Game Time Blog

FINAL: The Bobcats improve to 2-0 on the season with a 20-17 win over the Panthers.

Potomac mounted a valiant effort at the end of the game, stopping the clock with a spike for fourth down with three seconds left. Thomas’ pass was knocked to the ground by Jaimie Robinson to end the game.

The loss drops Potomac to 0-2 for the first time since ‘98. Battlefield, meanwhile, is now 21-0 in the regular season since game two of the 2007 campaign.
___________________________________
1:51, 4th quarter: On fourth and one, Thomas lines up under center and bowls his way forward, but he is just short—maybe half a yard.

Turnover on downs.

Battlefield takes over at the Potomac 47 with less than two minutes to go. The Panthers have two timeouts left.
___________________________________
3:51, 4th quarter: Big sack by Zavier Stringfellow, dropping Thomas eight yards on first down. The Panthers have picked up 86 yards on third down in the second half, however.
___________________________________
4:59, 4th quarter: So much for that. The Panthers just batted down a Bo Revell pass at the line—at least the third time that’s happened in the game—bringing up fourth down.

I don’t know how a 6-foot-6 quarterback could have that many passes tipped at the line in high school.

The Bobcats pin the Panthers deep in their own territory at the Potomac 15 with just 4:47 to go. May be too much time left for the Panthers’ offense.
___________________________________
6:20, 4th quarter: With Potomac marching down the field with authority, Chris Wendle ends the Panther drive with an interception at the Bobcat 10 and returned it to the 28.

That could be the game with Jackson and Beathard running the ball. Now if only they can keep their own gains to a minimum.
___________________________________
9:28, 4th quarter: The first half now smacks of two boxers just jabbing at each other early in a fight—feeling out what’s going to work later on.

The offenses are both producing with Bo Revell picking up a one-yard touchdown run (the PAT failed as the snap eluded the holder). Battlefield leads 20-17 after a nine-play, 71-yard drive over more than three minutes.
___________________________________
11:36, 4th quarter: Jackson just ripped off an 11-yard run. He has 66 yards on the ground on 12 touches in the game; 51 of those yards have come in the second half alone.
___________________________________
END OF 3rd: Potomac leads 17-10, but Battlefield is driving. The Bobcats have picked up 19 yards on three plays, including 16 on two Nagee Jackson runs.

Coach Mark Cox may have found his replacement for Adrian Ingram.

(Potomac’s last drive chewed up six and a half minutes of the period, rolling 77 yards on 17 plays)
___________________________________
STATS UPDATE: Thomas is now 14 of 25 for 186 yards and a scoring strike. He’s thrown the ball 69 times in less than two games.
___________________________________
1:09, 3rd quarter: Following a terrific pass and catch between DeAirius Thomas and Jake Williams, the Panthers cross the goal line on a six-yard pass to David Riley.

With the PAT from Seabold, Potomac goes up 17-14.
___________________________________
4:10, 3rd quarter: The Panthers have been extremely efficient on third downs this drive, picking up 15, 16 and 16 yards on those plays.

The bad news is they’ve had three third downs on the possession.
___________________________________
7:45, 3rd quarter: And Jackson powers his way into the end zone from seven yards out, giving Battlefield their first lead of the day, 14-10.

11 plays, 67 yards for the Bobcats, most of it by Jackson and Beathard.
___________________________________
9:02, 3rd quarter: Battlefield has started going to its backfield to open the half. Nagee Jackson is picking up chunks of yardage on almost every carry and Bo Revell just completed a dump pass to Bobo Beathard over three Panther rushers.

The Bobcats are threatening on the Panthers’ 19.

Revell rushes to the 7 on the next play; first and goal.
___________________________________
First half leaders:
>Rushing—Potomac, Sean Andrews 4 carries for 9 yards; Battlefield, Bo Revell 5-27
>Passing—Potomac, DeAirius Thomas, 7-16, 117 yards; Battlefield, 6-9, 70, 1 TD
>Receiving—Potomac, Andrews 4-100; Jaimie Robinson 1-38, 1 TD

>TOTAL OFFENSE—Potomac, 139 yards; Battlefield 147 yards
___________________________________
END OF THE HALF: Potomac holds a slim 10-7 lead as the Panthers drag Bo Revell to the ground for a loss to finish what is left on the clock.

Battlefield is showing more offensive competence than they did in the first quarter and a half, but with the entire Potomac defensive line flattening Revell on the final play of the second, things won’t be getting any easier for the senior quarterback.

This is a disturbing trend for the Bobcats, too, as Revell was roughed up in the season opener against Lake Taylor a week ago. He ended that game with minus-33 yards, most of them as a result of sacks.

Potomac needs to find what was working early in the game if they want to avoid their first 0-2 start in 11 years. Too many three-and-outs. I think we’ll see both clubs be more creative in the third quarter.

Remember: You can comment and ask questions at the bottom of the page! There is a box to type what you want to say and you can preview it first and then just hit submit!
___________________________________
3:04, 2nd quarter: As soon as I posted that, Revell had time in the pocket and connected with Jaimie Robinson for a 38-yard toucdown, bringing the Bobcats to within three, trailing the Panthers 10-7.

That’s huge for Battlefield, who needed to show some offensive life before heading to the locker room. They don’t want to be down 17 points at the half and have to make that deficit up over the final two quarters.
___________________________________
3:22, 2nd quarter: The Panther defense is harassing Revell on almost every drop. Nagee Jackson, meanwhile, is running effectively again, picking up 15 yards on two carries on their current drive.
___________________________________
6:31, 2nd quarter: Revell runs hard to pick up the final four yards for a first, but he’s stuffed by the Panthers’ defensive line. When the referees bring out the chains, it couldn’t have been short by more than a few links, but the ball was turned over to Potomac at the 27.
___________________________________
7:38, 2nd quarter: Despite getting hit hard by a Potomac defender, Bo Revell stays up to get a pass off to Bobo Beathard, turning a negative into a positive. Everyone thought Revell was sacked, but he deflected the hit and then carried the Panther on his back as he threw the ball.

The play moved Battlefield to the Panthers’ 29, the farthest the Bobcats have ventured on the field today.
___________________________________
9:00, 2nd quarter: The Bobcats just had a 26-yard run by Bobo Beathard erased on an illegal shift penalty, frustrating the home crowd. Bo Revell runs for 13 yards on the ensuing play for a third and two play.
___________________________________
Sorry, forgot the score—Potomac leads 10-0.
___________________________________
10:08, 2nd quarter: Gerald Seabold drilled a 28-yard field goal attempt for the Panthers’ second score of the day.

Potomac looks much improved from last week’s game when they struggled with penalties and cramping. They’re also more balanced than they were against the Indians when they threw 44 times.
___________________________________
11:10, 2nd quarter: DeAirius Thomas just launched a 60-yard pass to David Riley, bringing the Panthers down to the Battlefield 15. Riley would have scored, having beaten his man by four or five yards, but he had to slow down to secure the ball as it bounced in his hands, allowing the defender to catch up to him.
___________________________________
End of 1st quarter: A quick period—compared to the other two games I’ve seen so far—the Panthers lead 7-0 heading into the second quarter.

Battlefield has struggled to get any offensive rhythm, particularly because of the turnovers. But even when they’ve held onto the ball, the Bobcats haven’t escaped their own territory so far. Of course, Potomac, aside from the opening drive, hasn’t done much either.
___________________________________
3:28, 1st quarter: The Bobcats were riding high after forcing the Panthers to punt on the recovery possession, but running back Danny Drzal, after making some nifty moves on a screen pass, fumbled at the Battlefield 47 and Potomac picked it up again.

Battlefield better find some stick-um or something for Drzal and Revell or it’s going to be a long day for the Bobcats’ defense.
___________________________________
7:19, 1st quarter: Battlefield won’t be responding on its first drive. The Bobcats fumbled a handoff attempt and the Panthers recovered at the Battlefield 41 by Trevor Alexander.

And, like the other two games I’ve seen this year, a sideline warning is issued. Must be an edict from the VHSL this season.
___________________________________
8:36, 1st quarter: After a grinding opening drive, Potomac jumps onto the scoreboard first with a four-yard run by Maurice Cannon.

The Panthers drove 76 yards on 13 plays before going up 7-0 to start the game.
___________________________________
Welcome to the News & Messenger Game Time Blog for the Potomac-Battlefield game.

First, I’ve been told the comments section is functioning now—as our popsicle afficianado proved earlier this week—so feel free to let us know what you think of what we’re doing and ask questions, too. I’ll do my best to answer them in the blog.

Now some quick notes about today’s game.

>IT’S BEEN A WHILE: The last time Potomac (0-1) opened a season with two losses was 1998 when they started the season 0-3. The Panthers rallied to finish the season 6-4, which brings us to our next note…

> WINNING WAYS, PART 1: Potomac hasn’t had a losing season since 1997 when it posted an 0-10 mark. Last year the Panthers were 5-5 after beginning the season with a lopsided loss to Battlefield in Dumfries.

> WINNING WAYS, PART 2: Battlefield (1-0) has won 20 straight regular season games dating to 2007 when they went 9-1 before the playoffs. The team that beat them? Potomac, in the season opener. The Panthers went on to reach the Group AAA Div. 5 state final that year.

> ABOUT LAST WEEK: The Bobcats began 2009 with a 21-7 home win over Lake Taylor last Thursday. Quarterback Bo Revell threw just 12 times, completing five passes for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Revell’s arm wasn’t needed as much because running back Nagee Jackson was very effective on the ground and the Bobcats had a lead for most of the game after the midway point. Jackson finished the day with 92 yards on 16 carries.

Potomac, meanwhile, fell at home to Gar-Field, 27-13. DeAirius Thomas had the exact opposite experience Revell had, throwing more than 40 times. He connected for just one score, a 21-yard toss to Sean Andrews in the fourth quarter.