Offense is fun to watch (I witnessed the 63-49 Tuscarora win on Friday) but defense is usually what wins big games. Saturday proved this point.
Westfield forced Lake Braddock into a three and out for the game's first series. When the Westfield offense took the field, they came out in a formation totally unexpected. The normal QB, Scanlon, lined up as the lone WR and they had 7 men on the line of scrimmage with R. Johnson at QB. Using Johnson at QB was not new, but having him at QB to start the game with Scanlon at WR was different. Westfield used both Johnson and Scanlon at QB at different times in the game and it worked extremely well. Westfield started their first drive at their own 34 yard line and drove down the field with the drive culminating in a 20 yard Johnson to Scanlon TD pass to put Westfield up 7-0 just over 3 minutes into the game. Lake Braddock started their next drive on their own 27 yard line and quickly moved down field, with the big play being a 47 yard Edwards to Atkins pass play that got Lake Braddock to the Westfield 22 yard line. Several plays later Atkins scored on a 2 yard run and it was tied 7-7 with 6:24 left in the first quarter. Westfield punted on their second possession, giving the ball back to Lake Braddock on the LB 27. This is when the Westfield defense caught fire. A play or two later, Westfield's Petrillo intercepted Edwards on the LB 42. Westfield went back to Scanlon at QB to start this series, but later switched back to Johnson and ultimately got the second Johnson to Scanlon score, a 19 yard pass, two minutes into the 2nd quarter to go up 14-7. Lake Braddock fumbled the ensuing kickoff out of bounds at their own 9 yard line, then Edwards narrowly evaded a sack at the 2 yard line but was able to scramble to the 15 yard line to get LB out of trouble. After several more successful plays, Petrillo again intercepted Edwards at the LB 43 and returned the ball to the LB 30 yard line. Westfield failed to make progress after that play and settled for a 41 yard Delaney FG to go up 17-7 with 5:59 remaining in the half. On Lake Braddock's next possession, Pickett intercepted Edwards for the third time, this time on the Westfield 43 yard line. Westfield went on to punt the ball back to LB at the LB 22 yard line, when it happened again-Caron picked off Edwards for the 4th time in the half, at the LB 42 yard line. Westfield was again forced to punt, and Lake Braddock ran out the clock to end the half with Westfield up 17-7.
Westfield received the kickoff to start the second half. Behind good running from Beard and several passes, Westfield moved downfield smoothly. After reaching the LB 11 yard line on a 37 yard Johnson to Scanlon pass, Westfield eventually faced a 4th and inches at the LB one yard line. After pulling Lake Braddock offside on the play to get a new set of downs, Monticue plowed into the end zone from less than a yard out and Westfield extended the lead to 24-7 with 7:21 left in the 3rd quarter. Later, after two Lake Braddock punts sandwiched around a Westfield fumble, Westfield took over near midfield and went to predominantly the ground game to start running time off the clock. After several run plays that took a few minutes off the clock, Westfield went back to the pass and Johnson hit Scanlon for their third TD play of the day, a 32 yard pass, and Westfield was now in front 31-7 with 8:28 remaining in the game. Trailing big, Lake Braddock was forced to go almost exclusively to the passing game, including several trick plays, but had limited success. Westfield got the ball once again and went back to the ground game, and behind Beard and Asante ran out the remaining several minutes to get the win.
Westfield forced Lake Braddock into a three and out for the game's first series. When the Westfield offense took the field, they came out in a formation totally unexpected. The normal QB, Scanlon, lined up as the lone WR and they had 7 men on the line of scrimmage with R. Johnson at QB. Using Johnson at QB was not new, but having him at QB to start the game with Scanlon at WR was different. Westfield used both Johnson and Scanlon at QB at different times in the game and it worked extremely well. Westfield started their first drive at their own 34 yard line and drove down the field with the drive culminating in a 20 yard Johnson to Scanlon TD pass to put Westfield up 7-0 just over 3 minutes into the game. Lake Braddock started their next drive on their own 27 yard line and quickly moved down field, with the big play being a 47 yard Edwards to Atkins pass play that got Lake Braddock to the Westfield 22 yard line. Several plays later Atkins scored on a 2 yard run and it was tied 7-7 with 6:24 left in the first quarter. Westfield punted on their second possession, giving the ball back to Lake Braddock on the LB 27. This is when the Westfield defense caught fire. A play or two later, Westfield's Petrillo intercepted Edwards on the LB 42. Westfield went back to Scanlon at QB to start this series, but later switched back to Johnson and ultimately got the second Johnson to Scanlon score, a 19 yard pass, two minutes into the 2nd quarter to go up 14-7. Lake Braddock fumbled the ensuing kickoff out of bounds at their own 9 yard line, then Edwards narrowly evaded a sack at the 2 yard line but was able to scramble to the 15 yard line to get LB out of trouble. After several more successful plays, Petrillo again intercepted Edwards at the LB 43 and returned the ball to the LB 30 yard line. Westfield failed to make progress after that play and settled for a 41 yard Delaney FG to go up 17-7 with 5:59 remaining in the half. On Lake Braddock's next possession, Pickett intercepted Edwards for the third time, this time on the Westfield 43 yard line. Westfield went on to punt the ball back to LB at the LB 22 yard line, when it happened again-Caron picked off Edwards for the 4th time in the half, at the LB 42 yard line. Westfield was again forced to punt, and Lake Braddock ran out the clock to end the half with Westfield up 17-7.
Westfield received the kickoff to start the second half. Behind good running from Beard and several passes, Westfield moved downfield smoothly. After reaching the LB 11 yard line on a 37 yard Johnson to Scanlon pass, Westfield eventually faced a 4th and inches at the LB one yard line. After pulling Lake Braddock offside on the play to get a new set of downs, Monticue plowed into the end zone from less than a yard out and Westfield extended the lead to 24-7 with 7:21 left in the 3rd quarter. Later, after two Lake Braddock punts sandwiched around a Westfield fumble, Westfield took over near midfield and went to predominantly the ground game to start running time off the clock. After several run plays that took a few minutes off the clock, Westfield went back to the pass and Johnson hit Scanlon for their third TD play of the day, a 32 yard pass, and Westfield was now in front 31-7 with 8:28 remaining in the game. Trailing big, Lake Braddock was forced to go almost exclusively to the passing game, including several trick plays, but had limited success. Westfield got the ball once again and went back to the ground game, and behind Beard and Asante ran out the remaining several minutes to get the win.
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