When you look back at Bradford High’s victories over Olean High
in the storied 113-year football series, there is a 63 percent
chance that an Owls’ triumph will also be a shutout.
Including four 0-0 ties, Bradford blanked the Huskies for the
42nd time with a 38-0 romp at Parkway Field on Friday to take a
60-42-7 lead in the series and also earn their 500th win
(500-417-47) in school history.
“That (shutout statistic) is amazing,” said Steve Ackerman, BHS
head coach. “Tonight our defense was outstanding. We were in their
(Huskies’) backfield all night. Everybody on the defense
contributed. We were hard-nosed and physical.”
The offense was also stellar as the ground attack churned up 270
yards and junior quarterback Ben Walter was 7-for-7 for 110 yards
through the skies.
“Ben (Walter) gives our opponents something else to think
about,” Ackerman declared. “We have a lot of weapons in the
backfield.”
The Huskies (0-2), who only dressed 19 players, suffered a
three-and-out on their first possession of the game as the Owls
took over on the Olean 41.
Nick Johnson then used a block by Tom Morris at the 21 to rumble
all the way to the end zone, but there was a holding infraction at
the line of scrimmage to negate the play. On the next snap the Owls
fumbled and it was recovered by Adam McDow at the 33.
“We had good field position and all we got out of it was a
penalty and a fumble,” Ackerman bemoaned. “Regardless of the 38-0
final score, we do have some things to correct.”
Bradford’s next possession at the Olean 36 commenced with the
very first pass play of the year, which was a 7-yard completion
from Walter to Morris. Four plays later, E.J. Moore scored from the
six and Steve Butler launched the extra point halfway to a police
manhunt for a 7-0 lead with 6:04 left in the opening quarter.
“Our offensive line does a great job to get to their blocks,”
Ackerman recalled. “We had close to 300 yards on the ground and we
were able to throw a little bit.”
The Owls’ next score was set up by a 64-yard run around left end
by Moore, who was finally hauled down at the 4 on a diving ankle
tackle by Jon Reed.
“We ran the jet sweep and we had them (Huskies) outnumbered,”
Ackerman explained. “Then it was just a footrace.”
Two plays later, Walter followed his convoy of blockers to bull
his way in from the 2. Olean’s Jerome Skinner then got a paw on the
PAT to knock it away, but it was 13-0 Owls with 2:30 remaining in
the period.
Following three consecutive three-and-outs, Olean earned its
initial first down on an 18-yard run by Demetrius Bailey. The
possession stalled at the 48 and Bradford took over deep in its own
territory at the 9.
Taylor O’Brien utilized a gaping hole up the middle for a
38-yard run, and then Walter hit Tyler Hopkins for a 41-yard gainer
for a first-and-goal at the 6.
Moore went three yards untouched for the score, and then holder
Jim Milbrandt hit O’Brien for the two-pointer and it was 21-0 with
10:50 left in the half.
Then just around the time law enforcement officials were nabbing
a famous fugitive, the Owls were putting the clamps on the Huskies
when a six-play, 51-yard drive culminated with a seven-yard TD run
by O’Brien with 1:10 remaining. A bad snap resulted in the missed
extra point, but it mattered not as the Owls took a comfortable
27-0 margin into the locker room.
“It was nice to have that lead so we could come out and score,
and get the two-point conversion to get the clock running,”
Ackerman declared. “It’s always nice to get the starters some rest
and there’s also less chance of injuries.”
The Owls did implement the 35-point Mercy Rule with a six-play,
75-yard sojourn to paydirt. Morris juggled and then caught a
39-yard pass from Walter, Johnson scored from five yards out and
then Walter carried in the conversion for a 35-0 bulge with 9:21
left in the third.
The Owls’ second team offense entered the contest at the 6:37
juncture and moved Butler within field goal range. The talented
senior’s attempt had plenty of distance, but sailed wide right.
A 26-yard burst by Bailey then gave Olean a first down at its
own 46.
The mini-drive was stymied back at the 38 on Britt Bookhamer’s
third sack of the night and then Nick Foster returned the line
drive punt from his own 30 to the Huskies’ 45.
A 13-yard scamper by backup QB Milbrandt presented Bradford with
a first down at the Olean 32, but two plays later the Huskies’
Steve Sprague pounced on a loose pigskin to quell the threat.
Once again the Owls’ defense stiffened and the hosts gained
possession at their own 22.
Just as a bright orange moon began to appear over the Bradford
High School roof, the Owls’ Dan Wichensky shuttled down the left
sideline for a 46-yard gain to the Olean 32. A 14-yarder and
another nine-yard run by Dan McMurtrie then set up Butler’s 26-yard
field goal with 3:26 remaining.
“The second team got a lot of work in,” Ackerman noticed. “We
saw some good things from them. It’s important to get the second
line guys some snaps just in case.”
The Owls (2-0, 1-0) travel to Punxsutawney for a District 9
League contest on Friday.
“Every team creates different problems,” Ackerman confessed. “We
have things to work on.”
