Patriots top Panthers for first win

[KFDM COOP]

Patriots top Panthers for first win

By Dave Rogers

Published November 2, 2008

HUMBLE – When Joseph St. Julian saw the ball bounding his way Saturday afternoon, he said he had only one thing in mind.

“I was thinking about running it back,†he said.

And the Goose Creek Memorial junior did just that, busting through a scrum of would be tacklers and running 68 yards for a touchdown.

Just as he and his Patriot teammates broke through to earn the first varsity football win in the program’s eight-game history, 34-10 over Kingwood Park.

“Super Bowl, man,†Memorial coach Bret Boyd said, as he firmly grasped the game ball on the Turner Stadium turf, moments after his receiving the obligatory ice water-dunking by his players.

“We knew we had a chance (to win), but we knew they were sitting over there saying the same thing. Luckily, we showed up with the frame of mind we’re going to get after it and we did.â€

Both Memorial and Kingwood Park are playing their first varsity football seasons without benefit of any seniors.

The Panthers, it was pointed out by a fan, had 11 starters out injured. But the Panthers also played together on a junior varsity team last year, a luxury not available to Memorial, which only opened its doors in August. Kingwood Park had also won a game earlier this season against a poor Houston Sterling team.

The win left Memorial 1-7 for the season, 1-5 in District 19-4A. The Panthers are 1-7, 0-6.

St. Julian’s runback broke open the game after Memorial held a slight 14-10 halftime lead. But, early, a 95-yard scoring run by halfback DeMartie Allen had kept the Patriots from maybe getting steamrolled.

That and the kind of break they’ve seen far too little of this year.

Panther running back Adrian Quintero romped for 72 yards on Kingwood Park’s opening drive, including an 18-yard TD run. He and the Panthers were en route to making it 14-0 when Quintero fumbled and Patriot Keithen Collins recovered at the 1-yard line.

After Memorial quarterback Cody Larson ran for four yards on first down, he tossed an option pitchout to Allen, who went to the barn, tying the game 7-7 in the process.

“I had to shake a couple of people,†he said, “and I got a good block from No. 18 (Brandon Rhoden).

“We needed to win this game. I was thinking TD.â€

Allen wound up his day with 189 yards on nine carries and two touchdowns. The second was a three-yarder, one of three Patriot scores in the third period.

Larson completed 7 of 9 passes for 94 yards – all to Patrick Wood – and rushed for 44 yards. His 17-yard TD pass to Wood with 1:44 left in the half gave the Pats their 14-10 halftime lead. His six-yard TD run with 53 seconds left in the third period completed the game’s scoring.

Quintero had 166 yards by halftime and finished with 207 yards on 31 carries.

Kingwood Park’s other score came on a 41-yard second-chance second-quarter field goal by Kyle Trimm. He had missed from 46 yards, but an offsides penalty against the Patriots moved him five yards closer.

Led by Allen, Memorial finished with 301 rushing yards. Wood actually had nine catches for 90 yards after backup QB Price Jacobs finished 2 for 2 for minus-4 passing.

[HillGuy]

Way to go, Pats!!!!!!!  ;D

[mlwdayton]

CONGRATS PATS ON YOUR FIRST WIN AS A MEMBER OF 19-4A AND I believe there are many more in your future