¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ

So Kent Island High first-year head football coach Tim Goodrich calmly told his team of its shortcomings.

“We have to finish,� Goodrich said. “We have to finish blocks. We have to finish tackles. And we can’t make mistakes.�

Kent Island struggled to finish blocks and tackles, and had three of its five second-half drives end in turnovers Friday night during a 27-10 loss to Middletown at Andy Schipul Stadium.

“We showed in the first half, it’s a 3-0 game. We finish the drive, it’s a 7-0 game,� Goodrich said of the Bucs’ game-opening possession. “Changes things a little bit. We finish a play where we had the quarterback wrapped up in the backfield and it’s a sack, and we don’t finish and it’s a touchdown. It’s a pretty simple game.�

Kent Island (1-1) took the opening kickoff and drove from its 25-yard line to the Knights’ 3, where it settled for a 20-yard Spencer Chappell field goal with 6 minutes, 41 seconds remaining in the first quarter for a 3-0 lead.

The Bucs maintained that lead until early in the second quarter, when Middletown running back Ryan McLister was sprung for a 31-yard gain, setting up quarterback Brittin Poffenbarger’s 3-yard touchdown run off left guard. Ryan Coulby’s point-after kick made it 7-3 with 8:15 left in the half.

Middletown (2-0) extended its lead to 13-3 on its next possession, as McLister broke around left end for a 92-yard touchdown gallop with 5:18 to go in the half. Kent Island’s Jeremiah Bounds blocked Coulby’s extra-point attempt.

Kent Island answered quickly, as quarterback Trace Klapaska found a wide-open Luke Umstott down the right sideline for a 73-yard touchdown pass. Chappell’s point-after kick made it 13-10 with 4:16 left before halftime.

Middletown extended its lead 38 seconds into the second half, when Poffenbarger spun out of a tackle and connected with an uncovered Clinton Lee for an 80-yard touchdown pass. Coulby’s point-after boot made it 20-10.

“We got to tackle better,� Goodrich said. “We got to block better. It’s a pretty simple game. And don’t turn the ball over.�

The Knights limited Kent Island’s run game to mostly short gains after intermission, and collected three interceptions in the second half, the second setting up Poffenbarger’s second touchdown pass. Flushed from the pocket, Middletown’s senior quarterback veered right, then scrambled left before firing a 16-yard strike to Nathan Borawski in the left side of the end zone, pushing the lead to 27-10 with 1:42 remaining in the third quarter.

“Our season is not over in Week 2,� Goodrich said..� The state of Maryland says everybody makes the playoffs, so you might as well play as many tough games as you can, and get as good as you can, and get ready for the end of the season because everybody goes.

“We can’t make mistakes against good football teams,� Goodrich continued. “And I say if they’re not the best in the 1A-2A, they’re one of the best in the 1A-2A. And that’s who you’re going to see. So let’s get back at it. We’ve got another good one next week (at Easton). We’ll try to fix some stuff and go from there.�