by Seneca Contomanolis
DigitalSports Richmond
scontomanolis@digitalsports.com
Meadowbrook started L.C. Bird‘s season the same way they ended it last year.
Quarterback Desmond Coble rushed for two touchdowns and the defense came up big late as the host Monarchs defeated the Skyhawks 26-13 on Friday night.
L.C. Bird lost 14-12 to Meadowbrook in the Division 6 semifinals for their only loss last season after beating the Monarchs 18-12 in the opener.
“It’s a big win for us, it always is,” Meadowbrook coach Bill Bowles said. “We know that they are going to be a quality team, a well coached team.
“We start off with them and sometimes that doesn’t work out to be the best thing but in this case it gives us one under our belt in a tough football game.”
Coble had scoring runs of seven and 57 yards in the second quarter to push the Monarchs ahead 20-0 at halftime. In the third quarter Coble’s leg cramped forcing him to come out of the game but he was able to return after missing a series.
The junior, who quarterbacked MBK to the 2007 Central Region title game, finished with 126 yards rushing on 17 attempts.
The Skyhawks closed to within seven points in the fourth quarter at 20-13 but Meadowbrook linebacker Deontay Webster intercepted a Dontae Jefferson pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown with 5:38 remaining in the game.
Rodney Ragin sealed the deal about a minute later with his own interception at the Meadowbrook 25-yard line.
“The defense stepped up very well tonight,” Coble said. “Had a big interception by Deontay Webster and he took it back for a touchdown. That was a big relief in the fourth quarter.”
It looked like an opening game for both teams as the squads combined for 19 penalties.
Meadowbrook struck first after L.C. Bird was forced to punt out of their own end zone giving the Monarchs great field position at the Skyhawks’ 24.
Eight plays later sophomore running back Donico Phillips put MBK ahead 7-0 on a four-yard run with 5:27 left in the first quarter.
Phillips rushed for 102 yards on 20 carries behind a strong line led by seniors Morgan Moses and Derek Tinsley.
Moses and Tinsley’s work on the defensive line along with the rest of the defense held the L.C. Bird offense in check during the first half.
In the second half the Skyhawks scored 13 unanswered points to make it a competitive contest again.
Kenyon Lewis (nine carries, 85 yards) accounted for both touchdowns scoring on a three-yard run with 25 seconds left in the third quarter and then on a 56 yard dash a minute into the fourth.
“We took a while to get everything going, that’s my fault,” L.C. Bird coach David Bedwell said.
Jefferson completed 5 of 17 passes for 91 yards. Josh Coffey caught two of the balls for 55 yards receiving.
Bedwell hopes the defeat will only help his team down the line.
“Last year we didn’t take care of this till late,” said Bedwell of the loss. “This year we took care of it early. Either they are going to learn from this and get better or just accept this and not get better. But we have some tough kids and I know they are going to learn from this.”
L.C. Bird 0 0 7 6 – 13
Meadowbrook 7 13 0 6 – 26
M – Phillips 4 run (Ornelas kick)
M – Coble 7 run (Ornelas kick)
M – Coble 57 run (kick failed)
LCB – Lewis 3 run (Keck kick)
LCB – Lewis 56 run (kick failed)
M – Webster 33 interception return (pass failed)
L.C. Bird – Kenyon Lewis 9 carries, 85 yards, Jerry Brown 6-8, Equon Johnson 1-2, Darryl Johnston 1-1, Andrew Faison 2-(minus 9), Dontae Jefferson 2-(minus 40); Meadowbrook – Desmond Coble 17-126, Donico Phillips 20-102, Jevonn Worsham 13-30, Jacaurey Thomas 1-0
L.C. Bird – Jefferson 5 completions, 17 attempts, 2 interception, 91 yards, Brandon Williams 0-1-0-0; Meadowbrook – Coble 1-4-0-7
L.C. Bird – Josh Coffey 2 catches, 55 yards, Chris Moore 1-27; Noral Purnell 2-16; Brown 1-(minus 5); Meadowbrook – Rodney Ragin 1-7
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