Everything was going right for Western Tech’s football team in the first quarter of Friday night’s Class 1A North Regional finals at CCBC-Catonsville.
Quarterback Juleon Killikelly-Lee tossed an eight-yard touchdown to Jerome McKoy on the Wolverines’ opening possession. Then senior linebackers Wole Olugbemi and Anthony Holland each returned an interception for touchdown to help the Wolverines jump out to an early 20-8 advantage.
But Brunswick’s 6-foot-6 junior quarterback Ian Fisher righted the ship and threw four touchdowns pass to help the Railroaders come-from-behind to end Western Tech’s dream season, 36-22.
“It was a big game and the kids came out strong,” said Western Tech coach Al Lagon. “We were fortunate to jump on them but we couldn’t sustain it. I give a lot of credit to Brunswick.”
He added: “It was a great year and nobody expected us to do anything and the kids went 11-1 and won the division and made it to the regional championship.”
The Wolverines went undefeated with a 10-0 record in the regular season and finished with an 11-1 mark. Their closest game came in a 13-12 victory over Dundalk late in the season.
Brunswick battled back to tie the score at 22-22 at the intermission and came out on fire in the second half.
Fisher, a Division I prospect, and the Railroaders (11-1) scored on its first two possessions in the third quarter behind a touchdown pass to C.J. Shankle and a quarterback keeper by Fisher to open the lead to 36-22, which would be the final score.
Brunswick from Frederick County will have to travel to farther north next weekend as they take on Havre de Grace for a spot in the state championship game. Meanwhile, Western Tech can reflect on its most successful campaign in program history.
“Brunswick is a really good football team,” Lagon said. “We just made too many mistakes and we paid for them.”
