2018 Battle on the Border

John Curtis Rides Running Game & Defense To Victory Over Bishop Lynch

John Curtis Rides Running Game & Defense To Victory Over Bishop Lynch

A dominant defensive effort and a solid ground attack pushed John Curtis past Bishop Lynch in the first game of the 2018 Battle on the Border.

Sep 7, 2018 by Kolby Paxton
Donald Clay Reflects On Big Win For Pats

Let it be known: John Curtis is still John Curtis.

The Patriots jumped on one of TAPPS best teams on Thursday night from the outside and rode their defense to a 21-14 victory that, for most of the night, never felt in jeopardy.

John Curtis took control on the opening play from scrimmage when Corey Wren took a handoff and raced 80 yards to the house virtually unimpeded to put JCC up 7-0 with just 15 seconds gone.

On John Curtis’ next possession, the Pats did things a different way—grinding out an eight-play, 82-yard drive that culminated in a Shane Goins four-yard run. And, just like that, it was 14-0.

The Bishop Lynch offense simply couldn’t find its bearings.

JCC held the Friars to just 18 yards rushing in the first half and 118 total yards on the night—much of which Lynch notched on a 46-yard fourth quarter scoring drive. 

Early in the second quarter, it looked as though the Patriots were about to turn it into a route. Leading 21-0, Collin Guggenheim connected with Javon Davis on a 46-yard gain—the longest pass play of the night—to set up first and goal from the 1-yard line.

On the ensuing play, however, there was a mishandling of the snap and Bishop Lynch linebacker Plae Wyatt plucked the ball from the turf and raced 100 yards the other way for a Friar touchdown.

For that, Wyatt put his name in the Battle on the Border record books for longest fumble return for a score.

For the next 39-plus minutes, that’s where the score stood, as both teams sunk their teeth into the opposing offenses. John Curtis would manage only 67 yards of total offense after the first quarter. The Bishop Lynch offense was also largely stuck in neutral.

Finally, with 5:46 to go in the fourth quarter, the Friars broke through on a Jordan Hudson three-yard run, capping a 10-play, 46-yard drive that spanned 3:32.

The BL defense got the stop it needed on the next possession, but with the game in the balance, the Patriots defense was up to the task—squashing the Friars’ final attempt without incident. 

Wren finished the contest with 121 yards and that early score on just 10 carries. Ma’Khi Smith added 71 yards on eight carries.

John Curtis outgained Bishop Lynch 248-57 on the ground.