ROCKPORT — Whenever the Camden Hills football team needed a big play Saturday, the Windjammers made one.
Camden Hills scored five touchdowns on plays of 30 yards or more, including two on fourth-and-short situations, to beat Mt. Ararat in an eight-man Large School game, 30-20.
“We owe it all to the (offensive) line,” Camden Hills junior Braden Beveridge said. “The line did a great job blocking their assignments, making up a good play.”
Beveridge finished with 178 all-purpose yards on 10 touches, scored twice in the second half and closed out the first half with an interception.
“Whether it’s special teams, fourth down for them or for us, it’s about making plays when you really need it,” Camden Hills coach Chris Christie said. “And then the team just dug deep today. We made a lot of stupid mistakes and things that we need to clean up, but I think when it counted, we stepped up.”
Sophomore running back Ethan Dingle (six rushes, 54 yards) broke tackles on a fourth-and-3 play in the first quarter and turned down the right sideline for a 38-yard score.
Camden Hills (2-0) unsuccessfully tried an onside kick and gave Mt. Ararat (1-1) a short field. Four different Eagles took turns carrying the ball before junior running back Joshua Merriman (22 carries, 117 yards, two TDs) capped the 10-play drive with a 3-yard run.
As Mt. Ararat lined up to attempt the 2-point conversion, Christie was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The attempt failed, and the 15-yard penalty was added to the ensuing kickoff.
That was no problem for Justin Batty, who returned the kick 98 yards for a touchdown.
“That’s what we needed,” Beveridge said. “I think that’s what made us win the game.”
The game was not won yet, though, as the Eagles orchestrated another 10-play scoring drive, highlighted bya 33-yard touchdown pass from Will Davis to Noah Duncan (three receptions, 44 yards). Merriman’s 2-point conversion gave Mt. Ararat it’s only lead, 14-12.
Camden Hills quarterback Hollis Schwalm (6 of 14, 98 yards, TD; six rushes, 59 yards, TD) and Beveridge started to establish a connection on the opening drive of the third quarter, but it wasn’t until the next drive when they began rolling.
The Windjammers were backed up to their own 8-yard line after a holding call, but Schwalm converted a fourth-and-1 with his legs before using his left arm to find Beveridge down the left sideline for a 31-yard diving catch. The Windjammers then went hurry up, and Schwalm found Beveridge again on a crossing route that the junior took 35 yards for a score that gave Camden Hills an 18-14 lead.
“Credit to their corners,” Christie said. “They were playing us tighter coverage than what we expected. So it was more of a let’s-grind-the-middle (mindset). Let’s get the middle game going, and then hopefully that’ll open up some more stuff.”
On the next drive, Silas Moody recovered a Mt. Ararat fumble near midfield. Moments later, Beveridge scored on a 43-yard run.
Mt. Ararat responded with another Merriman score, this one for 40 yards to make it 24-20 with 5:23 left. On the next series, Schwalm converted another fourth-and-3 into a clinching 30-yard touchdown run.
“We matched up well, they made a couple more plays than we did,” Mt. Ararat coach Frank True said. “Some key mistakes along the way, here and there, but you know, they’re a good football team. They’re probably the best on that side (of eight-man Large School North). So hopefully we’ll see them again in November, but we’ve got some work to do.”
