Bollar Runs Wild as Blue Devil JV Football Wins Again
It’s never easy to predict the results of a junior varsity sports team before a season begins. There are just too many unknowns, too many variables. One picture became clearer four games into the fall campaign as the Blue Devil JV gridiron crew emerged as a real force to be reckoned with.
Huntington improved to 4-0 by turning back feisty Eastport-South Manor, 28-13 behind running back Calvin Bollar, who amassed 127 yards on 15 carries. “It wasn’t an easy game at all,” said Ron Wilson, who coaches the Blue Devils along with Tim Madden. “ESM was really tough.”
The game started in somewhat unusual fashion as ESM attempted an outside kick that Huntington’s Chris Keddell smothered, just as he did a week earlier against Harborfields. “Once again our offense struggled at the beginning of a game,” Wilson said. “Eastport’s defense shut us down on our first series, forcing us to punt.”
While Huntington’s offense was spinning its wheels early, its defense shined by stopping the Sharks’ offense cold, forcing ESM to punt. The Blue Devils’ troubles continued when a fumble on the team’s four yard line handed the Sharks a golden opportunity. Remarkably, Huntington’s defense held its ground again, forcing a field goal attempt that missed the mark.
Once the Blue Devils regained possession the offense started to click. With quarterback Will Coffey at the helm, holes in the line of scrimmage began to appear and Bollar, Lonnie James (12 carries for 83 yards) and Qu’ran Carter (4 carries for 22 yards) exploited every possible opportunity, pushing deep into ESM territory. But, another ill-timed fumble stopped the drive.
Still scoreless in the second quarter, ESM was forced to punt. This time Huntington grabbed the opportunity and drove deep downfield with Bollar capping things off with a 37-yard touchdown run. A two-point conversion attempt that saw Bollar connect on a pass to Ricardo Caballero gave the Blue Devils an 8-0 advantage.
The second half belonged to Huntington as three more touchdowns gave the team a 28-7 lead. The half included one of the most exciting plays of the game as Tom Grossman returned a kickoff 89 yards to get into the end zone for the first time.
Blue Devil Notes: Bollar scored two touchdowns and James found the end zone once . . . Coffey ran for 16 yards on three carries . . . Caballero successfully two-of-three extra point attempts.
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