Severna Park coach Andy Borland has faced the run-and-shoot offense enough to know the key to defending it is to keep it off the field.
The Falcons (6-2, 5-2) did just that last night, and quarterback Tim Bowerman did the rest as visiting Severna Park downed Broadneck 34-6 in a crucial Anne Arundel County matchup.
Bowerman, who had thrown just six touchdowns this season, added five more last night to keep the Falcons' postseason hopes alive.
"When a Severna Park team throws five touchdown passes, you know we've gone to the run-and-shoot," Borland said afterward. "The difference between this week and last week [a 49-18 loss to North County] was that we held onto the ball and kept our offense on the field."
Broadneck (5-2, 5-2) scored first on a 4-yard run by senior tailback Chuck Eaton with 6:20 gone. But the Falcons answered on their ensuing possession and added the two-point conversion for an 8-6 lead.
Severna Park's initial score was the direct result of blown coverage in the secondary, which allowed split end John Miller to grab a Bowerman pass and go untouched for a 37-yard touchdown.
The Falcons lined up in a muddle-huddle for an apparent point-after kick before pitching the ball to Miller, who followed his blockers outside and plunged over the goal line to give Severna Park the two-point lead.
Broadneck quarterback Alan Hartman, who entered the game leading the metro area in pass attempts (185), threw four straight incomplete passes on the Bruins' final possession of the first half and turned the ball over to the Falcons with 3:20 remaining before halftime.
Severna Park's offense took over and put together a nine-play, 72-yard drive capped by a 24-yard strike from Bowerman to junior Reggie Mays. On the play, Bowerman looked off his primary receiver perfectly and threw back across the grain to Mays, who broke a tackle before high stepping in the end zone.
Bowerman helped his cause in the second half from his position atfree safety when he picked off a Hartman pass and returned it 50 yards to the Bruins' 22-yard ine. A face mask penalty gave the Falcons first-and-10 at the 11 and set up a 9-yard touchdown pass from Bowerman to running back Matt Pugh.
Severna Park's defense kept the Bruins' run-and-shoot in the vTC holster and Bowerman connected with tight end Chad Moran and Miller on touchdown passes of 1 and 5 yards.
"I thought we could come back at halftime but sometimes things just don't click," said Broadneck coach Jeff Herrick.
Severna Park 0 15 6 13 -- 34
Broadneck .. 6 0 0 0 -- 6
-- Eaton 4 run (kick failed)
SP -- Miller 37 pass from Bowerman (Miller run)
SP -- Mays 22 pass from Bowerman (Milisitz kick)
SP -- Pugh 9 pass from Bowerman (kick failed)
SP -- Moran 1 pass from Bowerman (pass failed)
SP -- Miller 5 pass from Bowerman (Milisitz kick)