Junior Andrew Ross scoring a touchdown against Edison during the bell game. Photo by Eden La Clair.By Jennifer Trend, Staff Writer. Photos by Eden LaClair
For the thirteenth year in a row, the Barons varsity football failed to bring back the bell against the Edison Chargers in a 51 -14 loss.
Head Coach Jimmy Nolan said, “We never quit- that’s the number one priority, but I thought we performed sloppy and were very nervous, so to me it was like armature hour out there. We played with zero football IQ, and things happen like that when you have so much passion. We got going early with success, and the minute we faulted, we lost faith and that hurt us because we were not playing the way we know we can play.”
Within the first 13 seconds of the game, senior Nick Welch passed to junior Kishaun Sykes who ran 60 yards for a running touchdown and successfully converted a point, the score 7-0. The Chargers claimed the offense and fumbled the ball on the 10-yard line to be recovered by the Barons. Welch attempted a pass but was intercepted by the Chargers at the 18 -yard line but the ball was forced back by the Barons defense and multiple tackles were made throughout the field, causing multiple penalties on the play. The Chargers threw 50 yards for a running touchdown and converted the extra point, the game now tied at 7-7. After the Chargers reclaimed possession when the Barons were unable to secure a down, the Barons defense struggled and the Chargers made an 18-yard pass for another touchdown, the score 7-14.
The Barons started on the offense during the second quarter and Welch backed up to pass the ball, but tripped and almost got tackled, but completed the pass to Sykes who ran 54 yards to the eight-yard line. After an incomplete pass to junior Andrew Ross, Welch again passed to Ross who ran in a for a touchdown to tie the game 14-14. The Chargers then threw an incomplete pass and the Barons intercepted and end the play, but a Charger forces the ball out of the Barons’ hand and both teams receive penalties. Back on the offense, the Barons were unable to secure a down and were forced a three and out, but Chargers tackled the kicker and intercepted the ball to get the ball on the Barons’ 16-yard line. The Chargers ran 5-yards in for a touchdown and converted to regain the lead 21-14. Welch attempted to pass to multiple receivers but were incomplete and twice the Chargers regained possession of the ball and advanced, running in a touchdown and converting, with the Chargers winning at half 35-14.
The Chargers started off the third quarter by running in for a 40-yard touchdown and converting to make the score 42-14. Back on the offense, Welch passed to junior Ryan Gilmore who ran 50 yards to the 20-yard line and the Barons advanced and Welch threw for a touchdown but fumbled and recovered by the Chargers. The Chargers advanced due to weak defense from the Barons but the Barons forced a fumble but was regained by the Chargers. With less than a minute to go, the Chargers run 16 yards for a touchdown and convert, the score 48-14.
The Barons began the fourth quarter on offense but strong defense from both teams caused there to be little advancement as both failed to secure a down. The Chargers then gain the upper hand and kicked a 39-yard field goal. The Barons regain the offense but fail to make anything of the last few minutes of the game.
The final score was an overwhelming defeat of 51-14 and the bell stays at Edison another year and the Barons’ record drops to 3-6 in league.
“I love them, and whatever happens, they keep fighting and never give up and they never show any signs of giving up so they can hang their head and say I lost, but they won. If they keep fighting they win,” said Nolan.
The last varsity game is against Los Al at the Veteran’s Memorial Stadium, on Thursday, November 2.
