Johnson runs for 3 TDs to lead Bulls
Hereford improves to 4-0 for the first time since ’07, when it reached state final
Hereford running back Zac Johnson acknowledged being “a little rattled” after his first carry Saturday against a Randallstown defense that had not yielded a point this season.
Johnson fumbled on the third play of the Bulls’ first drive, but the Rams did not convert the turnover into a score and the senior made up for his mistake on the next drive. He ran in from a yard out to score the first of his three rushing touchdowns and start visiting Hereford on its way to a 35-0 victory in a Baltimore County Class 2A-1A Division game.
The Bulls improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2007, when they finished 13-1 and reached the state title game.
Their offensive playbook hasn’t changed since long before then and it’s not much of a secret: “We just run straight down your throat,” Johnson said.
That’s all Hereford (2-0 division) did for the first 21 minutes of the game. Running behind a powerhouse line of Mike Nash, Joe Kelbaugh, Nick Greenspan, Blake Walker and Raven Albin, the Bulls gained 199 of their 253 first-half yards on the ground. They led 28-0 at the break and the running clock started with a 35-point lead and 9:23 remaining in the game.
Johnson ran for 122 yards on eight carries in the first half. On his two later touchdowns, he popped through the middle to race 21 and 79 yards to the end zone. With the game in hand, he carried the ball just once for 5 yards in the second half.
“He sees the hole and he goes, and that’s what we like. He has one speed — hit it and go,” Hereford coach Ric Evans said.
Randallstown outscored its opponents 102-0 through its first three games but hasn’t beaten the Bulls since 2005. On Saturday, it was overwhelmed by the more powerful Hereford line as it pushed the piles forward and opened holes for Johnson.
“I knew they were tough,” Johnson said of the Rams, “but I knew we could outmuscle them on the line with Mike and all our other big linemen, and we just dug our heads deep and ran the ball.”
Evans called 20 running plays before quarterback Jon Marchinek attempted a pass.
On his first pass, Marchinek connected with Joey Chestnutt for a 54-yard touchdown with 3:51 left in the first half. That boosted the Bulls lead to 21-0.
The Rams (3-1) have the speed to counter Hereford’s power and they moved the ball well at times, but they were too inconsistent throughout the game.
They turned the ball over twice, with Albin picking off backup quarterback Jaylen Lawson both times, and never made it inside the Bulls 13-yard line.
Their best chance to score came on the game’s opening drive. Quarterback Marcus Newton hit Montana Roberts with a 27-yard pass to reach Hereford’s 13, but a couple of sacks by the Bulls’ Troy Tuveson and Troy Gladney made it fourth-and 3, and Newton could not connect on his next pass.
A year ago, Randallstown was 3-0 before it fell to Hereford, 36-12. It didn’t win another game, but coach Ray Wright thinks it can avoid the tailspin this time.
“Just from listening to the huddle,” Wright said, “the kids this year said they want to have a players-only meeting in the weight room when we get off the field. They’re talking about meeting [today] to look at film and talk about how we can improve and then come back on Monday to get themselves better.” H 7 21 R 0 0 H—Johnson 1 run (Johnson run) H—Johnson 21 run (pass failed) H—Chestnutt 54 pass from Marchinek (Wanamaker kick) H—Johnson 79 run (Wanamaker kick) H—Wilson 18 pass from Marchinek (Wanamaker kick) 0 0 7 0