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Bradford’s
Daniel Cassell runs the ball for Bradford against Covington.
Vassell had just one carry
on the night in the Railroaders 35-16 Cross
County Conference loss. CNO photo by Don Selanders
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Costly mistakes cost
Roaders By George Starks
CNO Sports Editor
Also: County Schools split the win-loss column... see scores below
COVINGTON - Going into any game, a coach has a game plan. Sometimes it
works and then there are times it is de-railed.
In the case of Bradford’s Cross County Conference game with backyard
rival Covington, it was de-railed. It wasn’t the Buccs that destroyed
the game plan of Roaders’ coach Curtis Enis, it was Bradford itself.
Looking to come out on the smiling side of the scoreboard, it was four
Bradford turnovers that spelled doom in the end. The Roaders lost three
fumbles and had one pass intercepted, all leading to a 35-16 loss.
“We were very carefree with the football tonight. We didn’t take care
of it and that was the outcome of it,” Enis said after the loss. “We
just didn’t pay attention to details. When you have a team like we have
with the numbers we have, there’s no excuse when you don’t pay
attention to the details.”
Covington took control right from the opening possession. Starting at
their own 43, the Buccs went 57 yards on only five plays, capped off by
a 45 yard touchdown pass from Isaiah Winston to Austin Angle with 9:22
left in the opening frame.
After a Bradford punt, Covington struck again at the 4:10 mark when
Winston rumbled in from 53 yards out.
Trailing 14-0, Bradford took its next possession at its own 31. Three
plays into the drive, junior James Canan coughed the ball up with
Covington pouncing on it.
Even though the Buccs would not score, it stopped a positive drive in
its tracks for Bradford.
“It’s frustrating when you see things like this happen,” said Enis. “We
got down early, we lost focus and we got away from the fundamentals.”
Trailing 21-0 in the second, Bradford found pay dirt with 6:01
remaining when senior Jonathon Barbee broke loose for a 60 yard score.
With the two point conversion good, Bradford trailed 21-8 at the half.
With a full half left to play, the Roaders were not out of reach of
pulling off the upset.
“I told them we had to come out fighting,” said Enis. “We’re down 21-8
and we just needed take control and we didn’t. We can’t make excuses
for what we did tonight. Covington came out and played their game and
we weren’t able to establish what we wanted to do. They deserved to win
this football game.”
It fell apart in the second half for Bradford.
Getting the ball on offense to start the third quarter, Bradford
fumbled, losing the ball at its own 34. This time, Covington made good
on the turnover as Trent Tobias hit Angle for a 11 yard strike.
Early in the fourth, Covington went up 35-8.
Bradford would strike again, late in the game,
With Covington knocking on the door again, ready to go in from the
Roaders seven, sophomore defensive lineman T. J. Pullin would pick up a
Buccs fumble and run it back to the Covington seven, an 86 yard return.
With 1:12 remaining, Canan would run it in for the final score of the
night.
“When you don’t take care of the things you can control, you’re not
going to win,” Enis pointed out. We were a minus three in the give
away/take away department tonight and when you see that, you don’t win.
Covington is a good football program and you want to mirror yourself
after a good program. We’re getting there but we’re not there yet.”
Bradford, 2-2 will host Ansonia next week.
Other scores from around
the county:
Miami East 63, Mississinawa Valley 6
Versailles 55, Parkway 26
Arcanum 36, Twin Valley South 20
Thurgood Marshall 51, Greenville 7
Ansonia 69, National Trail 23
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