Charles County Lions win playoff game

Friday, May 9, 2008

The Lions had played the Punishers twice in the regular season, losing once and winning the rematch. The Lions were cautiously determined after their brutal loss to the South Jersey Generals April 26, but succeeded brilliantly with a 26-12 victory.

The Lions now have to return to Clayton, N.J. Saturday to play the Generals, and with a victory, will then play for the championship May 17.

The Lions had a total offensive output of 361 yards, 204 rushing and 157 passing. Travis McConnell worked hard all day and, with the help of the offensive line, racked up 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Curtis Harris pulled in 111 yards and one touchdown receiving, while Greg Bowman came back from an injury with 27 yards and one touchdown. The Lions defense held the Punishers to only 166 yards total offense. The Punishers had only two successful drives.

The Lions received the ball first and drove down the field 81 yards, and Tyler McConnell threw the ball to Harris for the final yard of the drive and the touchdown. Travis Savoy kicked the extra point.

The Lions defense stopped the Punishers, who got zero yards on their first possession, and received the ball on their 38-yard line. On the fourth play of the drive, Travis McConnell ran the ball two yards for the second touchdown of the day.

The Punishers then had another fruitless possession, denied forward progress by the Lions defense with Averill Butler and TJ Riley both having solo tackles and applying major pressure for an incomplete pass.

The Lions then drove down the field to the Punishers’ 27, where they fumbled the ball, and the Punishers recovered it. The Punishers then had their first forward progress of the day, gaining 13 yards and then fumbling the ball.

It was picked up by Steven Deavers, who tossed the ball to Patrick Herron and he ran it for 20 yards. Tyler McConnell then found Bowman for a 27-yard touchdown.

The Punishers then had their most successful drive of the day for 54 yards, resulting in a touchdown. The score was 20-6 Lions at the half.

The Punishers received the ball after the half, and in nine plays moved forward 31 yards but fumbled the ball. Dennis Williamson recovered it and got 20 yards for the Lions.

The Punishers held the Lions to 41 yards on the drive and the Lions had to punt. The snap went over Savoy’s head and the Punishers took over on the Lions 22. Five plays later, the Punishers got their second and final score of the day.

Later, Travis McConnell ran the ball in for the Lions’ fourth and final touchdown of the day. The Punishers then drove the ball down the field 43 yards and fumbled the ball on first and goal, which was recovered by Stephen Nutter.

The Lions downed the ball with less than a minute to go to end the game.