Broadneck football had every chance to win Friday’s game against Annapolis.
Though trailing, 27-26, the Bruins offense had the ball as time ticked under a minute. Running back Ian Mauldin slipped through a gap to convert a first down to the Panthers’ 25-yard line with 30 seconds left.
All Broadneck had to show for the first two downs was a five-yard penalty. Annapolis’ Rion Jackson batted down CJ Watkins’ pass on third down.
As Watkins’ pass sailed to the end zone, Panthers corner back Zyhir Neal’s repeated his coach’s words.
“Do not catch the pick,” he parroted. “Always bat the ball down. So, I did my job.”
The Annapolis players on the sidelines hardly let Neal’s batted pass touch the ground before rushing the field to celebrate. A lopsided first half, a blocked extra point in the second and the right defensive moves in the end held Annapolis’ one-point victory, which gives the Panthers (6-1) a shot at claiming the county title. Since the Bruins (6-1) defeated Arundel on Sept. 13, the Panthers (6-1) doing the same in two weeks will would hand them the crown outright.
“They know who we are now,” Neal said. “They’ll put some respect on our name. We’re not underdogs anymore.”
Screaming, euphoric Annapolis players streamed around coach Dewayne Hunt, who held himself together as long as he could. When the last Panther stepped into the fieldhouse, Hunt hunched over, tears flooding down.
“It’s for him,” Hunt said, over and over like a prayer. Coaches embraced him, pointed their finger to the sky.
“For a moment, I’m excited. But I’m just thinking of JC. He couldn’t be here with us,” Hunt first said before correcting, “No. He’s here.”
Annapolis’ Zyhir Neal breaks up a Broadneck pass near the end zone on the final play of Friday's game. The Panthers defeated the visiting Bruins, 27-26. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Broadneck quarterback CJ Watkins gains yards on a run in the fourth quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Broadneck’s Jonah Brown breaks up a catch by Annapolis receiver Cyrus Chambers in the fourth quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis’ Zach Boyd takes down Broadneck quarterback CJ Watkins on a run in the fourth quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis’ Cyrus Chambers catches a big pass from quarterback Darrian Carter and runs in for a touchdown in the first quarter Friday against Broadneck. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Broadneck’s CJ Watkins completes a pass to Joey Smargissi in the second quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Broadneck’s Joey Smargissi catches a pass and scores in the third quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis Kyonte Brown-Siscoe forces Broadneck quarterback CJ Watkins out of bounds for no gain in the third quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis’ Zyhir Neal breaks up a Broadneck pass to Ian Mauldin or Mari Hayes near the end zone to end the game. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Broadneck’s Ian Mauldin picks up good yards after a catch in the first quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis’ Tyler Womack finds a hole and runs for positive yards in the first quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Broadneck’s Ian Mauldin scores in the third quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis’ Tyler Womack breaks a big touchdown run in the second quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis’ De'myen Gray gains good yards on a run in the second quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis’ Tyler Womack slips by Broadneck’s Michael Swick and runs for positive yards in the first quarter. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis celebrates its 27-26 win over Broadneck on Friday. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis’ Kameron Hebron knocks the ball out of Broadneck receiver Joey Smargissi hands after a catch forcing a fumble Annapolis recovers in the second quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Broadneck’s Ian Mauldin runs in untouched for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis quarterback Darrian Carter runs by Broadneck’s Kemarri Collison before being forces out of bounds by Myles Bryan, but not before picking up a first down in the fourth quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Broadneck’s Aaron Foote picks up good yards after a catch before being stopped by Annapolis’ Kameron Hebron, center and Keshawn Boykin, right, in the first quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis quarterback Darrian Carter follows his offensive line and runs in for a touchdown in the second quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Annapolis’ Tyler Womack breaks a big touchdown run in the second quarter. The Annapolis Panthers defeated the visiting Broadneck Bruins, 27-26, in high school football Friday evening. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
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Annapolis’ Zyhir Neal breaks up a Broadneck pass near the end zone on the final play of Friday's game. The Panthers defeated the visiting Bruins, 27-26. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
Kyonte Brown-Siscoe, whose blocked extra point proved crucial, was sure of his former coach’s presence.
“He gave us a couple plays out there,” the senior two-way lineman said. “Started lacking a bit, then we started turning up. That was him, smacking us in the head and telling us: ‘This is history.’”
In the first half, the Annapolis defense came up with an interception and fumble recovery. The Panthers offense made full use of the gifts, rocketing to a 27-7 halftime lead.
The Bruins defense had no answers for county leading rusher Tyler Womack, who scorched to 55-yard and 18-yard touchdowns while quarterback Darrian Carter accounted for the others — one on the ground, one through the air.
But in the second half, Broadneck seemed to have an answer for everything.
Womack couldn’t wiggle loose as he had. Carter’s passes fell flat.
“We had to tighten the gap,” Broadneck coach Rob Harris said. “I’m proud of the defense for stepping up and giving us a chance to come back.”
The Bruins offense gripped the ball a little better and used it to punch in two touchdowns in six minutes and slash Annapolis’ lead to a score. Mauldin broke loose for another touchdown shortly after.
Everything seemed to be lining up for a tie game. Broadneck’s special teams settled in for the extra point, and all Brown-Siscoe could think was “Old Mill.” He blocked their extra point, too, in Week 1.
He and sophomore Roman Stramanak rammed together and struck the extra point down. Stramanak was thrust into his role early when the Panthers lost safety Jordan Johnson to injury. By the end, he’d taken part in most of Annapolis’ tackles.
“Straight at his chest. Push him back. Get your hand up,” Brown-Siscoe said. “We just needed one little stop.”
With two regular season games left, Annapolis’ triumph on Friday sets it up for home-field advantage deep into the postseason, the coach said, quoting Kobe Bryant – “Job’s not done.”
“We want to go as far as this can take us,” Hunt said. “As long as they keep believing, keep doing the right things in the hallways and community, the sky’s the limit.”
Annapolis’ Zyhir Neal breaks up a Broadneck pass near the end zone on the final play of Friday’s game. The Panthers defeated the visiting Bruins, 27-26. (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
BROADNECK — 7 0 13 6 — 26
ANNAPOLIS — 14 13 0 0 — 27
SCORES
Q1
ANNAPOLIS — TYLER WOMACK 55 YARD RUSH, XPT GOOD BY SULLY PROVOST — 7-0
BROADNECK — CJ WATKINS TO CARSON PIERCE, 25 YARD RECEPTION, XPT GOOD BY DYLAN JORDON — 7-7
ANNAPOLIS — DARRIAN CARTER TO CYRUS CHAMBERS, 55 YARD RECEPTION, XPT GOOD, PROVOST — 14-7, 4:48
Q2
ANNAPOLIS — DARRIAN CARTER 1 YARD RUSH, XPT NO GOOD — 20-7, 10:51
