By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Editor, Washington D.C.
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Before his Homecoming game against South County on Friday, West Springfield senior quarterback Bryn Renner pulled his shoulder pads and jersey over a sleeveless Superman tank top.
He then pressed pieces of eye black under each eye with the same, infamous “S” logo.
And after his performance in Friday’s game, few would argue with the distinction.
Renner threw for 314 yards and five touchdowns — with no interceptions — and rushed for two more scores as the Spartans out-gunned the Stallions, 52-42, in an offensive exhibition.
“I kind of like superheroes and Superman is my favorite one,” Renner said. “I’ve been wearing this all week, so I just decided to break out something new. So I brought it to the game for Homecoming, figured I’d break something out.”
And as classic comics have it, good superheroes need a viable sidekick.
Fortunately, Renner has a half-dozen.
Senior running back Brandon Bailey carried 26 times for 188 yards, and four different receivers caught touchdown passes. In fact, five Spartans had three or more catches.
“What we talked about at half time is we had to stop the run,” Stallions’ Coach Pete Bendorf said. “Everybody says you have stop their passing game, but it’s the running game keeps you off-balance. We did what we wanted to do offensively — 42 points — you think you’ve got a shot to win.
“But Renner is tough. That kid [Andy Stallings], he’s tremendous. Same with [Bailey].”
Of course, another prerequisite for all caped crusaders is an archnemesis, or at least an archrival. In this case, it was South County senior fullback and linebacker J.B. Bullock who carried for two touchdowns and caught two passes for 46 yards and a score. He also returned a fumble 57 yards for a fourth touchdown.
Bullock even recorded a late sack of Renner that nearly sparked a Stallion comeback.
“He’s played really well for us,” Bendorf said of Bullock. “Early in the season, he struggled with the heat and he wasn’t really effective in the first few ball games of the year. Since the weather has cooled off, he’s been really, really good. … He’s strong, he catches the ball well.
“He’s certainly one of the best players – we feel like – in the region.”
Then, the twist that distinguishes heroes from one another: Renner lives within South County boundaries in Lorton. He is eligible to play for West Springfield only because his father, and head coach, Bill Renner, teaches at the school.
Think Clark Kent leasing space in LexCorp tower, or Luke Skywalker having a corner office in the Death Star.
The Stallion fans in attendance made sure Renner heard their displeasure for four quarters on Friday.
“It adds a lot to this game,” said Renner, whose Spartans are averaging 49.4 points per game during their five-game winning streak. “I don’t really like to talk about it, but in the back of my mind it affects me – the crowd chanting stuff. But it’s football, and that’s what I like. I love competing and I like people that love to compete, too.
“South County is a program that likes to compete against us, so it was really fun tonight.”
Now, the only thing standing between West Springfield and an undefeated Patriot District record is an upset loss in one of its final three games, including a trip to Lake Braddock in two weeks.
Well, that or some Kryptonite.
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
No. 8 South County 14 7 7 14 — 42
No. 5 West Springfield 14 14 17 7 — 52
1Q – SC – McDaniels 26 from Andrews (Fawsett kick)
1Q – WS – Tobin 19 from Renner (McConnell kick)
1Q – SC – Bullock 57 fumble return (Fawsett kick)
1Q – WS – O’Connell 20 from Renner (McConnell kick)
2Q – SC – Bullock 5 run (Fawsett kick)
2Q – WS – Kambinga 6 from Renner (McConnell kick)
2Q – WS – Renner 1 run (McConnell kick)
3Q – WS – O’Connell 41 from Renner (McConnell kick)
3Q – WS – McConnell 22 FG
3Q – SC – Ky. Michaels 16 from Andrews (McConnell kick)
3Q – WS – Stallings 47 from Renner (McConnell kick)
4Q – SC – Bullock 15 from Andrews (Fawsett kick)
4Q – WS – Renner 7 run (McConnell kick)
4Q – SC – Bullock 1 run (Fawsett kick)
Passing
SC – Andrews – 10-for-22, 181 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT; Beal – 1-for-1, 31 yards. WS – Renner – 19-for-30, 314 yards, 5 TD, 0 INT.
Rushing
SC – Andrews – 14 car, 137 yards; Bullock – 10 car, 29 yards, 2 TD; Dorsey – 10 car, 24 yards. WS – Bailey – 26 car, 188 yards; Renner – 10 car, 27 yards, 2 TD.
Receiving
SC – Doublet – 3 rec, 74 yards; McDaniels – 3 rec, 56 yards, TD; Bullock – 2 rec, 46 yards, TD; Ky. Michaels – 2 rec, 39 yards, TD. WS – O’Connell – 5 rec, 109 yards, 2 TD; Stallings – 5 rec, 88 yards, 2 TD; Bailey – 3 rec, 45 yards; Tobin – 3 rec, 43 yards, TD; Kambinga – 3 rec, 29 yards, TD.
Defense
SC – Bullock – sack, 57-yard fumble return TD; Tucker – 2 tackles for loss. WS – Angulo – INT; Crennan – INT, Nguyen – INT.
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