Poly’s offense awakens, puts Patterson’s comeback to sleep

Poly High quarterback Darrell Milburn admitted he was worried as he led the Engineers’ offense out in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game with Patterson. He had good reason.

A 22-point halftime advantage had evaporated. Poly’s offense had produced minus-1 yard in six second half plays from scrimmage.

Milburn and the seventh-ranked Engineers calmly put behind their struggles with a 75-yard scoring drive to take a 30-22 decision over No. 14 Patterson in a battle of unbeatens at Mervo’s Modell Field.

Junior Jamal Chappell scored on a three-yard run with 34.3 seconds remaining in regulation for the Engineers (4-0 overall), who received two scoring passes from Milburn. Junior wideout Donovan Riley scored twice, and Jordon Garrison had a 14-yard touchdown reception.

Poly remained tied for first in the Baltimore City league’s Division I with City College at 3-0. The Engineers can thank Milburn, who put his fleet legs and left arm on display in the winning drive.

“The quarterback coach told me it was on my shoulders and Coach [Roger] Wrenn also told me it was my game,” said Milburn. “Everyone was under pressure on the offense. We looked to each other in the huddle and said ‘We got this.’”

Milburn (8-of-11, 123 yards) completed a pair of third down-and long passes for first downs, and a 14-yard run to set up Chappell’s score off the left tackle. Milburn found Jordon Garrison in the end zone for the two-point conversion.

“I thought it would be hard. We came into the huddle and said ‘Look, we lost the lead but that’s history,’” said Wrenn, who defeated the team he coached for four decades. “It was time to find out what we’re made of. I was worried we scored too early.”

The Clippers (3-1, 2-1 Division I) reached their 49-yard line before junior linebacker Priestly Shuler led a swarm of Engineer defenders who brought down Patterson quarterback Aaron Overton to end the game. The Clippers looked done in the first half, especially after Riley caught a pass from Garrison on a lateral play on the final play from scrimmage, but the Kane Avenue school put forth a valiant comeback in the second half.

Anthony Greene scored on an eight-yard run for Clippers, who recovered a Poly fumble on the ensuing first play from scrimmage. Overton threw a five-yard strike to Marcus Woodard, bringing the Clippers to with 22-14.

Donte Williams fell on top of the ball after a successful onsides kick by Patterson. The Clippers went 51 yards in 12 plays capped by Overton’s 16-yard pass to Pete White with 8 minutes, 10 seconds left in regulation. Overton found Woodard on a quick pop pass across the middle for the game-tying two-point conversion.

The Clippers, however, were unable to come up with another critical play as Poly responded with the game-winning 15-play drive. In addition to Milburn’s two pass completions on third down, Patterson jumped offsides on fourth-and-one, giving Poly a first down at the Clippers’ 35.

“We left them too much clock,” said Overton, who went 7 of 16 for 86 yards. “We had too many penalties in bad spots. When you have two great teams playing, the one who make the least mistakes win the game.”

“Our game plan was to control the clock.  Of course when you’re down 22, that makes it tough,” said Patterson coach Corey Johnson. “We just didn’t come through in the end.”

Milburn credited his offensive line of Paul Taylor, Anthony Muse, Aaron Taylor, Jerel Womack and Artemus Davis for the winning drive. Gabriel Al-Eli rushed for 63 yards and Riley caught five passes for 85 yards, plus knocked down a pass in the end zone in the first half.

Wilfred Deshield-Lynch led the Engineers’ defense with 14 tackles and a quarterback sack, and Jonathan Melton added 11.

“I was worried but I knew with the talent we have we were going to put the ball in the end zone and win,” said Milburn.

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