Eight turnovers enough for Eagles
Annapolis Area Christian takes full advantage of foe’s season-opening miscues
Ryan Idleman didn’t mind that his water breaks kept getting interrupted.
The Annapolis Area Christian School quarterback threw three touchdown passes, including two immediately following turnovers, and the Eagles defense forced eight turnovers in a 21-9 victory over Severn on Friday in the season-opener for both teams.
Idleman threw a pair of touchdown passes to Andrew Jacobs in a span of 27 seconds in the third quarter to help the Eagles go up for good after trailing by two at the half.
“It’s a great feeling,” Idleman said. “I didn’t get a lot of water, but it’s a great feeling knowing my defense has my back.”
Idleman’s other touchdown pass came in the first half when he hit Thaddeus Standfield for a short pass that Standfeld turned into a 65-yard score. Standfield broke several tackles on his way to the end zone and gave the Eagles the early 7-0 lead on a play set up by a Tavaris Ross fumble recovery.
Severn tied the game on its next possession when Craig Stevens hit Jaden Queen for a 40-yard score on a play where Queen made the catch at the AACS 20 and broke several tackles on his way to the end zone.
Following the Severn score, the Admirals turned the ball over two more times, punted and turned the ball over on downs but still managed to take a 9-7 lead at the half thanks to a late safety forced by Owen Cauley and John Mandish.
Following the first of Idleman’s touchdown passes to Jacobs to open the second half, the Admirals turned the ball over on five straight possessions. AACS's Dominick Banks, left, and Severn's Joe Kantowski, right, chase after Kantowski's fumble in the first quarter of their game Friday. AACS recovered, one of eight turnovers forced by the Eagles in their 21-9 win.
“Turnovers kill you. They’re very costly,” Severn coach Duane Tyler said. “It’s easy to lose composure and focus.”
With AACS up 14-9 early in the second half, Joseph Dixon forced a fumble on a bad exchange and the Eagles needed just two plays to extend the lead on Idleman’s second touchdown pass to Jacobs.
The Admirals moved deep into AACS territory on their next possession, but Taylor Heflin picked off a pass in the end zone on fourth down. The Eagles’ Immanuel Hale recorded interceptions on Severn’s next two drives.
“This was great, but this is what we should be doing,” Hale said. “This is a great confidence booster for us.”
AACS, the defending Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association C Conference champion, is 1-0 for the first time in head coach Michael Lynn’s five years. The Eagles opened the season with losses to Severn the last two years and Friday’s victory snapped a five-game losing streak to the Admirals.
“That’s a big thing for us, but more importantly it’s one step in the right direction to get back to the championship game,” said Lynn, who’s led the Eagles the C Conference final each of the last three years. Lynn praised the job of his defensE. “Since I’ve been here, we’ve always been in the low digits as far as allowing points per game,” he said. “Tom Thompson does a tremendous job getting our guys ready, but our guys were in the right position to make plays and that’s just a testament to all our coaches.”
Henry Rentz had six carries for 71 yards and caught five passes for 77 yards for the Admirals.