Defense carries Old Mill to ‘ugly’ win over Arundel

Old Mill coach Chad McCormick said it best Friday night: “An ugly win is better than a bad loss.”

His Patriots did not look like a team that last stepped on the field for a competitive game in a Class 4A state semifinal. But when one considers the totality of what has transpired since Old Mill’s last game against Henry A. Wise on Nov. 29, 2019, starting 1-0 and beating a rival on its home turf is as good as it gets.

The Patriots defense intercepted four passes, one of which was returned for a touchdown by junior defensive back Tim Tripplett in the first quarter, and caused five turnovers while the offense did just enough to beat Arundel, 16-6.

“We’ve been away from football so long,” McCormick said. “From what I’ve heard from most people around the state that already played, this unfortunately is what most people’s Game 1 has looked like. We’re young at a lot of places, so to come away with a win against Arundel is always a great job, so I’m very excited for my team and my coaches.”

Junior quarterback Myles Fulton, who McCormick praised for his leadership after the game as one of Old Mill’s top returning players, did most of his damage in the first half but finished 6-of-15 passing for 63 yards while running 11 times for 25.

After Arundel went three and out on its first possession, junior quarterback Cameron Leight threw a pass in the flat that was seen all the way and snagged by Tripplett, who waltzed 20 yards untouched for the game’s first score.

The Wildcats’ next possession ended with a similar fate. Three plays after the pick-six, junior Garrett Perrotta got an interception of his own, setting up Old Mill’s best offensive drive.

On third and 5, Fulton swept out wide for a 25-yard run to the 14, and two plays later a 10-yard run that he looked to score on was called down at the 1. He finished it with a sneak on the next snap to give the Patriots a 13-0 lead late in the first quarter after the extra point failed.

McCormick said the key to the defense came up the middle with pressure.

“No. 1, I’m so pleased out defense was flying around,” McCormick said. “… I think what really helped us out was a few of our defensive linemen were able to get some pressure, and that sped up the quarterback’s process, and then our defensive backs are pretty stout and did a really good job and made the plays when the opportunities came.”

Arundel had its best opportunity to score in the first half when a punt on its next drive was botched by Old Mill senior Caron Tull and recovered by the Wildcats. The Wildcats reached the Patriots’ 22 but couldn’t get any closer, and their next drive, which started at the Old Mill 33, ended with a fumble that was recovered by Patriots senior Ben Wilson and returned to Arundel’s 9-yard line.

Four plays later, senior kicker Jackson Burleson made a 23-yard field goal for Old Mill’s final points.

McCormick said Burleson, who missed from 38 in the first half and from 35 in the second, was one of the stars because of his punting leg. He routinely scooped up bad snaps and dodged heavy pressure to release booming punts in the second half that kept Arundel’s offense in its own territory.

“He did a great job getting the punts away when they really mattered,” McCormick said.

The Wildcats started to find a rhythm offensively in the third quarter, but once again the turnovers were back breakers. Senior Avrey Holliday ended Arundel’s first drive with an interception, and the visitor’s second possession of the half resulted in another turnover, as junior Zach Starliper joined the club with a pick.

Arundel saw a 76-yard touchdown that would’ve got it back in the game nullified by an ineligible man down field penalty, but it did finally find a big play when senior Jeremy Weinstein took an end-around 69 yards for a third-quarter touchdown on the first play of the drive.

Wildcats coach Jack Walsh said he, too, heard about the Week 1 disasters around the state. He said his team certainly fell in that category.

“Offensively we couldn’t move the ball. Can’t win like that,” Walsh said. “When you play Old Mill, they have a great coaching staff, they’ve got a great defense, they’re always on their point. They’re one of those schools, similar to us, that we don’t rebuild, we reload. They were more prepared than we were today.”