Ireton's Anthony Rivers had a busy day on both sides of the ball in 20-17 setback
Bishop Ireton unofficially ran 39 offensive plays for 223 total yards on the day, but the Bullis Bulldogs’ Kevin Jones singlehandedly rushed 47 times for 275 yards in the homecoming 20-17 win for the hosts in Potomac, Maryland, Saturday.
The Cardinals, physically nicked up after 4 road games in the first 5 of the season, couldn’t get the defense off the field. They had their best drive of the game to open the contest but even at that turned the ball over on downs at the Bullis 12 yardline.
The contest was closer than it could have been, thanks in part to poor special team play by the Bulldogs. When their first drive stalled deep in their own territory, a 15 yard punt gave Ireton the opportunity to draw first blood. But the Cardinals were held to a 38-yard field goal by Theo Daubresse and Ireton owned a 3-0 lead.
Bullis began the punishing ground game with Jones lugging the pigskin play after play. Only a Daubresse interception on the Ireton 8 stalled the Bullis drive as the first period ended.
The navy blue and gold hosts next drive would eat up 7:35, a 13-play, 83 yard drive capped off by the first of three touchdowns Jones scored, this time a 29-yard dash on a 4th and 3 effort. Again, special teams hurt the Potomac school and the snap on the PAT was bad and Bullis led, 6-3 into the half.
Fireworks were the story in the third stanza, Bullis opened with a 10-play drive to extend their advantage to 12-3 when their 2-point try failed following Jones’ 2 yard touchdown plunge. The Cardinals responded immediately with a 5-play drive, highlighted by PJ Zingler’s 65-yard strike to Anthony Rivers, who was hauled down at the Bullis 2. Zingler would toss a 2 yard lob to Rivers, who fittingly got the score following his big play.
For one of the few times on the afternoon when Bullis went three plays and out, the punt team again put the home team in a bind, this time with a bad snap from center that the punter chased down on the Bulldog 11.
Ireton took one play, an 11-yard toss to junior Moses Webb and the Daubresse PAT had the Cardinals back in front with 14 points in two minutes of action, 17-12 with 4:04 left in the third quarter.
The game winning drive was typical of the afternoon for Ireton. Bullis rode the rushing of Kevin Jones on the 16-play, 64-yard touchdown drive that consumed nearly 7 minutes. Jones’ third TD of the day, another 2 yarder gave the homecoming crowd a lead that would not be overcome. The two point PAT completed the day’s scoring.
Ireton was unable to mount a sustained drive and the IAC school ate another 5 and half minutes of the clock as the fourth quarter raced away from the Alexandrians. For the day, Bullis had the ball for more than 34 minutes in the 48 minute contest and the defense appeared to be game but clearly tiring by the final quarter.
For Bishop Ireton (1-4), the disappointing first half of the season, with the frequent away games, comes to a close and the Cardinals look forward to playing 4 of the final 5 contests in the “friendly confines” of Fannon Field.
It won’t get easier, as more Bulldogs visit Alexandria, this week the St Albans variety, winners over WCAC opponents Bishop O’Connell, St Mary Ryken, and Bishop McNamara so far in this season. Game time is set for 2:30pm, with an extra accomodation for the SAT’s next Saturday morning.
Scoring:
Bishop Ireton 3 0 14 0 17
Bullis 0 6 6 8 20
First Quarter:
BI: Field goal, Daubresse 38 yards 5:10
Second Quarter:
Bullis: Jones 29 yd run (PAT failed) 2:06
Third Quarter:
Bullis: Jones 2yd run (PAT failed) 7:18
BI: Rivers 2yd pass from Zingler, (Daubresse kick) 5:18
BI: Webb 11yd pass from Zingler, (Daubresse kick) 3:18
Fourth Quarter:
Bullis: Jones 2yd run, (Belesteri pass complete)
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