Lions shut out Bulls

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

The Charles County Lions semi-pro football team hosted the Baltimore Bulls on May 2 at The Lion's Den in Waldorf and came through with another victory, 39-0.

This was the Lions' second meeting with the Bulls this season with the Lions winning 13-0 on March 21 in Butler.

It was the Lions' closest game until April 25's very narrow victory over the P.G. Knights, 7-6. The Bulls were coming off their second win of the season against the Jersey Shore Bullsharks, 28-14.

The Lions kicked to the Bulls first, but got the ball back three plays later when the Bulls threw an interception to Lions defensive back, Geovaun Brown, who returned it 25 yards to the 10-yard line.

Tyler McConnell threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Arturo Gabbedon, back from a finger injury which required surgery earlier this season.

The Bulls got the ball back on their own 36, but could only move the ball 15 yards in seven plays and punted. Courteney Knight returned the ball six yards and the Lions began a 74-yard drive for the end zone, which included 57 yards in passing to Greg Bowman and Arturo Gabbedon and short runs by Travis McConnell and Brandon Watson that set it up for James Riley to punch the ball into the end zone.

The Bulls went four and out and the Lions racked up another 72 yards for the next touchdown.

Highlights of that drive were a 12-yard run by Tyler McConnell, an 18-yard pass to Travis Savoy and a 25-yard pass to Gabbedon for the touchdown.

The Bulls punted on fourth down and Knight returned the ball 25 yards to start the Lions at the 50. The Bulls defense begun to get dialed in and stopped the Lions at 14 yards to take the ball over on downs. They got one play in and the clock ran out for halftime.

It was the only Lions possession that they didn't score, but the Lions led at the half, 20-0.

The Bulls kicked to the Lions to begin the second half. Defensive back and wide receiver Derrick Manning received the ball on the 20 and returned it 80 yards for the Lions' next touchdown.

The Bulls received the kick and returned it 30 yards to start them at their own 40, but they would again punt with this time the ball going out of bounds to the 45.

The Lions rushed the ball for 17 yards and then Tyler McConnell threw a pass to Bowman just to the end of his reach at his fingertips.

Lions' fans were having flashbacks to Dallas Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin as Bowman stretched his arm out as far as it could go and pulled that ball into his hand with the tips of his fingers and ran the rest of the 39 yards for the touchdown.

The Bulls received the ball off the ensuing kickoff and returned it 50 yards, but a penalty knocked them back 15 yards to start them on their own 40.

The Bulls had their most successful drive of the day, 54 yards, and had first down and goal on the 9.

On fourth and goal on the 1, the Bulls went for it, but the Lions defense stopped them and took over on downs.

Quarterback Allen Spriggs took over for Tyler McConnell and led the Lions in a 70-yard drive down the field. Runs by Travis McConnell and Clyde Jones for 22 yards and passes to Clyde Jones and Lorenzo Parker for 17 yards aided by 40 yards in penalties incurred by the Bulls, set up the 30-yard touchdown pass to Savoy to cap the scoring.

The Bulls got the ball back on their own 20 and three plays in a row were stopped by Lions nose guard and defensive end, Tony McGee. McGee had a tackle for a loss of 12 yards on first down, blocked the Bulls' pass on second down and went ahead and recovered the fumble on third down to end the ballgame.

The Lions defense held the Bulls to only 80 yards total offense.

Terry Barnes, Chris Pittman, McGee, Cedric Thomas, Averill Butler, Rashad Yarborough and Joey Williamson all had a great impact as well as Donald Knight, who had seven tackles.