NORTH VERSAILLES – Even Mother Nature was wearing Red and Black
on Saturday afternoon at East Allegheny High School in suburban
Pittsburgh as visiting Bradford wrapped up a 7-2 regular season in
lightning fashion.
The Owls’ Taylor O’Brien reached the 1,000-yard rushing plateau,
Nick Johnson scored three touchdowns and backup quarterback Jim
Milbrandt added two final scores to spearhead a 51-0 rout of the
Wildcats.
Mother Nature finally stepped in and unleashed a powerful rain
and snow storm of hurricane proportions that included lightning, to
bring a merciful end to the non-league contest with about five
minutes left to play.
The dominating win was just what Bradford needed headed into the
District 9 playoffs. The most likely scenario will be an Owls
rematch with Clearfield for the Class AAA title, but Punxsutawney’s
status is still an unknown.
“We put everything together Saturday,” head coach Steve Ackerman
agreed. “I was pleased with our overall performance. We played very
well on both sides of the ball and our speciality teams did a good
job, too.
“Our defense really stepped up. There were a couple of times
East Allegheny got inside our 10 and our kids stopped them. I
haven’t seen our stats yet, but I’m sure there are several people
who played very well.”
As far as the playoffs are concerned, all Bradford can do is
wait.
“We have to see what Punxsy’s going to do,” Ackerman explained.
“They have to declare whether or not they’re getting in the
playoffs. If they don’t, then it will be Clearfield and us. They
(Bisons) have come a long way since our first game. It will be a
completely different game this time.”
After slugging their way to victory over DuBois last week in
ankle-deep mud at Parkway Field, the Owls found the Wildcats’
artificial surface to their liking in a rare Saturday afternoon
game.
Veering away from their normal choice to defer after winning the
opening coin toss, the Owls took the ball and went right to work on
offense.
It took Bradford only four plays to march 65 yards with Johnson,
the unheralded member of the backfield, going in from 17 yards out
for the score. Steve Butler kicked the PAT and with less than two
minutes gone in the opening period, the Owls had a 7-0 lead.
East Allegheny (1-8) went 3-and-out on its first possession and
following the Wildcats’ short punt that netted less than 20 yards,
Owls were back in business at the East Allegheny 21 yard line.
The visitors needed just two plays to find paydirt, Johnson
going into the end zone from 11 yards out for the six points.
Butler’s kick was good and the score was 14-0.
A shell-shocked East Allegheny finally got its offense on track
driving inside Bradford’s 10 yard line, but on fourth down the
Owls’ defense, led by E.J. Moore, stiffened and got the ball back
to end the threat.
Bradford got its hands on the ball two more times in the opening
quarter, the second opportunity coming when Tyler Hopkins recovered
a fumbled punt to set up Bradford’s third score of the half.
Three plays into the second period Johnson scampered into the
end zone from three yards out for his third touchdown and Butler
added the PAT to put the Owls up 21-0.
“Nick had a nice game,” Ackerman noted. “It was good to see him
come back after the injury. He had a real strong game.”
O’Brien put the next Bradford TD on the board when he returned
an interception 85 yards for the score with about seven minutes
left in the period. Butler added the point after to make it a 28-0
game.
Mike Johnston got in on the action for Bradford when he
recovered a fumbled pass reception by the Wildcats at their own 31
yard line. Moore cranked off 16 yards to the 15, but the Owls’
offense sputtered and Butler was called in for a field goal
attempt. His 25-yard boot split the posts and the visitors led 31-0
with 5:19 left in the half.
O’Brien, Bradford’s elusive fullback, put the finishing touches
on the opening 24 minutes of play when he rumbled the final 15
yards of a 49-yard drive to score his lone offensive touchdown of
the afternoon and eclipse the 1,000- yard rushing mark for the
season. Butler put the ball between the uprights for a 38-0 Owls
lead at halftime.
“It’s big any time you get a back who rushes for over 1,000
yards,” Ackerman explained. “Tay is a strong runner and it’s no
fluke that he breaks as many tackles as he does because he works
hard in the off-season. He is really committed to our program.”
With the mercy rule in effect in the second half, Ackerman began
inserting his reserves. Bradford’s second team defense came up with
an interception by Garrett DeCasper to stop another Wildcats’
drive, and the two teams battled through a scoreless and quick
third period as the running clock became an ally of Bradford’s as
well.
The Owls opened the final 12 minutes of play with Mildbrandt,
the senior backup quarterback behind Ben Walter, calling signals.
Reserve running Ryan Marshall moved the chain with a long run, and
Milbrandt capped the drive with a 20-yard burst for the touchdown
and a 44-0 score.
East Allegheny mishandled the kickoff and Mike Johnston pounced
on the loose ball at the Wildcats’ three yard line for his second
fumble recovery.
Bradford’s second team offense trotted back onto the field and
Milbrandt kept again, going the distance for his second TD.
Freshman kicker Cody Nuzzo came in for the PAT and was perfect to
make the score 51-0.
“Jim is our backup quarterback and he is very good running the
ball,” Ackerman pointed out. “He scored on a waggle and a
quarterback wedge. We’re not worried at all about using him in
those types of situations.”
Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, the Owls’ Tyler Yohe
added to the Wildcats’ woes when he intercepted a pass and returned
it up the field as the skies opened engulfing the stadium to bring
the contest to an end.
