Knights revel in Bobcats bashing
Farnham Knights....... 70 Bournemouth Bobcats 0
THE Farnham Knights Junior team kept up their unbeaten record and maintained their quest for the national title with an emphatic victory over the Bournemouth Bobcats.
Led by Quarterback Jacob Nunnerley on offence and anchored by Linebacker Matthew Williams on defence, the impressive Knights knew they’d have to run the scoreboard while at the same time keeping The Bobcats at bay in order to protect their points differential in their hunt for the number one seed.
The Knights were helped out by plenty of mistakes and penalty flags by their opponents throughout the game, but got off to a flying start when wide receiver Michael Bradley ran in on a sweep before Williams powered through on the two-point conversion.
They soon doubled their lead when Nunnerley scrambled and evaded his tacklers to run it in from 12 yards, before throwing to George Welch for the extras.
By now the Knights were in free-flow and it was simply a case of how many points they would rack up as the Bobcats were left chasing shadows.
Aaron Sekwalor fed Williams for the next score, duly converted, before the Knights stretched their lead to 30-0 at the end of the first quarter – Henry Schoen bursting through after more good work by Williams – Nunnerley throwing to George Welch for the extra points.
It was much the same story after the interval with Nunnerley once again evading his tacklers to run the ball in for the next score, although a dropped catch by Bradley prevented the extras.
But despite remaining resolute, Bournemouth's luck didn't change – their QB hit by three defenders and as the ball came loose, Sekwalor picked the ball up off the turf and sprinted the length of the pitch to make the score 42-0.
A two-point conversion by Bradley made the score 44-0 going into the half time break.
Strong words from assistant coach Adam Harman in attempting to eradicate some silly mistakes were soon rigning in the ears of the Knights at the start of the second half and his words were heeded when Nunnerley dumped the ball off to Williams to run in more or less unopposed. A deflected pass stopped the two-point attempt, but the Knights had broken the 50-point barrier.
That pass, however, would turn out to be Nunnerley’s last of the day as Jamie Anker took over as signal caller.
By now, it was a case of damage limitation for the Bobcats, but the Knights were in no mood to take their feet off the gas.
MVP Williams once again ploughed through for a score after a catch by Bradley put the ball on the three-yard line, Bradley then turned scorer as he caught Anker’s pass in the end zone for another twopoint conversion.
And the Knights maintained the level of intensity in the final quarter – Bradley impressively running in the next score before Williams rounded off both a fine individual and team performance with the final score.
Equally as important, however, the shutout at the other end further strengthened the Knights’ play-off bid, although they were made to sweat in the dying stages when a last ditch tackle from two defenders on the visiting quarterback kept the Bobcats at bay.