Burlington Central falters in BN-East
Burlington Central and Richmond-Burton were in identical situations.
Both teams needed to win their final 4 games in order to qualify for the playoffs.
Richmond-Burton just responded a whole lot differently.
The host Rockets came up with several big plays, including after running just 3 offensive plays, to take a 34-7 Big Northern Conference East victory over Burlington Central.
The loss eliminates Central (1-5, 1-1) from at-large playoff contention and they must now run the table the final 4 weeks to hope for a tie for the conference title.
Burlington Central lost the momentum after its first drive.
After the Rockets were forced to punt, Richmond-Burton's Harrison Daniels blocked the punt setting up a first-and-10 for the host Rockets (2-4, 1-1) on the BC 21.
Brandon Sanko scored 2 plays later.
Things got worse as a turnover on downs led to Kenneth Riordan rumbling in for a 64-yard touchdown in just 1 play. Jacob Hill-Male's extra point made it 14-0 Richmond-Burton with 3:20 left in the first quarter.
"(The blocked punt) was a big momentum play right away," BC coach Aaron Wichman said. "It was a microcosm of what happened all might long. They wanted it more."
Riordan finished the night with 151 yards on 6 carries. He broke a 60-yard touchdown run just 1.5 seconds before halftime, with the extra point putting the host Rockets up 27-0. His 11-yard score and Hill-Male's extra point made it 34-0 with 9 minutes to play in the third quarter.
Overall, Richmond-Burton rushed for 358 yards, while Central finished with 174.
"They had good schemes," Wichman said. "We knew what they were going to do, we just couldn't stop it. Physically, we couldn't stop it and mentally, we couldn't stop it."
Central's lone score came when quarterback Tim Maroder hooked up with junior wideout Kevin Kellish on a 34-yard bomb to the left side of the end zone with 5:02 left in the fourth quarter.
Maroder, who split quarterbacking duties with Tim Botsford, finished with 41 yards on 10 carries and was 1 of 2 for 32 yards. Botsford led Central with 85 yards on 16 carries. He also went 6 of 14 for 46 yards with and interception.
"We weren't focused," Kellish said. "We worked hard all week. We thought we had it. They came out strong and we let ourselves get down on us."
Junior Justin Russell also scored for the Rockets, with a 6-yard TD with 6:31 left in the second quarter. Overall, Richmond-Burton finished with 6 plays of 28 yards or more.