by Jamie Harris
The Berkeley Springs Indians varsity football team kept the momentum rolling Friday night, September 12, at the Morgan Field, holding off a late rally from the Clear Spring Blazers (Md.) to secure a 34-28 victory. The win extends the Indians’ streak to two straight, both against Maryland 1A competition.
The Indians struck first in the opening quarter when sophomore quarterback Jalen Miller connected with Jake Aulabaugh on a 29-yard touchdown strike. Jacob Morgan drilled the extra point to give Berkeley Springs a 7-0 lead, which held through the first quarter.
Early in the second, Aulabaugh showed his versatility by breaking free for a 14-yard touchdown run. Morgan’s kick pushed the lead to 14-0. Clear Spring answered with a touchdown and extra point to cut the margin to 14-7, but the Indians responded quickly. Miller found Kyle Moore on a 16-yard scoring pass, and with Morgan’s reliable leg, Berkeley Springs took a 21-7 lead into halftime.
Miller and Moore weren’t done. In the third quarter, the duo connected again, this time on a 35-yard strike that gave the Tribe a commanding 27-7 advantage. Clear Spring, however, clawed its way back in the fourth quarter with a pair of touchdowns to narrow the gap. Moore then put the game away for Berkeley Springs with a short rushing touchdown, and Morgan’s extra point sealed the 34-28 victory.
Offensively, Miller continued his breakout season with a dazzling performance. The sophomore went 23-of-33 for 324 yards and three touchdown passes while also rushing for 30 yards. Aulabaugh powered the ground game with seven carries for 120 yards and one touchdown. Damian Clark (7 carries, 22 yards), Moore (2 carries, 5 yards, 1 rushing TD) and Jackson Ambrose (3 carries, 4 yards) also contributed.
Moore delivered a monster night at receiver, hauling in 13 receptions for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Aulabaugh added two catches for 39 yards and a score, while Adam Rippeon (2 catches, 34 yards) and Steven Schmidt (2 catches, 21 yards) gave Miller additional targets.
Defensively, Moore showed his all-around impact, leading the Tribe with 14 tackles.
Hunter Brown also recorded 14 tackles, Kowen Proctor added 10 and Brian Ailor contributed 7 tackles along with a fumble recovery. Rippeon chipped in with four tackles, and Ambrose had five stops.
With the win, Berkeley Springs improves to 2-1 on the season. The Indians now hit the road to face the Smithsburg Leopards (0-2) on Friday, September 19, at 7 p.m.
