Home
Barons Batter Ephrata
- 10 October 2005
Apparently, Manheim's Maroon Machine also runs on Monday nights.Just ask Ephrata's football team, which hosted Central in a rescheduled L-L League Section Two game at War Memorial Field.
The Barons manhandled Ephrata in the trenches, treading for 375 rushing yards while allowing only 47 total yards in a 61-0 thrashing of the host Mounts. Click here for the complete boxscore.
Consider it a tuneup for the mighty Barons. That's how coach Mike Williams viewed it, anyway.
"We are headed for that final phase of the season," said Williams, who won his 250th career game two weeks ago at Cocalico. "We have got to improve in some areas."
Nothing about the Barons (4-0 L-L, 5-1 overall) appeared to be in need of repair Monday night in Ephrata.
Central scored nine touchdowns in four different methods — five on the ground, a pair through the air, one on defense and one via special teams.
"That's what you need to be a championship team," Williams said of the scoring variety.
Senior quarterback Brandon Miller had one of his finest games of the season, rushing for 165 yards on 11 carries and a pair of first-quarter touchdowns.
He also threw for two scores, and completed 4-of-7 passes overall, with no turnovers, for 108 yards (27 yards per completion).
"He's just a first-year starter. He's basically in his sixth game of experience," Williams said of his 5-11, 175-pound signal-caller. "He has gotten better each week."
Central's defense also continued to show improvement since a 31-20 season-opening loss to Central Dauphin. The Mounts' (1-3 L-L, 1-5) only trek onto Central's half of the field came four minutes into the final quarter.
Central has allowed 27 points over the past five games, with three shutouts during that span.
"I was most pleased with the defense. We shut (Ephrata) down completely," Williams said.
On Central's first offensive play from scrimmage, Miller ran an option keeper left for 51 yards to the Ephrata 13.
Three plays later, Miller scored his first of two 1-yard TD dives. His second gave Central a 14-0 lead halfway through the opening quarter.
Central scored touchdowns on seven of its 11 total possessions. The Barons punted once, in the fourth quarter, and were also stopped by a lost fumble, missed field goal and the halftime buzzer.
Miller's second long run of the night also came on the option and set up Central's third score. After faking a handoff to Nate Mast, Miller again ran left for a 50-yard gain to the Mounts' 6.
"It was just a regular, old mid-line option," Miller said of the play call. "We got good blocks. (The offensive line) were really holding their blocks long tonight (Monday). It was a combination of them and us."
The "us" included Andy Wilson, who scored on the next play, with an off-tackle run left, giving Central a 21-0 lead with 11:34 left in the first half.
Jeff Ochoa provided the highlight for the night, with a 78-yard TD punt return two minutes after Wilson's score.
After taking Dereck Fritz's punt just in front of his own 20, Ochoa got a great block from Mast then raced down the left sideline, before cutting back across the entire field and into the right side of the end zone.
Graham Zug capped the Barons' next drive with a 34-yard TD catch from Miller with 4:24 to go in the half.
The 6-foot-4 senior playmaker then showcased his defensive ability, scoring on a 30-yard interception return two minutes into the second half. Ephrata QB Seth Zimmerman tried to reach Mike Burkholder with the pass, but Zug jumped inside Burkholder's route for the pick, and a 48-0 Central lead.
"I don't know if we've had a better receiver, and I don't know if we've had a better defensive back (than Zug). And we've had some good ones," Williams said.
"On the interception, he stepped in front, and those big hands came out, stuck (to) the ball, then he shot through a little opening for the touchdown."
Ochoa and Nate Groff capped the scoring barrage with TD runs from 2 and 17 yards, respectively.
We here at www.ephratamounts.com are proud sponsors of the Dodgeball for Diabetes tournament.