Boardman unleashes new weapons in blowout
BOARDMAN
The Boardman football team graduated 19 talented seniors coming into 2012. Really, they all had an impact in winning the Spartans’ first Federal League title and four are now playing in college.
They lost a lot of talent, that’s for sure, but on Friday night coach Mark D’Eramo unleashed a new-look team and one that showed plenty of flair and ability.
Boardman routed Cleveland Bendectine, 35-6, on its home field.
“Before the year a lot of people told me, ‘Hey, you’re losing a lot of guys, what are you going to do?’ My response was, ‘We got a lot of guys,’ D’Eramo said. “We’re still senior-laden and that group worked hard together since December.”
So the 378 total yards and brilliant play from quarterback John Babos didn’t surprise him at all.
“All along, we said this was the fastest team, collectively, that we’ve had,’ D’Eramo said. “We do have more weapons than last year. I think we can be a pretty scary team with what we run and the guys we have. We can be power, we can be finesse, we can do a lot.”
Babos filled in for the departed Ryan Pollifrone and was 10-for-12 (including a perfect 4-for-4 in the second half) for 104 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also ran for 74 yards.
“It’s all our team,” Babos said. “It’s not about me. It was team-effort and everybody did their part for this W.”
Devin Campbell, now at the University of Buffalo, was replaced by the trio of Nathan Jones, Turel Thompson and Isiah Lyle. They combined for 174 yards on the ground and the Spartans finished with 274 rushing yards.
Thompson, a junior, scored the game’s first two touchdowns in the first quarter. The first was a 15-yard reception from Babos. Later he scampered for a 22-yard score with an ankle-breaking cut inside the 5-yard line near the end of the quarter.
“First off, before anything, I want to give thanks to God,” Thompson said. “You can’t do anything without Him. This was literally my first big-time varsity game. Scoring the first TD of the season means everything to me.”
Gone, too, is Dayne Hammond, one of the team’s top receivers. Brock Hull showed sure hands with seven catches for 65 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown catch late in the third quarter.
“We have everything this year,” Babos said. “We have a receiver that can catch the ball and run, a lot of quick and strong running backs, two quarterbacks that can run and throw with a tough line and defense. I think we’re going to have a great year and we’ll keep playing for each other.”
Benedictine coach Ben Malbasa said the Spartans are always fundamentally sound. In 2011, the Bengals came from behind to beat Boardman, 31-30.
“They stuck it to us,” he said. “They had a killer instinct the whole time.”
Boardman backup QB Darius Sanders had two touchdown runs. Linebacker Justin Babos recovered a fumble in the second quarter that set up the Spartans’ third score.
Subscribe Today
Sign up for our email newsletter to receive daily news.
Want more? Click here to subscribe to either the Print or Digital Editions.
AP News