Marriotts Ridge Holds Off Atholton

When it was over, the Marriotts Ridge football players whooped and hollered on the team bus like a band of brothers that had just accomplished something special. And the Mustangs' 12-7 win at Atholton's homecoming was plenty special.

Marriotts Ridge, playing just its second season of varsity football (and first with seniors), improved to 4-2 overall and 4-2 in Howard County. This, after the Mustangs won just once last year.

The victory hardly came easy, and wasn't secured until senior defensive end Kyle Feldman sacked Atholton quarterback Jon Gardenhour on fourth and 22 in the final minute, quieting the homecoming crowd.

"We became men," Feldman said. "Worked hard, baby, did it every day. It was amazing, absolutely amazing."

Atholton (4-2, 4-2), entered with the area's leading rusher in Kelechi Odocha. And though the Mustangs hardly held Odocha in check (27 carries, 204 yards), their bend-but-don't-break defense carried the day. Odocah's 66-yard first-quarter run was the only time Atholton reached the end zone.

Minimizing Odocha's trips to the end zone was a key part of the Marriotts Ridge strategy.

"We focused on him," Feldman said. "We made the plays. We did what we needed to do."

With Marriotts Ridge leading by five, the Raiders started their final drive on their 2-yard line with 3 minutes 38 seconds left. They started there because Kevin Seker, the Marriotts Ridge quarterback-punter, boomed a terrific 69-yard punt. Atholton went right to Odocha, who gained 15 yards, then three, and then eight more. Soon Atholton was past midfield when Gardenhour hit Tom Hart for 13 yards with the help of a great block from offensive lineman Trevor Harwerth.

But the Mustangs' defense, which had made big play after big play all afternoon, made a few more when it counted most. On third and 11, Atholton tried a reverse to wide receiver Brenden Baker, but a host of Mustangs players dropped him for an 11-yard loss. Then on fourth down, Feldman wrapped up Gardenhour for the exclamation point.

Marriotts Ridge got on the board first late in the opening quarter when Seker (8 for 17, 128 yards, 2 interceptions) hit junior wide receiver Derek Coleman cutting across the middle. Coleman snared the pass at the 25, found the sideline and dashed to the end zone for a 6-0 lead.

It only took Atholton 1:43 to retake the lead when Odocha took a pitch and ran down the sideline 66 yards to put the Raiders up 7-6. Late in the second quarter, Atholton was driving again, but a Ryonn Finklea sack on third and nine pushed the Raiders back to the 23, and a 40-yard field goal came up a couple of yards short.

Marriotts Ridge took the lead in the third quarter, taking advantage of an Atholton fumble on its own 21. After moving the Mustangs to the 11, Seker ran to the goal line, where he was hit and fumbled. But Coleman recovered in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown.

Fullback Vince Testerman piled up a workman-like 80 yards on 17 carries for Marriotts Ridge.

"We played a good opponent and showed we could stand up and play some defense when it counted," Mustangs Coach Ken Hovet said. "We turned the ball over on offense and the defense bailed us out."

Marriotts Ridge 12, Atholton 7

Tribute: A moment of silence was observed in honor of former Atholton football player (and 2007 grad) Kevin Ryan, who was struck by a car and killed Friday night.

Game-Saver: On Atholton's final drive, Kelechi Odocha gained 15 yards around right end. But only a terrific jersey-grab tackle by Ryonn Finklea kept Odocha from breaking away for what would have been a touchdown.