Gridiron struggles continue for Indians
by Jamie Harris
Looking to crack the win column for the first time this season, the Berkeley Springs Indian football team hit Interstate 70 for the short trip to Clear Spring, Md. Fresh off a 45-20 loss to Brunswick and a three game losing streak, the Clear Spring Blazers were ready to change the gears and kick their offense and defense into high gear for homecoming.
Mission accomplished.
The Blazers rolled up 486 yards and scored on their first four possessions — all in the first quarter — on the way to a 47-6 rout of Berkeley Springs on Friday night.
While the Clear Spring offense was scoring at will early in the game, the defense was doing a number on the Berkeley Springs offense.
The Indians had four possessions in the first quarter and ran just eight plays. They punted twice, had a pass intercepted and lost a fumble. By the time they put together a sustained drive midway through the second quarter, the Blazers already led 26-0.
Clear Spring kept the ball on the ground early, as Ryan Aaron, Jesse Gentry and Jared Brant traded carries on the game’s opening drive. A 31-yard run by Aaron was the big play, but it was Gentry who scored the first points on a four-yard run for a 6-0 lead.
A three-and-out and an 11-yard punt gave the Blazers the ball at midfield, and Aaron began to look to the air more often. He connected with Collin Schultz for a 13-yard touchdown and a 13-0 Clear Spring lead.
The Indians’ next drive lasted just one play as Gentry picked off Mark Cowles. Gentry broke free behind the defense on Clear Spring’s first play and caught a pass from Aaron for a 43-yard gain to the Indians 5. Brant punched it in from the one two plays later.
Berkeley Springs gave the ball right back to the Blazers, as Brady Tritapoe fumbled and Clear Spring’s Damien Poet recovered. Two plays later, Aaron found Gentry for a 23-yard touchdown strike and a 26-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Aaron connected with Caleb Edwards for a 15-yard touchdown and Schultz for a 19-yard score in the third quarter, then closed out the scoring with a five-yard run that activated the running clock with four minutes left in the game.
The Indians finished the game with just 73 yards of total offense. Zach Wise kicked field goals of 29 and 40 yards for their only points. Berkeley Springs falls to 0-8 and will travel to East Hardy on October 19 with a 7:30 kickoff.
Clear Spring 47
Berkeley Springs 6
Berkeley Springs 0 3 3 0 6
Clear Spring 26 0 14 7 47
First Quarter - CS - Jesse Gentry 4 run (kick failed); CS - Collin Schultz 13 pass from Ryan Aaron (Glendon Mills kick); CS - Jared Brant 1 run (kick failed); CS - Gentry 23 pass from Aaron (Mills kick)
Second Quarter - BS - Zach Wise 29 FG
Third Quarter - BS - Wise 40 FG; CS - Caleb Edwards 15 pass from Aaron (Mills kick), CS - Schultz 19 pass from Aaron (Mills kick)
Fourth Quarter - CS - Aaron 5 run (Mills kick)
