Weather put a damper on things early as lightning, heavy rain, and hail delayed the start of the game by half an hour, but even Mother Nature couldn’t stop the Bombers on this night.
There was a fire in the Bombers, and even in Bomber fans, that hadn’t been seen yet this season and it was evident from the beginning that the Bombers meant business.
The Bomber defense added gas to the fire on Hobart’s opening possesion when Josh Hughes ran the Bearcats’ highly touted running back, Rory Crawford, down from behind for no gain on the game’s opening play. Charlie Sheffield followed with a sack, and Justin Garza picked off an Adam Perkey pass on the game’s third play.
The Bomber offense backed the “D” up on their first
possession marching 61 yards on eight plays for the game’s first score.
Bomber quarterback Willie Lane started the drive with a five-yard run,
and Hughes followed with a three-yarder before a five-yard procedure penalty
against the Bombers gave them a third-and-seven situation.
Hughes got the first as he went left before switching his field and going
right for 10 yards to the Hobart 26. Two
plays later the Bombers were once again faced with third-and-seven, this time
Lane rolled left and scramble for 16 yards and the Bomber first down.
A four-yard Gamaliel Ramirez touchdown run capped the drive two plays
later. Garza added the PAT giving
the Bombers a 7-0 lead with 7:32 remaining in the first.“I think we surprised them, especially on that first drive.” Hudson said of the Bombers opening possession, “Stopping them and then taking it down the field and scoring that was huge.”
The Bomber defense remained tough twice holding the Bearcats on downs just inside the Bomber 30-yard line as the two teams exchanged possessions several times before the half would end.
Chris Messner and Gary Perry dropped Crawford for a loss on consecutive plays as the Bearcats were forced to punt on their opening possession of the second half.
It took the Bombers just one play to score on their first second-half possession as Hughes took the ball around the left side, out ran several Hobart defenders to the sideline, and left everyone as he raced 73 yards to the endzone. The PAT was no good, and the Bombers led, 13-0.
The Bombers got the ball back as a Hobart player bobbled the kickoff and Charlie Love recovered at the Bearcat 31-yard line.
It looked as if the Bombers would score again as they used eight plays to move to the Bearcat 15 before the drive stalled and Hobart took over on downs. Hobart would run just four plays before Garza intercepted his second pass of the night returning the ball 57 yards to the Bearcat two.
It took Big Red just one play to score as Ramirez bowled his way through the middle of the Bearcat defense for the touchdown. The two-point conversion was no good, and the Bombers led, 19-0.
The Bearcats would threaten on their next possession as they drove to the Bomber 28, but Shuan Phillips forced a fumble when he sacked Perkey. Lyle Clayton recovered the fumble keeping the Bombers’ shutout intact.
The shutout didn’t last long after that, though, as the Bearcat defense held the Bombers to three-and-out on the following possession. Hobart blocked the punt and a Bearcat player fell on the ball at the Bomber 10-yard line. Crawford scored two plays later on a four-yard run. The PAT was good and the Bomber lead was cut to twelve, 19-7, with 11:57 remaining in the game.
Hobart had Bomber fans squirming on their next possession as they drove to a first-and-goal at the Bomber seven. But the Bomber “D” held once again stopping the Bearcats two yards short of the goal on fourth down.
Bomber fans remained antsy as the Bombers were forced to punt again, but a sigh of relieve could be heard throughout Bomberland as Messner and Chris Arumugam sacked Perkey on the Bearcats’ second play forcing a fumble which the Bombers recovered.
The Bombers iced the game two plays later as Lane shot through the right side of the line sprinting 45 yards for the touchdown. Garza added the PAT giving the Bombers the 26-7 lead.
“It was a huge, huge game, ain’t no doubt about it.” Hudson said of the district opener, “(The win) couldn’t have come at a better time. We needed it for our confidence.”
The Bomber defense dominated forcing seven turnovers, sacking Bearcat quarterback Adam Perkey six times, including three by Chris Messner, and holding the speedy Crawford in check throughout the night. The Bomber offense continued to improve racking up 247 yards rushing, including 93 yards from Josh Hughes on just six carries.
“And the kids,” Hudson said of the Bomber players, “I can’t say enough about the way they played. They played their hearts out, they left it all on the field, and that’s what we told them to do before the game. That’s the best we’ve looked. That was the hardest we’ve played.”
Good things come to those who wait, and a win, especially a district win over Hobart, is definitely a good thing. District play is here, the wait is over, and there are plenty of good things ahead.
The Bombers look to go 2-0 next Friday as they host Bridge Creek for Homecoming.