Jason MacPhearson Photo

BAINBRIDGE – Bainbridge-Guilford football has now won nine out the last 10 games, with a bye week win awarded this past week, the Bobcats essentially added two big wins, toppling Walton on Friday at 34-14.

“Someone told me that their uncle thinks they beat them (Walton) in 1972. So that is the last time that maybe a Bainbridge-Guilford team beat Walton. So, I am saying, 45 years since the last time a Bainbridge-Guilford or a BGA team beat them,” said Bainbridge-Guilford head coach Israel Lorimer. “It is a huge win for us, last year we beat Unatego on homecoming and this year we beat Walton, just huge. It has been my lifetime since we have beaten Walton. Tim Mattingly, a mentor to me, he coached me, he was there and was extremely proud of that moment. It was a good night, especially for my seniors. I am proud of them for sticking with it, and being the leaders that they are.”

Space, and athleticism, B-G played the game on Friday, October 6, not only on their home field – but the way they wanted to play, fast.

Celebrating homecoming and senior night on the same night, the weekend festivities can be a lot to take in. However, the 2017 B-G Bobcats remained focused on one prize – the playoffs.

“We want to make the playoffs, that has been the goal all season. We have worked extremely hard for this,” said coach Lorimer. “The kids believe in the process and I am hoping this is the turning of the tide and this is just what we do now.”

Prior to kickoff, B-G recognized their graduating seniors: John Castle, Adam Ives, Trevor Halaquist, Ben Bivar, Cody Ferrara, Travis Terzo, Abel Keve, and Patrick DeMichelle.

Setting the tone prior to the game has been what coach Lorimer has preached to his team – envisioning what you’d like to produce on the field. When faced with adversity a good team will adjust, and change their vision, that is what B-G has done again and again.

“They (Walton) get the ball first, which is not what I like to do. My team is so quick that I like to get the ball (first) and go score. But good news is that I have a kid that kicks it into the end zone every time,” said coach Lorimer of his kicker/punter in Halaquist. “They take the ball at the 20, they go 60-65 yards then we stop them, they eat up most of the first quarter. Then we go in three plays and score. (Nick) Petrutoni has 20, Ben (Bivar) has five or six then Terzo finished it off with 54 yards. My guys are good in space and that is what I am trying to create so we run a lot of spread stuff. Walton doesn’t like that, they want to play inside the box and hammer it at us.”

The offsetting football philosophies proved to clash, with Walton maintaining their smash mouth football style and actually outgaining B-G on the night in total offensive yards at 383 to the Bobcats 368.

“They outgained us, but here is what I keep saying to people. We start them at the 20 every time with these touchbacks,” said coach Lorimer. “They had a couple nice carries, the nice thing about our defense is, we bend but don’t break.”

B-G’s defense was led by Jon Castle with 10 tackles, Evan Hyzer with eight tackles and Mason Brown and Patrick DeMichelle with six tackles each.

At the half, Walton had managed a drive that saw Bailey Wood dive in from one yard out for the score in the second – only to have Ben Bivar finish off a drive with a one yard dive of his own to cap off the second quarter with a touchdown to take the 14-6 lead.

A quite third quarter – Bivar scored once from five yards out – B-G knew they needed to end, finally claiming a win over the Warriors.

“I told my guys, ‘We need to get the ball and have a nice drive and go down and score’, and we do that. 64-yard pass to Petrutoni comes at third and 12, we run a bootleg, Trevor (Halaquist) comes out and they think he’s going to run. The guys step up to him and he throws a nice little pass and Petrutoni makes everyone on the field miss,” said coach Lorimer.