Archbishop Carroll fell to Conwell-Egan on Saturday, 41-6.
Egan rushed for more than 330 yards and five touchdowns. The Patriots dropped their seventh straight game and fell to 2-7 overall and 0-6 in the PCL.
Egan got off to a hot start after the kickoff. On the first play, Egan’s quarterback ran it 49 yards into the red zone, and then the running back finished it off with a 27-yard touchdown run. Carroll had a good return on its next possession, but failed to do anything with the ball and punted. Egan punted right back to Carroll, and the Patriots completed a few passes before the end of the first quarter, with the score 7-0 Egan.
Early in the second quarter, on a third-down passing play, Patriots quarterback Chris Sponburgh found receiver James Davin, who fought his way to the endzone for a 29-yard touchdown. Carroll’s extra point was blocked. Egan answered right back with a 62-yard touchdown run and a converted extra point. On Egan’s kickoff, Carroll fumbled the ball, and Egan recovered it, giving the Eagles good field position. They made use of it and scored their third touchdown of the day. The extra point was missed, however. The Patriots threw an interception on their next drive, but Egan lost good field position because of a personal foul penalty. Carroll forced a turnover on downs but failed to get the ball moving. On their next possession, the Patriots attempted a fake punt on fourth down, but they couldn’t get to the marker. Egan tried one last throw in the first half, but it was picked off by cornerback Rainer Caswell. Egan led 20-6 at halftime.
Carroll received the ball at the start of the second, but went three and out and punted. On Egan’s first possession of the second half, the Patriots punched the ball out and recovered it. However, Egan got the ball right back after Carroll fumbled on the first play of the drive. The Eagles ran it in for their fourth rushing touchdown of the game and converted their extra point attempt. The Patriots went downfield for a couple of solid gains before being sacked and turning it over on downs on their next possession. Egan’s relentless rushing attack did not stop as the Eagles scored their fifth rushing touchdown of the game. The extra point was converted. The score at the end of the third quarter was 34-6 Egan.
At the start of the fourth quarter, quarterback Haleem Johnson found receiver Tyty Mattison for a big gain of 55 yards to bring the Patriots inside the ten. The gain was immediately lost as Egan picked off Carroll again in the end zone. Egan scored its sixth touchdown of the day, this time via the air, and converted its extra point attempt. Carroll strung together a couple more passes before throwing another interception. Egan ran down the clock and took victory in its home field by a final score of 41-6.
The Patriots have some work to do, particularly in one area, according to head coach Steve Hornick.
“Accountability,” Coach Honick said. “It goes a long way.”
The Patriots will take on Hanover, which is 2-7, at 7 p.m. Friday. It is Carroll’s last game of the season.
