Mount Airy earns MVL super bowl spot
The Mount Airy Bulldogs varsity team clinched a spot in the Mountain Valley League super bowl by routing Poolesville, 32-14, in a first-round playoff Saturday night at Damascus High School. Mount Airy plays Sunday afternoon at Damascus High against an opponent to be determined.
Two other Carroll teams lost in Saturday night's playoff tripleheader.
The Francis Scott Key Junior Eagles lost, 12-7, to junior varsity foe Damascus, and the Bulldogs pony team dropped a 12-6 overtime decision to Damascus.
In the varsity game, Poolesville scored on its first possession and recovered a fumble deep in Mount Airy territory after the subsequent kickoff.
But the Bulldogs defense stopped Poolesville, and Mount Airy back Darren Snyder tied it with a 70-yard touchdown run.
Rich Stewart recovered a fumble on Poolesville's next series.
Then Mike Cleveland, after a 54-yard run to the Poolesville 2, scored on a slant play to put Mount Airy ahead 12-6 late in the first quarter.
The rest of the game, Snyder and Cleveland led a Bulldogs ground game that the Montgomery County team couldn't stop.
Snyder scored on a 9-yard run 1:07 before halftime and added a two-point conversion kick for a 20-6 lead.
A pass from quarterback Tommy Sword to Cleveland put Mount Airy at the Poolesville 9 early in the third quarter, and Cleveland ran off tackle to make it 26-6.
With the score 26-14 early in the fourth quarter, Sword recovered an Indians fumble on the Poolesville 32.
Mount Airy drove to the Poolesville 12, and Shane Busic scored on a reverse.
The big play in the Key game probably occurred in its opening moments when an Eagles touchdown by Larry Nail was nullified by a clipping call.
Eagles running backs Nail and Jason Zinkand moved the ball well, but Damascus led at the half, 12-0.
Key scored early in the fourth quarter when Nail threw two excellent blocks to spring Zinkand for a 49-yard touchdown run down the right sideline.
Quarterback Josh Holman ran in the extra point to make it 12-7 with seven minutes remaining.
Damascus followed with a time-consuming drive which Zinkand squelched with a pass interception at the Key 11 with two minutes left.
The Eagles, though, were unable to get past their 25 when time ran out.
Damascus also scored first in the pony game after a fumble stopped an opening-quarter Bulldogs drive on the Cougars' 33.
Damascus then drove to the Mount Airy 33, from which Larry Wetzel ran for a touchdown on the first play of the second quarter.
Mount Airy blocked the two-point conversion kick to hold the score at 6-0.
Damascus held Carroll to 31 yards total offense in the first half.
Steve Grabowski recovered a Damascus fumble on the Damascus 33, and the Bulldogs quickly tied the score.
Jason Tourango ran 30 yards down the left sideline to the Damascus 3, and two plays later, scored on a 3-yard slant to the right with 28 seconds left in the third quarter.
He failed on the point-after run, and the game was 6-6 at the end of regulation.
In overtime, the Bulldogs were given four downs to score from the Damascus 10 but couldn't.
Damascus won when Wetzel ran 7 yards on a third-down play.
Carroll County Football League
The Sykesville C team earned a slot in the CCFL super bowl with two victories over Perry Hall Saturday.
The opener was a continuation of an earlier game that had gone five overtime periods before being called with no score.
After three more overtimes Saturday morning, B. J. Law scored on a 7-yard run to win it 6-0.
Sykesville (7-1) also won the regularly scheduled game, 6-0, on a 65-yard punt return by Brandon Eckes.
The Raiders defense, keyed by linemen Nick Crockett, Matt Eder, Robbie Ruch, Tommy Maholchic and Eckes, allowed Perry Hall one first down.
Potomac Rugby Union
The Mason-Dixon Rugby Club went 3-1, placing second in a nine-team field at Saturday's Hagerstown Halloween Tournament.
In the opener, Tom Spangler scored a five-point try and Tim Desmond added a three-point drop kick in an 8-0 win over Rock City.
Mason-Dixon thumped Kent Island, 25-3, as Bill Myers, Todd Walters, John Twardzik and Desmond scored tries, Desmond added a two-point conversion kick and Kirk Myers had a three-point penalty kick.
Mason-Dixon topped Frederick, 14-10, in its next game, as Mike Piavis and Desmond scored tries and Scott Myers made two conversion kicks.
It its fourth game, the last of the fall season, Mason-Dixon was beaten, 17-0, by Montgomery-Old Red Rugby Club.
* To submit Carroll County recreation information, call (410) 225-4574.