Game Time Blog

By DAVE UTNIK | 6:30 p.m. Friday

Welcome to the News & Messenger Friday Night Football Game Time Blog.

60 minutes to kickoff…

Game: Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets vs. Battlefield Bobcats

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.

PREVIEW

> BO KNOWS TOUCHDOWNS: Battlefield quarterback Bo Revell has a reputation for being able to get the ball downfield. In the Bobcats’ first two games—victories over Lake Taylor and Potomac—the 6-foot-6 senior has completed 14 of 28 passes for 234 yards including TD passes to receiver Jaimie Robinson and running backs Bobo Beathard and Chris Wendle.

Revell threw for 1,316 yards last season as Battlefield won the Cedar Run District.

> HOME SWEET HOME SWEET HOME: The Bobcats are taking advantage of an early-season schedule that has them playing four of their first five games at home. They are averaging three touchdowns a game in scoring 41 points while allowing only 24.

> CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: Osbourn Park quarterback Dominique Terrell is one of the state’s most sought-after junior recruits. Virginia, Virginia Tech, Tennessee and West Virginia have already extended scholarship offers to the 5-foot-10 junior, who scrambled for 145 yards on nine carries in a season-opening victory over Stafford. The Bobcats may need more than an eight-man front to contain him.

> NOT A ONE-MAN SHOW: Terrell isn’t the only dynamic ball carrier that defenses have to contend with. Yellow Jackets’ junior running back Gary Jackson ran for 134 yards on 16 carries and scored three touchdowns. Of course, that was against Stafford, which isn’t exactly known for its defense. Running over a couple of Bobcat linebackers could elevate Jackson to star status.

UPDATE 6:45 p.m.

BATTLEFIELD STARTERS

Offense
C 56 Freddie Potter
G 61 Dave Risoldi
G 53 Zavier Stringfellow
T 54 Jimmy Long
T 59 Max Whitticar
TE Turner Meeks
WR 28 Blaine Mason
WR 18 Jaimie Robinson
QB 12 Bo Revell
RB 20 Bobo Beathard
RB 2 Danny Drazl
K 30 Jason Hoepker

Defense
DE 86 Turner Meeks
T 78 Brandon Dukeman
T 53 Zavier Stringfellow
DE 58 Ryan Sepulreda
LB 45 Christian Delgado
LB 43 Drew Elias
LB 5 Andrew Smith
LB 34 Chris Wendle
CB 9 JoiQuan James
CB 3 Bobby Seagears
S 28 Blaine Mason
P 12 Bo Revell

OSBOURN PARK STARTERS
Yellow Jackets starting lineups were not made available

UPDATE: 7:04 p.m.
If this was a kite flying competition, the Bobcats would have the home-wind advantage. It is blustery to say the least in Haymarket and that could have an impact on the play-calling. Superman might not be able to throw a ball downfield against this stuff. But Bo Revell probably can.

7:28 p.m. Coin Toss
Battlefield wins the toss and elects to receive. Revell will direct the first offensive series of the night. First and 10 at the 20 yard line following a touchback.

7:33 p.m.: The first penalty of the night occurs after just one play from scrimmage. OP is offsides. Whoa, not so anxious fellas.

7:35 PM The penalty didn’t hurt the Yellow Jackets at all as Battlefield failed to pick up a first down. Bo Revell’s booming 15-yard punt has OP driving at the 36 yard line. Or at least they were until they fumbled and DT Zavier Stringfellow recovered it for the Bobcats.

7:37 p.m. Well, that didn’t take long. Revell just completed a 44-yard pass to Blaine Mason. First down at the 14.

7:39 p.m.: TOUCHDOWN BATTLEFIELD. Nagee Jackson on a 2-yard run. With the PAT it’s 7-0 Bobcats; 7:28 remaining in the first quarter. The cowbells are a ringin’ in Haymarket and the shirtless students in the front row apparently excel in English. They have teamed up to spell BOBCATS with bodypaint on their chests.

7:49 p.m. Facing 4th and 3 at the 27, the Yellow Jackets are going for it with under 2 minutes remaining in the first quarter. Nothing doing though as Dominique Terrell is sacked by Jimmy Long and Christian Delgado. The OP running game has produced 11 yards on 7 carries. Of course that has a lot to do with having eight Bobcat defenders within five yards of the line of scrimmage.

7:56 p.m. End of the first quarter. BF 7, OP 0. Running back Nagee Jackson, who didn’t start by the way, has 27 yards on 10 carries and the game’s only TD. He might be starting next week. At least, he probably should.

8:01 p.m. Terrell is sacked for the second time. And it’s Delgado in his face once again. It’s 4th down at Battlefield’s 33 and OP has called timeout. It appears they will go for it again…... They do. But, alas, another overthrown pass falls incomplete. The Bobcats take over on downs. Terrell is 0 for 4 passing. At this pace, we might have a four-hour game.

8:10 p.m. Terrell may be the most athletic player in the county, but he hasn’t found any room to run against the Bobcats’ defense. With 6:23 left in the second quarter he has gained 1 yard on six carries and has fumbled once.

8:13 p.m. Revell, on the other hand, just completed his second long pass of the night and then picked up 4 yards on third down to give Battlefield a new set of downs at the 21. 

8:19 p.m. So much for Terrell being the scrambling quarterback. Revell is unstoppable. He just sprinted 20 yards for the Bobcats’ second TD of the game. It’s 14-0 with less than three minutes remaining in the half. The rushing comparison: Revell 32 yards on 5 carries; Terrell 1 yard on 6 carries. Make that 3 yards on 7 carries.

8:27 p.m. HALFTIME BATTLEFIELD 14, OSBOURN PARK 0 Can you hear those cowbells? They are loud. Halftime stats courtesy of stalwart sports writer Joe Conroy coming momentarily.

8:32 p.m. The highlights, as promised, from the first half: Passing: Battlefield, Revell 4-8-0, 72 yards; OP, Terrell 0-5-0, 0 yards; Rushing: BF, Nagee Jackson 39 yards, 15 carries; Revell 32-5. Both have touchdown runs. OP, Gary Jackson 13-6. The Jackets have 29 yards in total offense and have yet to pick up a first down. Yikes! Receiving: BF, Mason 1 reception, 44 yards, Bobo Beathard 2-28.
 
8:39 PM UPDATE: The Bobcats Marching Band is as good as the football team. These guys and gals rock! They are worth the price of admission alone. Talk about a High School Musical. Awesome.

8:43 p.m. There go those cowbells again. The Bobcats must be returning to the field. Yep, there they are. Let’s see if Bo and the Boys can top that halftime show by the band.
8:48 p.m. Terrell completes his first pass of the night—a 1 yard gain. Alas, it’s 4th down. Here comes the punt.

8:50 p.m. And there goes Nagee Jackson again. 18 yards up the middle for another Battlefield first down. Why isn’t this guy starting?

8:53 p.m. Just found out the clock operator is a News & Messenger subscriber. And a former judge. He loves the crossword puzzle.

8:54: Battlefield’s Bobo Beathard just intercepted a Terrell pass near midfield. The Bobcats can just about wrap up a win with a scoring drive here. And, right on cue, Jackson goes 8 yards. And 9 more. First down at the 31.

8:57 p.m. Now, it’s Revell’s turn. A 16-yard completion to Delgado to the 14.

9:01 p.m. The drive has stalled. The Bobcats fumbled at the 4. OP takes over still trailing 14-0 instead of 21-0.

9:02 p.m. The Yellow Jackets might want to rethink the passing game. Going deep is not their forte. Terrell is 1 for 9 for 1 yard and an interception. Yet another punt is on its way.

9:08 p.m. END OF THE THIRD QUARTER: BATTLEFIELD 14, OSBOURN PARK 0 Cowbells anyone?

9:10 p.m. Another Battlefield interception. JoiQuan James at the 49. OP has more turnovers (3) than first downs (0).

9:17 p.m. Here we go again. There’s interception No. 3. Terrell is picked off on consecutive pass attempts. James got him again at the 44.

9:19 p.m. The Bobcats didn’t go far though. The Yellow Jackets forced a fumble at the 35.

9:20 p.m. And there it is, the first OP first down of the game. 8 minutes left folks.

9:21 p.m. Of course, the feel-good moment is promptly followed by a sack. Ouch. Chris Wendle takes down Terrell—setting up another interception. James does it again. Pickoff No. 3 results in a 51-yard return. We’d probably be looking at another Bobcats TD except James fumbled at the 5. Still, the senior defensive back is having quite a game.

9:27 p.m. The Jackets insist on throwing deep despite every indication that the strategy isn’t going to work. Following another overthrown pass, Terrell finally tucks the ball away and picks up a 15 yard run—his longest of the night. Just under 5 minutes left. Terrell is 3-for-18 with four interceptions and 25 yards. Run, Dominique, Run.

9:32 p.m. OK, Plan C. Running isn’t working either. Terrell scrambled out of the pocket and was sacked by Bobcats lineman Jimmy Long. A 4th-down pass goes incomplete. Battlefield takes over on downs. 3:22 left.

9:35 p.m.: Get those cowbells warmed up. The Bobcats are just 149 seconds away from being 3-0.

9:44 p.m.: And it’s a final. BATTLEFIELD 14, OSBOURN PARK 0

9:46 p.m. Final stats, courtesy of wiz kid Joe Conroy, are just moments away. Stay tuned.

9:50 p.m. Rushing: Battlefield, Jackson 28-85, 1 TD; Revell 8-45, 1 TD; Osbourn Park: Terrell 17-44. Passing: BF, Revell, 7-14-0, 95 yards; OP, Terrell, 5-22-4, 38 yards. Receiving: BF, Beathard 3-32, Mason 1-44; OP, Travis Marion 1-20.

10:13 p.m. The cowbells have left the building.