Rams Show They're Not All About the Run

As local rivals Lake Braddock and No. 8 Robinson exchanged scores early in the first quarter on Friday night, they showcased the differences in each offense.

As close as the rivals might be in proximity, they are worlds apart in offensive philosophy.

Robinson plays a smash-mouth brand of football, running the ball between the tackles with a rotation of two physical running backs. Lake Braddock, its offense under the command of former West Springfield coach and offensive innovator Bill Renner, airs it out in a five-wide spread, hurry-up offense.

But after pounding the ball on the ground for much of the contest, Robinson went to the air for its most crucial play, finding one of its hard-nosed running backs on a pass, to set up the game-winning score.

Junior Jared Velasquez hauled in a 25-yard throw from quarterback Mike LoPresti to set up running back Connor Riley's game-winning four-yard touchdown run two plays later, giving Robinson a hard-earned 28-21 victory on its homecoming night.

It was one of just seven completions on the night for the Rams (5-0).

"I mean, I can catch, [and] Mike threw the ball to me, and I just went up for it," Velasquez said. "Me and him have this best-friend relationship, and we [practice that play] every Sunday. Just instincts came in."

While Velasquez's big catch set up the winning score, Robinson relied on the brutish running style of the junior and Riley, who rushed for three touchdowns on the night, and the big plays of its defense and special teams to pull out the win.

Riley rushed 24 times for 84 yards with the three scores, and two big turnovers turned the game in the favor of Robinson.

Trailing 14-7 in the second quarter, Robinson was forced to punt, but the Lake Braddock returner touched the bouncing kick at his 11-yard line and was tackled by senior linebacker Bobby Willemssen.

Willemssen leaped on the loose ball at the 8-yard line, setting up Riley's three-yard touchdown run three plays later, his second score of the night.

Then, with the game tied at 21 in the fourth quarter and Lake Braddock (3-2) driving, Johnny McDevitt stepped in front of a pass for a key interception that set up the decisive drive.

"It definitely turned the momentum around because we were a little iffy after they kept driving the ball," Riley said. "But after those big plays on 'D' we just got hyped again, and we just went and drove it down the field."

No. 8 Robinson 28, Lake Braddock 21 Big Crowd: With Robinson celebrating its homecoming against its local rival, it was a standing-room only crowd wrapped halfway around the field and the home bleachers jam-packed. Rams Coach Mark Bendorf said it was the largest crowd he had seen in his time at Robinson. Airing It Out: Lake Braddock attempted 40 passes on the night, and quarterback Michael Nebrich completed 25 of them, including touchdown passes of 30 and 45 yards.