Metro Team Steals A Victory From Sure Defeat
By Sheldon Shealer
BALTIMORE -- The Metro All-Stars turned sure victory into certain defeat, only to steal a 13-12 win over the Baltimore All-Stars in the third annual allfirst All-Star Football Game at Cardinal Gibbons High School on Sunday, Dec. 3.
The Metro All-Stars (Carroll, Frederick and Howard counties) recovered a fumble inside the Baltimore 10 with less than five minutes remaining and the score tied at 6. However, on the Metros first play, a pass by Bryan Hamper (South Carroll) was intercepted by Baltimore's Danny Dixon (Edmondson), who returned the ball 102 yards for a 12-6 lead.
However, on the ensuing kickoff, Metro's Mario Merrills (Wilde Lake) returned the kick 81 yards for a touchdown, tying the score at 12 with 4:23 left to play in brutually cold conditions. Robert Staley (Thomas Johnson) kicked the extra point for a 13-12 lead, and the Metro defense clamped down, holding the Baltimore team to no yards on its next five offensive plays to seal the victory.
The Metro All-Stars took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter when defensive back Travis Poling (Long Reach) tipped a pass to himself and returned the interception 27 yards for a score. The extra point attempt was blocked.
The Baltimore All-Stars (Baltimore City and MIAA schools) evened the score at
6 when Dixon hauled in a 22-yard scoring pass from Justin Veney (Northern).
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
F |
|
| Metro All-Stars |
6 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
13 |
| Baltimore City |
0 |
6 |
0 |
6 |
12 |
| Scoring Summary |
| M -- Travis Poling 27 INT return (kick blocked) |
| B -- Danny Dixon 22 pass from Justin Veney (kicked failed) |
| B -- Dixon 102 INT return (run failed) |
| M -- Mario Merrils 81 kickoff return (Robert Staley kick) |
| TEAM STATISTICS |
Metro |
Baltimore City |
| First Downs |
11 |
8 |
| Rushes-Yards |
50-174 |
35-64 |
| Passing (Cmp-Att-Int.) |
8-18-2 |
8-23-3 |
| Passing Yards |
64 |
178 |
| Total Offense |
68-238 |
58-242 |
| Fumbles-Lost |
5-5 |
4-3 |
| Penalties-Yards |
9-45 |
4-35 |
| Punts-Avg. |
5-26.6 |
7-34.6 |
| Time of Possession |
32:40 |
27:20 |
Passing (Comp-Att-TD-Int-Yards): M -- Scariea (Liberty) 4-11-0-1-30, Hamper
(South Carroll) 4-7-0-1-34. B -- Veney (Northern) 3-11-1-1-75, Young (Mervo) 3-5-0-1-72,
Armstrong (Curley) 2-7-0-1-31.
Rushing (Carries-Yards-TD): M -- Merrills (Wilde Lake) 21-81-0, Irving (Howard)
15-79-0, Costello (Middletown) 3-10-0, Hamper (South Carroll) 4-7-0, Stewart (Hammond)
3-5-0, Scariea (Liberty) 1-0-0, Daniels (South Carroll) 1-0-0, Eagleton (Bowling
Brook) 1-0-0, Team 1-(8)-0. B -- Mason (Mervo) 7-23-0, Baylor 9-20-0, No. 31 6-18-0,
Brown (Gibbons) 1-10-0, Veney (Northern) 5-5-0, Donohue (St. Mary's-AA) 2-4-0, Young
(Mervo) 1-(1)-0, Chambers (Gibbons) 1-(1)-0, Armstrong (Curley) 2-(14)-0
Receiving (Rec.-Yards-TD): M -- Ruch (Liberty) 3-30-0, Kuper (River Hill)
3-29-0, Eagleton (Bowling Brook) 1-5-0, Irving (Howard) 1-0-0. B -- Dixon (Edmondson)
4-92-1, Marcus (Curley) 1-34-0, Collahan (McDonogh) 1-28-0, Baylor (Dunbar) 1-21-0,
Watson (Mervo) 1-3-0.
Interceptions: M -- Poling (Long Reach) 1, Bryant (Frederick) 1, Parrish (Howard)
1. B -- Graham (Walbrook) 1, Dixon (Edmondson) 1.