Game Time Blog

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

By DAVE UTNIK

60 minutes to kickoff…

Game: Osbourn Park Yellow Jackets vs. Gar-Field Indians

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.

PREVIEW

> GROUND CONTROL: Osbourn Park quarterback Dominique Terrell (526) and Gar-Field running back Bryce Miller (502) have the most rushing yards among area public school players and their ability to move the ball tonight could determine the game’s outcome. Terrell ran for 194 yards in last week’s 26-24 win over Osbourn and is averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Miller is coming off a 115-yard performance in Gar-Field’s 22-7 victory over Freedom. He’s averaging 5.5 yards per carry.

> SECONDARY THOUGHTS: Gar-Field wide receiver John Portee has only caught one touchdown pass this season, but he has the potential to be a game-changer. The Yellow Jackets’ secondary hasn’t faced anybody like him since they played Battlefield. Portee, a junior, has 225 yards and is averaging 20.5 per catch—second in the area behind Forest Park’s Troy Tyler. Junior De’Vonte Piggott is a popular target for Indians QB Aaron Jackson as well with 141 yards and a 15.7 average.

> WHO’S IN FIRST?: The winner of tonight’s game will be 2-0 in the Cardinal District. While the playoff race is just beginning, it’s never too early to appreciate being in first place. This game will certainly impact the VHSL Division 6, Northwest Region power rankings. With a win tonight, Gar-Field could have a 7-2 record heading into it’s final game at preseason favorite Woodbridge on Nov. 6. The Vikings (4-0) are playing their district opener tonight and Potomac, which edged Forest Park 14-10 last week for its first victory, can open district play at 2-0 with a win at home over Hylton. The Gar-Field game is equally important for OP, which has Freedom, Potomac and Forest Park—a combined 1-13—over the next three weeks before closing the season against Woodbridge and Franklin County.

>NO VACANCY: The only way to beat Osbourn Park is to contain Dominique Terrell and that means giving him nowhere to run. Therein lies the dilemma that area coaches have pondered all season. The OP junior is perhaps the toughest QB to prepare for because he is so elusive in the backfield. Only Battlefield, which dared him to throw by keeping everyone within six yards of the line of scrimmage, has been able to slow him down. Last week, Terrell created all sorts of issues for Osbourn by rushing for 194 yards and throwing for 138. He accounted for three touchdowns. The Indians’ best defensive player is defensive end Austin Copeland so that makes for quite a one-on-one matchup. Copeland, a junior, is the team’s leading tackler and he had three sacks last week against Freedom.

UPDATE: 7:23 p.m. Starting lineups for tonight’s game were not available. Apparently at Gar-Field they are a matter of national security and are not released. Head coach Tom Gryder prefers to keep them a secret right up until kickoff.

7:26 p.m. It’s four minutes before kickoff and the parking lot is virtually empty. So are the bleachers. And this game is for first place. The estimated attendance is in the low hundreds. 

7:30 p.m. KICKOFF The opening kickoff sailed out of bounds, giving Osbourn Park first possession at the 35 yard line. It’s party time.

7:31 p.m. The Yellow Jackets have their offense stuck in reverse. Two plays, two losses. Followed quickly by fourth down and a punt. Gar-Field has chosen to focus on stopping the running game. Why not? It worked for Battlefield.

7:35 p.m. Gar-Field’s offense is headed the wrong way too. We need some traffic signs out here to point these guys in the right direction. Two penalties already. It’s 1st and 15 Indians at the 32 yard line.

7:37 p.m. There it is, forward progress. Bryce Miller finds some running room, but a 10-yard gain still leaves G-F short of a first down. With an incomplete pass on third down, it’s time to punt.

7:39 p.m.Wait, what’s this? A first down. The Jackets have something going here. It’s a thing of beautiful watching the ball move up field. Dominique Terrell just showed off his improving passing game, too, hitting Pat Derenda for a 15-yard gain. Move those chains boys, we’ve got a drive in the works.

7:43 p.m. The Jackets made it into G-F territory but had to punt—again. Only this time the kick bounced off an Indian and OP recovered at the 14 yard line. Technically, this is still considered a drive.

7:46 p.m. Zach Roy 34 yard FG. Osbourn Park 3, Gar-Field 0, 2:20 left in the first quarter.

7:52 p.m.The game moves quickly when both teams keep the ball on the ground. The first quarter took 23 minutes. There were more punts than points and OP leads 3-0.

7:54 p.m.The Jackets are on the move again. At least they were until they just got flagged for holding. Still, they are in G-F territory at the 49. Stay tuned, we might have another drive in the making.

7:56 p.m.False alarm. There is no scoring drive here. But there is another penalty. Wait, make that two penalties. OP is no longer in G-F territory. Uh, fellas, the end zone is the other way.

7:59 p.m.That was, in essence, an anti-drive, followed by another punt. It’s Gar-Field’s turn. First at 10 at the 25.

8:05 p.m.Gar-Field is flirting with a scoring drive. The Indians are at midfield and, more importantly, moving forward. Oops, that four-yard loss didn’t help.

8:07 p.m.That pass interference call on Osbourn Park does though. A 15-yard penalty puts G-F back in business. The Indians are at the OP 43 yard line with 2:55 remaining in the half.

8:10 p.m.Now, it’s getting serious. G-F has moved inside the 25 on a nifty pass from Aaron Jackson. 1:02 remaining.

8:13 p.m.Decison time. It’s 4th and 11 at the 24. 11 seconds left in the half. G-F calls timeout. This would be a 41 yard FG attempt should they decide to go for a tie.

8:15 p.m.Yep, they’re going for the tie, but Anthony Ayala’s kick went 40 yards. Halftime: OP 3, GF 0

8:25 p.m. Major props to Gar-Field’s marching band for their Cirque Du Soleil halftime show.

8:46 p.m. The third quarter in underway and Gar-Field’s punt return issues continue. OP recovered another mishandled punt and turned it into a 32 yard FG. It’s Max Jones 3, Zach Roy 3, G-F 0.

8:50 p.m. Gar-Field has just boomed a 7-yard punt. Special teams indeed. OP can pretty much put this one away with a TD here. The Jackets have the ball 1st and 10 at the Indians’ 16.

8:52 p.m. And now the ball’s in the end zone. Dominique Terrell to Pat Derenda for a 16-yard TD. Zach Roy 4, Max Jones 3, Pat Derenda 6, Gar-Field 0. 4:18 remaining in the third quarter. 

8:59 p.m.But wait, here come the Indians. Oh, and the crowd has nearly doubled in size since kickoff. There may be close to 1,000 fans now, most of them are not paying any attention to the actual game. There seems to be some gravitational pull near the concession stand. Maybe there’s a 2 for 1 hotdog special or something.

9:03 p.m.They’re playing Ice Cream and Cake between plays. Make it Stop!

9:04 p.m.And that thing about the Indians. Never mind. There was a punt and the third quarter ended. OP 13, GF 0.

9:07 p.m.10 minutes left. Another special teams adventure for Gar-Field. Only this time, they recovered their own fumbled punt. That’s progress, right?

9:11 p.m.Here come the Indians. Seriously. This time it’s true. They’ve moved inside the 15, thanks in part to an OP pass interference call. Aaron Jackson has them thinking touchdown. There’s plenty of time left for a comeback.

9:15 p.m. On fourth down from the 16 Jackson connects with Bryce Miller for a G-F touchdown. Suddenly, it’s a game. OP 13, GF 7. 7:44 remaining.

9:18 p.m. Gar-Field kicks deep and puts the game’s outcome in the hands of its defense, which has actually done a pretty good job tonight. The Jackets have yet to spring a big play. OP needs a time consuming drive here to run out the clock or there’s going to be some last-second drama.

9:20 p.m. The Jackets are content to keep the ball on the ground at this point and it’s working. They’ve run off nearly three minutes and are approaching midfield. It’s 3rd and 1 at the 49. 5:50 left.

9:24 p.m. Mason dives up the middle. It’s 4th and inches at midfield. 4:37 remaining. The Jackets are going for it. Drama City!

9:25 p.m.And there’s a flag. Gar-Field jumped early. It’s an OP first down. 4:07 to go.

9:29 p.m. Dominique Terrell to Travis Marion. Surprise, a pass. And it’s complete at the 14 yard line. BALLGAME

9:30 p.m. The Indians just thought they’d recovered a fumble, but the officials ruled the ball down. OP faces a fourth down at the 9. It’s Zach Roy time again. This time from 26 yards. GOOD. Zach Roy 7, Pat Derenda 6, Max Jones 3, GF 7. 1:16 left

9:36 p.m.Counting down the finals seconds. Someone wasn’t too happy on the press box roof. They slammed something so hard that a light fixture nearly fell down.

9:37 p.m.Counting down the final seconds….3, 2. 1…

FINAL SCORE: Osbourn Park 16, Gar-Field 7

As Porky Pig would say, ‘That’s All Folks.“