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Timberlane rally falls short

Friday, September, 23 By Dave Dyer
Staff writer

PLAISTOW — Timberlane was playing without a full deck last night and it showed, particularly in the first half.
With star quarterback Evan Bidgood missing after having his appendix removed within the previous 24 hours, and with both starting tackles out with injuries, the Owls looked disorganized and sloppy (five fumbles, two of which led to Alvirne TDs) while falling behind 21-7.
After some halftime shuffling, Timberlane went to its ace, Josh David and, after falling behind 28-27, rallied dramatically only to fall heartbreakingly short, 28-27.
“We made a lot of mistakes and dug ourselves too big of a hole,” said Timberlane coach Kevin Fitzgerald. “I give the kids credit for making a great comeback, but we just gave the ball away too many times (10 overall).”
One of two bad snaps on punting plays led to the first Alvirne touchdown, from the 4-yard-line, and a fumble on the 11-yard-line led to the third Bronco TD.
With Bidgood out, running back Josh David was inserted at quarterback and, with little blocking up front, it was not a recipe for moving the ball.. The Owls gained only 27 yards in the first two quarters and scored their lone TD on a 94-yard kickoff return by Ryan McCarthy.
In the second half, however, sophomore Erik Nelson came in at quarterback and Josh David was moved to his normal running back spot. The switch worked wonders.
After spotting the Broncos a three-TD lead, the final Alvirne score coming after another fumble recovery, the Owls roared back. Josh David scored from 11 yards out to complkete a 58-yard drie, making it 28-14, and four plays after a Connor Sproul interception, ran it in from 17 yards, making it 28-21.
Two minutes later, David took a punt deep, fumbled it briefly and then returned it 89 yards for yet another score. But a bad snap foiled the extra-point try, leaving the Owls one point short.
Timberlane had the ball three more times but, despite the best efforts of David, could not score again, foiled by a pair of fumbles and a missed 40-yard field goal try on the last play of the game.