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MARGARETTA ENDS PERKINS 20 GAME LEAGUE WINNING STREAK Many things rode on the line heading into the Sandusky Bay Conference showdown between league leader Perkins and 2nd place Margaretta. In the preseason the media picked the Pirates to win the conference while the Bears were picked 1st in the coaches poll. Perkins came in unbeaten in the conference while Margaretta had one defeat. But after all the fight and determination was done, the Bears walked away with a hard fought 20-6 victory over Perkins ending their 20 game league winning streak which dated back to 1998. Margaretta had a golden oppertunity to jump on the board right at the opening kickoff. Perkins' Aaron Richardson fumbled the opening kickoff but the Bears were unable to capitalize on the great field position. They maintained that field position after a Al Barnum fumble on a snap from center but again the Bears could not capitalize. The 2 teams would push back and forth and went into the locker room at a 0-0 standoff. Margaretta came out of the locker room like a house of fire. The Bears scored on their 3rd play of the half at the 10:48 mark when quarterback Robby Lewis went right up the middle on a keeper and cut to the outside and out ran the defenders for a 53 yard touchdown run, the pat was no good and the Bears led 6-0. On the ensuing Perkins possession, the Pirates were forced to punt but a low snap from center forced the Pirate punter to take a big loss and the Bears took over. It took the Bears 6 plays to score when fullback Jon Sessler went in from 3 yards out, the 2 point conversion was good and the Bears led 14-0. Perkins would come right back and mounted a 8 play 51 yard drive which was capped off when quarterback Al Barnum bulled in from a yard out, the pat failed but the Pirates had cut the lead to 14-6. Margaretta would take over the game when Ben Barnette returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards and gave the Bears great field position. Barnette would again make his presence known 7 plays later when he was on the receiving end of a 12 yard scoring strike from Lewis, the pat failed and the Bears led 20-6. From there it was just a matter of playing out the string and the Margaretta defense making life miserable for Perkins QB Al Barnum, hitting him for a numerous losses and causing another fumble which the Bears recovered. Leading the way for Margaretta on the ground was Robby Lewis with 73 yards on 11 carries. Barnette chipped in 68 yards on the ground while Sessler added 44 yards on 12 carries. Perkins rugged ground game was held to 83 yards rushing but was led by Josh Armbrecht's 52 yards on 17 carries. Margaretta returns home next week for homecoming against Sandusky St.Mary's Central Catholic while Perkins heads on the road for their final 3 games starting with a trip to Oak Harbor.
Individual Rushing Margaretta: Lewis 11-73, Barnette 8-68, Sessler 11-44 Perkins : Armbrecht 17-52, Derek Tieche 11-36, Richardson 1-25 Individual Receiving Margaretta: Jeremy Green 1-27, Ryan Arnold 1-6, Barnette 1-12 Perkins: Speer 1-19, Antel 1-11, Richardson 1-7 BearPower |