Host Falcons battle back, but the Bruins pull away late

by Pat O’Malley

Freshman quarterback Josh Ehrlich tossed a pair of touchdown passes and plunged for another and Boston College commit Ethon Williams returned a kickoff 98 yards as No.3 Broadneck posted a 34-17 Anne Arundel County football victory, in a persistent light rain at Severna Park’s George Roberts Field Friday night. The Bruins led 27-3 at intermission.

Ehrlich completed 17-of-32 passes for 206 yards and two TD’s in the Bruins quick/short passing scheme as they stayed unbeaten at 3-0, while the much improved Falcons, who were 1-9 in 2017, fell to 1-2 with their second straight loss.

Ehrlich, the son of former Maryland governor Bob Ehrlich and brother Drew Ehrlich, who was a standout football, basketball and baseball player at Gilman School, started the scoring with a dive from the one-yard line to give the Bruins a 7-0 lead on their first possession – a 67-yard drive in eight plays.

With 4:22 left in the first period, Ehrlich hooked up with Williams on a 7-yard scoring pass and Keegan Bragaw’s kick made it 14-0. The lead went to 20-zip on a 1-yard smash by Carlos Coates with just under 10 minutes to the half. Severna Park got on the board on the ensuing possession on a 30-yard field goal by Travis Victorio.

Broadneck answered right back on an Ehrlich 10-yard toss to Andre Woods making it 27-3 just before the break.

The Falcons put up the only score in the third period on a Jordan Hallet to Ryan Thorpe 18-yard TD pass, cutting the lead to 27-10. At the start of the final quarter, the Falcons were about to make it a game, as Demetrius Powell scampered 20 yards to pay-dirt and suddenly it was 27-17 Bruins.

Severna Park’s hopes were dashed on the ensuing kickoff as Williams, who had 9 receptions for 142 yards on the night, gathered in the pigskin and turned in a dazzling 99-yard kickoff return to close the scoring.

A couple bright spots for the Falcons were sacks by lineman Elijah Hill and linebacker Tristan Halloran.

No. 3 BROADNECK 34, SEVERNA PARK 17
Broadneck (3-0) 14 13 0 7 – 34
Severna Park (1-2) 0 3 7 7 – 17

1st Qtr
B – Josh Ehrlich 1-yard run (Bragaw kick)
B – Ehrlich to Ethon Williams, 5-yard TD pass (Bragaw kick)

2nd Qtr
B – Carlos Coates 1-yard run (kick failed)
SP – Travis Victorio 30-yard field goal
B – Ehrlich to Andre Woods, 9-yard TD pass (Bragaw kick)

3rd Qtr
SP – Jordan Hallet to Ryan Thorpe, 18-yard TD pass (Victorio kick)

4th Qtr
SP – Demetrius Powell 20-yard run (Victorio kick)
B – Williams 99-yard kickoff return (Bragaw kick)