Campbell rolls to 38-0 win over Champion

By Greg Gulas | October 10, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

Campbell Vs. Champion

CAMPBELL – With four one-play scoring drives, a three-play masterpiece and a perfectly executed four-play drive, it’s pretty safe to say that Campbell Memorial High is a quick-strike offense.

Their defense doesn’t take a back seat to anyone, either.

Darrio Bivens rushed for 131 yards and scored twice while Lester Hughes passed for 165 yards and two touchdowns, helping the Red Devils to a 38-0 victory Friday over the Champion Golden Flashes in All-American Conference, Blue Tier action at John Knapick Field.

Bivens set the tone of the game with an 89-yard touchdown run on the game’s first play while the Red Devils defense held the Golden Flashes to just 77 total yards offensively; minus-8 through the air to remain undefeated in Blue Tier play.

“Coach [Rod] Greenamyer wants to put the ball in my hands on the first play of the game and I cannot tell you what that means to me.

“I always get nervous before the hand-off, but it really makes me feel good that both the coach and staff have that much confidence in me to give me the ball.

“With Girard coming up this week we won’t have very much time to rest. They’re an excellent team so we just better stay focused, work hard and have a good week of practice if we expect to compete with them next weekend,” Bivens said.

Red Devil head coach Jeff Bayuk noted that both Bivens and Hughes played exceptionally well, but eagerly pointed out during their interviews that Friday’s win over the Golden Flashes (1-6, 0-3) had assured them of their first non-losing season since the 2003 campaign when they went 6-4.

“I cannot tell you how proud I am of this group of players. Last week, Salem came in here and played absolutely great against us.

“We struggled in practice early in the week but then we came together.

“These seniors have been through hell and now they get a chance to walk out of here with their heads held high with what they have since accomplished.

“Many were thrown into the fire as freshmen and were beaten up back then. It’s hard to stay out with the team when your classmates are telling you that you are wasting your time, but that is exactly what this senior class has done.

“They stuck with it and to their credit, they’ve done an excellent job while now assuming the leadership role,” Bayuk stated.

Bivens got the Red Devils (5-2, 3-0) on the board first with his 89-yard touchdown scamper just 25 seconds into the game.

The score would remain that way until the 5:19 mark of the second quarter when Hughes connected with Skevo Zembillas on a 73- yard scoring strike.

When Hughes added the two-point conversion run, the Red Devils opened a 14-0 advantage.

Hughes then found Richard Bledsoe at 1:36 for his second scoring strike of the night, this time from 29 yards out and when Alex Zudacov connected on a 27-yard field goal as time expired, the Red Devils took a 24-0 into the locker room at intermission.

“This turnaround has been a lot of fun and very exciting for me. It all began in the off-season; in the weight room where we pushed ourselves to the limit.

“If anyone deserves the credit tonight, it’s our offensive line. They opened up holes for everyone and gave me plenty of time to throw as well,” Hughes noted.

Bivens’ second touchdown, this time from 29 yards out at the 9:35 mark of the third period increased the Campbell lead to 31-0 and when Nick Golec added a three-yard scamper at 3:56 of the quarter, that would round out the scoring for the evening.

The Red Devils racked up 432 yards of total offense, including 202 through the air.

Campbell Memorial held a 14-7 first down advantage.