60.0°,
Overcast Baldwin can't overcome turnovers
Posted
Aaron Greene carries the ball upfield for the Bruins.
Jeff Wilson/Herald
Baldwin put itself squarely behind the eight-ball in the first half of last Saturday's Conference I battle with first place East Meadow, turning the ball over three times, and couldn't recover in the 28-0 loss.
The Bruins (4-3) had their modest two-game win streak snapped and were unable to mount a comeback after the Jets (6-1) went up by 21 points midway through the second quarter. East Meadow scored all three times on possessions that came directly following Baldwin turnovers.
Limited to just 112 yards of total offense, the Bruins didn't cross midfield until the third quarter and never advanced beyond the East Meadow 38-yard line. “We did goofy things,” Baldwin coach Steve Carroll said. “I’ve been doing this 23 years and never seen it happen like this. Things went belly up badly. They outdid us in every area of the game today.”
The miscues started before the Bruins even had their first possession. A muffed punt was recovered by East Meadow at the Baldwin 18, and three plays later senior Robert Bright rumbled into the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown. After a fumbled snap on Baldwin's next series, the Jets took over at the Bruins 23. Two plays later, senior quarterback Lou Buschi unleashed a perfect 21-yard pass to senior wing back Steven Katz just over the outstretched hands of a defender to open up a two-touchdown lead.
Baldwin junior quarterback Nick LoBello, who completed just four of 16 throws on a rain-soaked, windy day while trying to jump start the offense, also threw a pair of interceptions. His first, as he was in the process of being dragged down for a sack, dropped into the arms of Jets junior nose guard Will Kaywood. The East Meadow defense also bottled up senior running back Alonzo Holcombe, holding him to just 36 yards on 16 carries, another reason why the Bruins were forced to the air.
"They just shut us down," Carroll said.
Senior defensive back Eddie Murer provided Baldwin with its biggest spark on consecutive plays in the third quarter. He dragged down Jets junior running back Sean Hinchy for a 2-yard loss on a first down run, then caught Bright from behind after it appeared the East Meadow back had a clear path to the end zone on the way to a 63-yard run. Murer, however, had the angle coming from across the field and slapped the ball away from the unsuspecting Bright. He created a turnover when the ball bounced out of the end zone. "He was great," Carroll said of Murer. "He's been doing a great job for us all year."
Baldwin, tied with three other four-win Conference I teams, closes the regular season on Saturday when Farmingdale visits for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.
Report an inappropriate comment
Comments