Starr's Mill's second-half comeback falls short, loses to Banneker 40-27

Mon, 10/01/2007 - 11:18am
By: Kevin Wandra

The roller coaster ride that has been Starr's Mill's season continues.

Banneker withstood a 20-point second half by Starr's Mill to win its third straight game, 40-27 Friday night in College Park.

It's the second time this season Starr's Mill (2-3, 1-2) has followed a victory with a loss.

"We have played tremendously athletic teams this year," Starr's Mill coach Mike Earwood said. "And we're getting each team's A-game. We've been through the meat grinder since opening up in the Dome."

Quarterback Matt Sweat scored on a 5-yard run on the game-opening possession to give Starr's Mill an early 7-0 lead. But it was all downhill from there for the Panthers in the first half.

Banneker answered with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Kacey Webb to Steven Fowlkes.

Starr's Mill suffered a big blow on its ensuing possession, when Sweat went down with a pulled muscle in his leg and didn't return.

Banneker went on to score four more touchdowns in the half to take a commanding 34-7 lead at halftime.

The Trojans' touchdowns came on a 30-yard return by Justin Chapman, a 15-yard pass from Webb to Fowlkes, a 20-yard pass from Webb to DeMarco McNeal and a 10-yard pass from Webb to Fowlkes.

Webb picked apart Starr's Mill's defense, completing 8 of 17 passes for 113 yards and four touchdowns.

The Panthers roared back in the second half, scoring 17 points in the third quarter and kicking a field goal in the fourth quarter to cut Banneker's lead to 34-27.

Filling in for Sweat, Miles Jaye threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Danny Beading with 8:08 left in the third quarter.

Starr's Mill scored twice more in the quarter, on a 38-yard field goal by Sam Martin and a 5-yard fumble return by defensive lineman Blake DeBartola.

Martin's second field goal, a 37-yarder, pulled Starr's Mill within a touchdown with 4:32 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Derrick Williams' 80-yard touchdown run with 2:57 to go was the backbreaker that Banneker needed to put Starr's Mill away for good.

Williams (10 carries, 177 yards) and Alfred Moreland (21 carries, 152 yards) were a two-headed monster at running back for Banneker.

login to post comments