HARRISBURG – Battle of the Burg. The weather was just right. Warm, sunny Saturday morning. Large crowd. What better way to start the football season. The Harrisburg Cougars made the short trip up Market Street to take on their city rival Bishop McDevitt.
The cougars would open up the game receiving the opening kickoff. But were unable to do anything on their first possession and had to punt the ball away. Upon attempting to receive the punt, McDevitt muffed the punt as they were calling for a fair catch and Harrisburg recovered. Unable to move the ball, the cougars turned the ball over on downs. McDevitt would get the ball on their own 28. Harrisburg would hold them to a three and out, and force them to punt the ball. However, Ted Deily bobbled the snap from the center and was tackled at their 1 yard line and turned the ball over on downs to the cougars. On the next snap, Jawon Chisholm would take the snap and go right up the middle for the quick touchdown to put Harrisburg on the board first 7-0.
McDevitt wouldn’t take long on their next possession to themselves on the scoreboard. As Matt Johnson(QB) would keep the ball on a keeper to the left and sprint his way 44 yards into the endzone. However the PAT was no good, leaving the Crusaders trailing 7-6.
The Crusaders defense would hold Harrisburg to a three and out on their next possession forcing them to punt the ball. But Dawon Smith(McD) wasn’t ready to let his offense back on the field as he would return the punt back 68 yards for another McDevitt score. Putting them ahead 13-7.
The second quarter would start as a defensive struggle for both sides, as they would trade the next two possessions. More than half way through the second though, McDevitt would open up the game. As Jameel Poteat would follow the his line to the left on a counter play, and then cut his way back to the right as he went down the field for a 54 yard touchdown run. Putting the Crusaders up 20-7. On their next possession, Matt Johnson would hook up with Salath Williams in the left corner of the end zone for a 27 yard touchdown pass. 27-7 McDevitt. Harrisburg would add on a field goal to end the first half to put them down 27-10.
Brian Lemelle would get the Crusaders started in the second half by taking the opening kickoff 51 yards to get them started on the Cougar 47. A few plays later, Johnson would hook up with Poteat on a little dump pass to the left and Poteat would do the rest of the work for the 21 yard touchdown pass. Putting McDevitt up 34-10. The cougars wouldn’t take long to respond on their next possession. As they would move the ball down the field and Chisholm would cap it off with a 3 yard plunge up the middle for the score. The extra point was botched, leaving them still trailing 34-16.
Bishop McDevitt would cap off the scoring early in the 4th quarter, as Johnson would follow his center up the middle for a 1 yard touchdown run. Putting the Crusaders up 41-16 and capping once again another great rivalry.
