The Aberdeen Eagles withstood a last minute surge from visiting Bel Air Friday night and celebrated homecoming with an 22-15 UCBAC Chesapeake Division win over Harford County's lone remaining undefeated team.
The Eagles (3-1, 4-3) defense stepped up a number of times during the game, but none bigger than the final 30 seconds.
Down 22-15 and with no timeouts, Bel Air quarterback Michael Yetter found Jon Scott for a 19-yard completion to the Aberdeen six-yard line. Saving time, Yetter spiked the ball on first down.
Daniel Webber ran four yards to the Aberdeen two on second down, but the Aberdeen defense dropped the next two ball carriers for losses, forcing the turnover on downs and clinching the win.
"It was down to that last stretch and I knew that I had to make it out for my team," senior linebacker AJ Kenion said. "I've been balling all game, so all I knew was that, I just had to make that tackle. If I wouldn't, the game would have been tied up and I believe God is a good God and he looked out for me on that play."
The game was a scoreless struggle for almost the entire first half. Both teams then scored in the final 1:30 of the second quarter and just 20 seconds apart.
Bel Air (2-1, 6-1) jumped on the board first on a 4-yard touchdown run by Webber (29 carries, 165 yards) with 1:23 left in the half. Alex Clifford's extra-point kick made it 7-0.
Aberdeen came right back, sprung by TreJuan Malloy's 52-yard kickoff return to the Bobcats' 23.
The Eagles went right to work on first down. Quarterback Stephen Blackwell tossed a screen pass to Joshua Maxwell, who turned it into a 23-yard touchdown. Blackwell added the two-point conversion by run and Aberdeen went ahead for good with 1:03 left in the half.
Coming out of the extended homecoming intermission, Aberdeen put together a 15-play, 80-yard drive to push its lead to 16-7. The Eagles ran the 13 times on the drive, accounting for 76 yards. Blackwell ran the final yard on a sneak and then handed off to Maxwell, who added the two-point conversion.
The Eagles defense turned the Bobcats over on downs on the ensuing series near midfield and, six plays later, found the end zone again. Blackwell (9-12, 196 yards) connected on three straight passes of 13 yards to Diamonte Stricker, 19 to homecoming king Mallo and then 16 yards to Antwan Evans for the touchdown. The conversion for two points failed, leaving the score 22-7 with 11:28 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Bel Air still had fight left. The Bobcats took the kickoff and put together a 70-yard scoring drive. Webber started the drive with a 12-yard burst and ended it with a 25-reversed field touchdown run.
Webber (42 yards) did most of the work on the Bobcats final drive, but was not on the field for the final snap.
Warriors beat Rams
Havre de Grace (3-1, 6-1) overcame a 7-6 halftime deficit at Edgewood (0-3, 3-4) to win, 33-20, in Chesapeake play.
Jasia Stansbury ran for two scores and Knowledge Johnson also added a touchdown to highlight the win.
Edgewood, which was celebrating homecoming, piled up 316 yards of offense in the loss. Quarterback Marquez Kimbrough completed 7-of-21 passes for 133 yards. He also had a rushing touchdown.
Deonte Banks added had an 80-yard kick return for touchdown for the Rams.
Hawks edge Cougars
North Harford (2-1, 5-2) was also celebrating homecoming and did so by the slimmest of margins, edging Fallston (1-3, 3-4), 35-34, in Chesapeake play.
Cole Dickerson had one busy night, carrying the ball 56 times for 261 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Hawks.
Quarterback Dave Harmon was 8-for-17 for 101 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for a two-point conversion.
Jarret Newlon led the Hawks receivers, catching three passes for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Kicker Paul Keeney was 3-of-4 on extra point tries.
Despite the loss, Cougars quarterback Brady McMaines had another big night, passing for three touchdowns and rushing for two more.
Other scores
In Susquehanna Division play, Joppatowne (3-1, 3-4) rolled over visiting Rising Sun (2-2, 2-5), 56-21; Harford Tech (1-3, 3-4) cruised past host North East (0-4, 0-7), 40-3; and Patterson Mill (1-3, 1-6) was beaten by visiting Bo Manor (3-1, 5-2), 42-28.
In non-league play, C. Milton Wright (3-4) lost to visiting Century, 39-13.
Host John Carroll (1-2, 1-6) was beaten by visiting Pallotti, 58-21, in MIAA B Conference play.