Chain gang rolls Calvert

Braves' no-huddle offense erupts

Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010

The chains move fast when Chopticon's no-huddle offense is at work.

The Braves kept visiting Calvert plenty busy on Friday night en route to a 55-15 homecoming victory as junior quarterback Cody Douglas racked up 238 passing yards on 14 of 16 attempts with five touchdown passes in just the first half.

"Definitely [he's happy with offensive rhythm]," said Chopticon head coach Tony Lisanti, whose team is now 4-3, 3-2 SMAC. "I think we continued where we left off [last week against Northern]. We seem to be meshing well with each other. I like the fact that we got up to the line quick and got our plays off. We had quick drives and big plays and when we're executing that's the way it should look."

Junior running back Stephen Quade scored on a three-yard touchdown run as Chopticon capitalized on a Calvert fumble. The mercy rule would have gone into effect just 3 minutes and 38 seconds into the second quarter, but Chris Palmer's extra point attempt was no good. It would have put the Braves up, 35-0.

The Cavaliers (1-6, 1-4) were able to get on the board just past the second quarter's midway point when junior wide receiver Romand Gray got around Chopticon linebacker Michael Messick for a five-yard touchdown run.

"The game was out of reach, but I told them to come back in the second half and play with intensity, passion and pride," Calvert head coach Marc Watson said. "It's the first time all year we've played with that much aggression. We took that as a positive. Our goal now is like everyone else — to win the next three remaining games. Playoffs are out of reach, but we need to keep playing with passion and pride."

On the following drive, Calvert defensive back Shaquille Morsell almost intercepted a 26-yard pass by Douglas, but senior wide receiver Matt Hunt reached out, bobbled the ball and caught it as he hit the ground in the end zone.

"The coaches gave me a little pep talk right before that because they could see that I was getting off of my receivers very well," Hunt said, "so I just focused everything on the ball and I just came down with it."

A 35-yard interception return by Chopticon's Sterling Miles with just 20 seconds left to play in the first half capped it with the Braves going to the locker room up, 48-7.

"We've improved a lot on the mental mistakes, we're not making as many," Douglas said. "I want people to remember this team because of its pride and that we just come out to do what we're supposed to do. Coach [Lisanti] is inspiring us with good character on the field. "

Josh Gray caught six balls for 167 yards and two touchdowns in playing just the first half.

"It's great [to be a captain] because I've been in the program for four years so to come up and take leadership and homecoming — to beat a team that bad feels pretty good, too," Gray said, "Second string stepped up and did their job tonight, too. They went down field and scored on them. We'll be working a little bit on kickoff team and we will be working on the run defense."

Chopticon faces off with county rival Great Mills Friday, while Calvert hosts the Lackey Chargers. Both games are at 7 p.m.

"I think [the Cavaliers] were competing hard," Lisanti said. "You could see they were playing better in the second half than they did in the first. They never quit and that's a testament to coach Watson."

tshowalter@somdnews.com