Bishops survive 2OT stunner; Iron Horses’ stampede charges on

Week eight of Friday Night Lights meant excitement, perhaps a little too much, for the Bishop England High School football team. For the Philip Simmons Iron Horses, week eight brought an exclamation point.

 

Both teams picked up victories and now focus on securing the best possible playoff position as the penultimate week of the regular season is at hand.

 

The Bishops claimed a 17-16 double overtime victory over Lucy Beckham in their homecoming game at Jack Cantey Stadium. It was their second victory in a row after opening the season with six consecutive losses.

 

Philip Simmons, meanwhile, picked up their most impressive victory of the season and one of the best in its short history with a 54-14 thumping of defending Region 6-AA champ Woodland. The Iron Horses are 7-1 and can pretty much wrap up their first region championship in their brief history with a victory at Timberland on Oct. 22.

 

The Iron Horses are 3-0 in the region while Woodland is 3-1 and Timberland is 2-0. The Iron Horses have outscored league foes 155-26 and all opponents 304-79.

 

Bishop England 17, Lucy Beckham 16

 

The Bishops were scheduled to play Battery Creek in a Region 8-AAA clash, but the Dolphins were under quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Lucy Beckham, the two-year-old Mount Pleasant high school, is playing a limited varsity schedule this fall, and the squad was up for the challenge against the Bishops, who are 2-6, 1-1 in Region 8-AAA.

 

Bishop England led 10-0 with about 4 minutes left in the game, but the Bengals rallied for two scores including a 43-yard field goal following an onside kick to force overtime.

 

“It was a hard-fought game,” Bishop England coach John Cantey said. “Lucy Beckham put up a fight and played a good game.”

 

Running back Weston Peterson scored the Bishops’ touchdown in regulation and quarterback Elliott Sanders scored on a run in overtime. Peterson, who kicked a field goal in regulation, made the game-deciding PAT to give BE the win.

 

Philip Simmons 54, Woodland 14

 

The Iron Horses traveled to Dorchester, and they topped an athletic Woodland team for a Region 6-AA victory.

 

The Iron Horses settled the issue by scoring 26 points in the second quarter to take a 40-16 halftime lead en route to a school record seventh victory of the season.

 

Once again, quarterback Trip Williams was a force in the offense with three touchdowns rushing on only five carries. He completed only five passes but two went for touchdowns.

 

Running back Sharod Williams was most impressive, accounting for 150 of the Iron Horses’ 213 yards on the ground on only eight carries. He scored two touchdowns, including one for 76 yards.

 

Linebacker Hunter Ramey led the Iron Horse defense with 14 tackles, including 11 solo. He also intercepted a pass. Defensive end Bryce Smalls logged 10 tackles.