The Blazers defeat Magruder 14- 13 to secure .500 season

By Nino Tran
with help from Calvin Anderson

Last Friday night I think we showed the county that we are back with vengeance in our hearts. Magruder beat us last year 40 something to 14 and this year we gave it right back to them. We beat them in their house 14- 13 in a dramatic game in which we emerged victorious. The game winner was a five-yard touchdown burst by Ricardo Campos.

They were up 13 to 7 going into the fourth quarter. With possession of the ball we drove 80 yards down the field on the legs of my main man Alfonso Angus. We decided to run a 187on to cap the drive off, but the touchdown was called back because of a holding penalty.

We were in desperate need of a touchdown with only 2 minutes left in the game. We drove the ball to Magruder's 5-yard line. With less than a minute to go, on 4th down, and with only one yard for a first down, coach decided to run a 144on. This play is designed to run the ball right up the middle between the tackles. The play was intentionally to just get a first down but it resulted in a touchdown. We converted the extra point and we went up 14-13 with less then a minute in the game.

In the first half our offense was hardly present. It took us a while to warm up and get into a groove. Once we got our stride we never left it. With a 10- 0 deficit coach Short decided that we should stop being fancy and just take it to them. We ran 187 on 14 times in a row in the second half. This play exploited Magruder's defense over and over again. Angus was able to turn our bread and butter into 41 yards and six points in the third quarter.

Also in the third quarter Magruder's kicker was able to boot a 42-yarder right threw the uprights for his second of field goal of the night. His accuracy was pivotal through out the night but when it mattered the most he choked. Later in the game he attempted a field goal of about 46 yards. He came up a little short but a roughing the kicker penalty was called so he got 15 extra yards. With our hearts in our throats we watched his second attempt at the game winner go wide. With the game inches from being stolen from us great defense and good fortune pulled us through.

This year I think that we have truly proven something. I think what we have here on this team is a group of guys who want to win and prove all the haters wrong. We went out and we beat Magruder in their place a week after they beat Damascus.

Magruder is known for their hard hitting capabilities but on Friday we out-hit them, out-ran them and overall we just plain old out-played them. We haven't had a winning record since 1994 when we went 8-2, and this year we're guaranteed one. Go Blazers.