 7-0 following an 85-yard opening kickoff return by Wolverines' senior running back Lance Wilkes, a star on the Wolverines' state championship outdoor track team last year, Eastern Tech scored 46 unanswered points while limiting Western Tech's offense to cap the win.
"I couldn't believe what I saw," said Mavericks head coach Marc Mesaros about Wilkes' kick return. "That kid has got ability and he's a good kid too. He returned one against us last year; everytime we play Western Tech he runs one back for a touchdown. I should know better."
Senior receiver Luke Horner scored on Eastern's first possession with a
17-yard touchdown run behind the big o-line including Craig Lee, Don Guido, Cameron Jordan and Alex Kirsch. The extra point attempt by quarterback Joe Jones
was no good and Western Tech maintained a 7-6 lead three minutes into the
game.
Horner was all over the field for the Mavericks as he finished the game
with 65 rushing yards on three carries, 20 yards receiving, not
including a 41-yard touchdown reception that was called back by a
penalty and he returned a punt 70 yards which he fumbled at the 10-yard line but was picked up by tight end Shafiyq Hinton for a score.
The Mavericks defense held the Wolverines to a three-and-out and on the next possession and received their first lead six players later on a 24-yard rushing score by
junior full back Emmanuel Gbor (3 carries, 49 yards) and converted the two point try as holder Zach Burkhardt faked putting the snap down for the kick and rolled out to
hit Jeff Kryglik to put them ahead 14-6.
Mesaros won his 50th career game last night as Eastern Tech received an all-around effort from Jones who went 8-for-13 passing for 94 yards accounting for two scores and running backs Darian Conners (11 carries, 113 yds, TD) and Chucky Iweh (6 carries, 83 yds, TD) on the offensive end.
The Mavericks kept Wilkes and the speedy athletes of Western Tech from exploding for any more for big plays with a stout defense. The Wolverines have a three-headed attack with Wilkes, quarterback Barry Muller and full back Norman Lee but they found it hard to move the ball. Western went 4-1 last year in the Class 1A Division in Baltimore County and looks to again be tops in that group.
But the night belonged to Eastern, fresh off of its Class 2A State runner-up finish a year ago, and its defense as nose guard Aaron Wilson blocked a punt, Kryglik and Gbor added sacks for the Mavericks who improved to 1-0 as the Wolverines fell to 0-1.
Note: Western Tech senior Chris Mason-Hale suffered a serious neck injury last week in a scrimmage. He is currently at Shock Trauma downtown and the Wolverines booster club collected donations for Mason-Hale at the game last night. If you would like to make a donation to help Mason-Hale, please contact Western Tech AD Mike McEwan at
mmcewab@bcps.org.
No. 8 Eastern Tech 46, Western Tech 7
ET 14 12 14 6 -- 46
WT 7 0 0 0 -- 7
1st
WT--Wilkes 85 kickoff return (Lee kick), 11:40
ET--Horner 17 run (kick failed), 9:01
ET--Gbor 24 run (Kryglik from Burkhurdt), 3:50
2nd
ET--Jones 16 run (conversion failed), 8:03
ET--Conners 1 run (kick failed), 3:45
3rd
ET--Kyle 25 pass from Jones (Jones kick), 9:44
ET--Hinton 10 fumble recovery (Jones kick), 6:44
4th
ET--Iweh 1 run (kick failed), 11:50