In a battle of two Bel Air area teams, the unbeaten Patterson Mill Huskies kept their perfect record intact on Friday night, picking off the rival Bel Air football squad, 9-7.
Down in Edgewood, four players were ejected in the Rams-Mariners matchup.
Back in Bel Air, the Huskies improved to 3-0 with the win, while the defeat dropped the Bobcats to 1-2 on the season.
Playing on the Bobcats' turf, the two sides battled back and forth through the first two quarters, with both getting inside the opposing team's 20-yard line twice, but neither squad could finish, and heading into the locker room at the half-time the game was scoreless.
After another quarter without a score, Patterson Mill finally broke through on its first possession of the final quarter. Quarterback Luke DePasquale scored from one yard out on a keeper play to give the Huskies a 6-0 advantage, but Kyle Reddish's extra-point attempt went wide, leaving the score where it was.
Three plays into the Bobcats' ensuing drive, Bel Air running back Juwan Singletary took a handoff, busted through the line, broke past two Patterson Mill linebackers, cut through the secondary and sprinted up the left sideline for a 65-yard touchdown run. Bel Air's point-after kick was good, giving the hosts a one-point cushion.
With less than five minutes left on the clock and facing fourth-and-goal on the Bobcats' seven yard line, the Huskies sent out Reddish to attempt a 24-yard field goal. Reddish, who nailed a 31-yarder on Monday in the Huskies' 9-6 win over C. Milton Wright, was up to the challenge, sending his kick directly through the uprights with plenty of distance to spare, and giving his team the margin it would need to win.
Following a turnover on downs, Bel Air got the ball back on its own 35 with 0.3 seconds left on the clock, but the game ended on a quarterback sack.
Bel Air hosts Fallston in its week-four matchup, while Patterson Mill will take on the visiting Bo Manor Eagles. Both games begin at 7 p.m.
Mariners outlast Rams
Visiting Joppatowne (3-0) scored early and late to outlast Edgewood (0-3), 28-24, in a game that was marred by a third quarter fight.
Some 16 seconds after Joppatowne had retaken the lead in the third quarter, a fight broke out between two players and before things could be brought under control, other players became involved, some trying to help and some hindering. In all, four players, two from each team, were ejected and removed from the game.
Joppatowne's Jamil Lee scored three of the Mariners four touchdowns, including the first on a one-yard run on the game's opening drive. Lee added the conversion run for an 8-0 lead.
Edgewood came right back on its opening possession. Levar Shannon did the honors, breaking loose on a 31-yard touchdown run, but the two-point conversion failed.
Joppatowne turned the ball over the next two possessions, the second a Ray King interception. King's 30-yard return to the Mariners 33-yard line set up the Rams go-ahead score. Quron Ewell handled the job with an 18-yard run but the conversion for two failed again.
A third straight turnover also led to Edgewood points and an 18-8 lead with 7:54 to play in the half. Von Simon recovered a Joppatowne fumble at the Mariners 41.
Ewell ripped off 22 yards on first down and added 10 more yards three plays later to the Joppatowne five, but hobbled off the field following the play.
A few plays and lost yards later, Rams quarterback Ricky Calvin hit Ricky Dangerfield for a 17-yard touchdown on fourth and goal from the 17.
Joppatowne got the momentum swinging back its way in the closing seconds of the first half. Kashawn Graham took a screen pass from quarterback John Pace 46 yards into the end zone. Lee's conversion run made it 18-16 Edgewood at the half.
Lee's four-yard run pushed the Mariners back ahead 22-18 and his three-yard score late in the third quarter proved to be the game winner. Lee finished with 113 yards, three touchdowns and two conversions on 23 carries.
Edgewood added a late touchdown on a one-yard run, but the ensuing onsides kick was recovered by Joppatowne, which picked up a first down and then kneeled down to end the game.
Aberdeen drops Elkton
With 2:30 left in regulation and Aberdeen trailing the visiting Elkton football team 17-16, Eagle quarterback Kenny Faulcon hit Chavez Cheatam to put the hosts up for good in a 24-17 victory.
Following the touchdown, Aberdeen, up 22-17, opted to try for two points, knowing that a successful attempt would not allow Elkton to take the lead on touchdown and extra-point combo. Faulcon hit Cheatam with a scoring pass, this one giving the Eagles a seven-point margin, which they would hold through the final whistle.
With the victory, Aberdeen improved to 3-0 on the year.
Next Friday, the Eagles travel to play the Joppatowne Mariners in a 7 p.m. game.
Cougars mount comeback
Playing on the road Friday night, the Fallston Cougars overcame a 14-point, first-quarter deficit to beat the Rising Sun Tigers, 34-26, in week-three football action.
The guests were down 20-6 at one point in the opening quarter, but managed to close that gap before the half-time whistle, and eventually went ahead in the third quarter.
Ryan Umpleby had a monster game for the winners, scoring four touchdowns, including a 92-yard punt return. Umpleby also scored on rushes of six and 30 yards and had a 70-yard touchdown reception.
The victory put Fallston at 3-0 for the year, and in week four, the Cougars will travel to Bel Air for a 7 p.m. matchup.
Warriors topple Eagles
Havre de Grace improved to 2-1 with a 34-6 road win over winless Bo Manor.
James Smith started and ended the scoring for Havre de Grace, which held a 21-0 lead at the half. Smith hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Lavell McCullers in the first quarter and then reeled off a 51-yard touchdown run in the fourth.
Terrell Boothe added a six-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, while McCullers threw his second touchdown of the first half to Chris Askew for the game's only second quarter points. The score covered 10 yards. McCullers was nine-for-10 for 139 yards and two scores in the first half.
Bo Manor scored its lone points in the third quarter, but Havre de Grace answered with two fourth quarter scores.
Prior to Smith's run, Cameron Doe scored on a one-yard run. Warrior kicker Nick Scarborough was four-for-five on extra-point placements.
Cobras get smashed
Harford Tech (0-3) is still looking for win number one after visiting and losing at Baltimore Lutheran. The hosts beat the Cobras, 35-7.
Tech's lone scoring highlight was a big one as Isaiah Gills picked off a Lutheran pass and returned the pick 101 yards for a touchdown. Colin Riley's extra-point kick was good.
Hawks suffer first loss
North Harford (2-1) turned the ball over six times and two were taken back for points by visiting St. Paul's, which dealt the Hawks their first loss, 28-13.
St. Paul's got on the scoreboard first on a short pass play, but North Harford answered with a Josh Welsh five-yard touchdown run.
St. Paul's, however, took a fumble recovery back 53 yards before the first half ended to take a 13-6 lead into the break.
To make matters worse, St. Paul's opened the third quarter scoring with a 58-yard fumble return TD and a two-point conversion pass extended the lead to 21-7.
North Harford scored its final touchdown in the third quarter. Quarterback Ryan Stinar tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brady Maguire, but the PAT failed.
St. Paul's then added its final points in the fourth quarter on a 25-yard run and successful kick.
The Hawks outgained St. Paul's 303 to 245 in total yards.
Mustangs battle back
C. Milton Wright defeated the visiting North East Indians, 13-6, Friday night.
Trailing 6-3 in the fourth, Paul Lorick had a nine-yard touchdown run that put the hosts up for good.
CMW placekicker Brendan Magistro was perfect on the night, nailing two field goals and an extra-point.
"I'm just really happy with the way our team saw it through to the end," CMW head coach Dave Yohn said. "I am extremely lucky to have a group of kids who don't quit and rally each other."