Two teams trying to salvage subpar seasons with a victory met at Catonsville High on Friday night and when the 30 penalty flags were tucked away, host Catonsville emerged with a 14-6 victory over Woodlawn.
Catonsville improved to 3-5, while the Warriors dropped to 1-7.
Both teams finished 7-3 last season, but Friday's clash was a test of which team could overcome adversity.
Catonsville had to manage much of the game without starting quarterback Jake Getzendanner, who was injured in the second quarter.
The last time the senior signal-caller missed a game, the Comets fell to Dundalk, 71-0, on Oct. 14.
Getzendanner returned and the Comets have gone 2-1, with the only loss 30-14 to a Milford Mill team that had beaten Dundalk.
The Comets only trained 22-14 until late in the fourth quarter against Milford.
Catonsville never trailed against Woodlawn.
"The last three weeks we've really worked hard and had good practices," Catonsville coach Rich Hambor said. "We're getting better every week, taking it a week at a time."
The Comets first offensive possession was their most prized one.
Operating behind a line that included center Tim Pfeifer, guards Mikellen Dunn and Devin Dunlap and tackles Everett Miller and Noah Beyer, the Comets marched 71 yards in nine plays.
Trey Glover (17 carries, 119 yards) had a 24-yard run during the drive and he finished it with a 13-yard touchdown run.
Getzendanner completed a 10-yard slant to Tre Hayes for a first down during the drive.
Graham Smith's extra point made it 7-0 with 9:28 left in the first quarter, but that was all the scoring for the Comets until the fourth quarter.
Woodlawn gained 301 total yards, compared to the Comets 193, but the Comet defense bent, but never broke the rest of the game.
Woodlawn running backs Mark Washington (21 carries, 53 yards) and Danne Wilson (8 for 52) and quarterback Marquis Ragin (9 for 57) all rushed well between the 20-yard lines.
"Our defense didn't care where we were going to give them the ball they were going to get stops," Hambor said.
Catonsville stopped Woodlawn five times when the Warriors tried for a first down on fourth down.
It was a different cast of defenders who made the big plays.
On the Warriors' first possession, linebacker Ken'yon Webb stopped Ragin short on fourth-and-three at the 50-yard line.
The Warriors best drive resulted in a touchdown and it covered 61 yards in 12 plays.
Washington gained 13 yards and Wilson chopped off 16 yards on runs early in the drive.
Ragin's 14-yard scramble set up his four-yard scamper two plays later for a touchdown with 11 seconds left in the first quarter.
They still trailed at the quarter because of a missed kick on the extra point.
In the second quarter, the Warriors moved the ball to the Catonsville 13, but a holding penalty pushed them back.
On fourth and 15 from the 18, Ragin's pass was broken up by Don Johnson.
The holding penalty was one of 18 for minus 146 yards against the Warriors.
"The penalties definitely killed us today," said Washington, playing his fourth game since coming back from a torn meniscus in his knee.
The worst of the yellow demon flags came after Wilson ran 68 yards for a score, but that was called back because of an illegal shift.
"Even when they got the big plays there were penalties," Hambor said. "I knew they [defense] were doing the right thing and we were very confident on the sidelines."
The coaches weren't as confident in the offense after Getzendanner left with an ankle injury early in the second quarter.
Quarterbacks Milan Pandey and Davanta Holland rotated at signal-caller and even Glover ran some of the Wildcat offense.
"It was cool doing the Wildcat," Glover said. "It was something different. It was a new formation and you've got to perfect it first."
Glover perfected the defensive side of the ball, making a dozen tackles.
"He was everywhere on both sides of the ball," Hambor said.
Glover came up real huge on a fourth-and-goal play from the Catonsville nine.
The Warriors tried an option pass and Glover was there to force an errant toss by Kyuan Fernandez.
Woodlawn coach John Dixon was hoping that if the Warriors converted a fourth down it would change the momentum and give his young line something to build on.
"We were just trying to get them experience and confidence," Dixon said. "When we made a couple first downs, it gave us confidence to drive down the field and give us the blocking for the running backs."
After another fourth down stop by the Comets, with Terry Moore tackling Washington for a three-yard loss at the Comet 35, a hobbling Getzendanner returned with 2:33 left in the third quarter.
Following three incompletions and a Catonsville punt, the Warriors responded with a 29-yard pass completion from Ragin to Demauri Jones-Warren (five receptions, 90 yards).
"He goes in an attacks the ball at the highest point and comes down and makes play after play," Dixon said.
A facemask after Jones-Warren's catch pushed the ball to the Catonsville 42.
It was one of 12 penalties for minus 90 yards for the Comets.
On the next play, Don Johnson stripped Wilson and Josh Lambert recovered the fumble at the Comet 34.
"I just came down hard to the corner and made a big hit," Johnson said.
Lambert was eager to pounce on the ball.
"Everybody was just looking at it the ball and I had to attack the ball and get a turnover for my team," Lambert said.
Getzendanner completed a pass to T.J. Hebron for no gain and a 20-yard sideline lob to Johnson, but he departed for the rest of the night with the sore ankle.
"He has a tweaked ankle right now and I'm hoping he will be back next Friday," Hambor said. "I'm thinking he will be back."
Without him, the Comets went back to the running game and Glover ran for a 13-yard touchdown with 10 minutes left in the game.
Smith's extra-point made it 14-6.
Woodlawn's attempt to rally in the fourth quarter was thwarted by a sea of penalties.
They were whistled for seven penalties for a loss of 57 yards in the final quarter.
The Catonsville defense also got inspired play from Robert Adams, Dunn and Webb in the second half, but Hambor praised the entire defense.
"They really rallied around Jake getting injured, knowing they had to pick it up on defense," Hambor said.
The Comets will end the season on senior night at home on Nov. 4 against Parkville.
Woodlawn will host Patapsco on Nov. 4 and coach Dixon will use that final game as a building block.
"We are trying to rebuild," Dixon said. "We have pretty good junior class with a real good jayvee coming back, so we will be back next year bigger and stronger. I'm looking forward to the growth and moving forward."
But, the coach won't forget the 12 seniors on the roster, including just seven who played last year.
"I can't give up on my seniors," he said. "These boys have been riding with me since their freshman year."