¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ

“In my entire career as head coach, this is the first time I feel like we’ve played four quarters of Lions football from start to finish,� Queen Anne’s County High’s head football coach said.

Easton pulled even early in the second quarter Saturday afternoon, only to have the Lions respond by scoring on four of their next five possessions en route to a 33-14 homecoming victory over the previously unbeaten Warriors.

“Credit to Queen Anne’s,� Easton head coach Matt Griffith said. “They deserve to win. They beat us in every aspect of the game. We didn’t play well. Period.

“We came out flat,� added Griffith, his team now 5-1. “They hit us on a big play, which we talked about. Can’t give up big plays (Queen Anne’s had seven plays for 24 yards or more). They’re explosive.�

The first of those big plays came on the game’s first play from scrimmage, when Queen Anne’s sophomore quarterback Colton Starlings hit Chance Hegedus for a 34-yard gain to the Easton 26-yard line. Three plays later, Starlings, who completed 11 of 17 for three touchdowns and a school-single game record 268 yards, connected with Brooks Blodgett for a 24-yard touchdown pass. Adrian Altamirana’s extra-point kick made it 7-0 with only 1 minute, 56 seconds off the game clock.

“We wanted to start hot,� Mooney said. “First play we got a big shot. I think that kind of got the energy going and from there we just kept it rolling.�

Not immediately though.

The Warriors forged the game’s only tie 18 seconds into the second quarter, when Jordan Horsey broke through the left side for a 13-yard touchdown run. Luke Stanco’s point-after made it 7-7.

But Queen Anne’s (4-2), which was without leading rusher DeRodney Smith (injured), answered, finding the end zone on four of its next five possessions — the lone miss coming when Starlings twice took a knee to kill the first-half clock.

The Lions moved in front to stay, when Jadereon Thompson, the electric junior, swept around right end, lost a defender with a sideline cut, then darted forward before lunging across the goal line while being tackled for a 24-yard touchdown run and a 13-7 lead with 9:32 left in the half. The PAT was missed

The Warriors committed one of their five turnovers — two fumbles, three interceptions — on their ensuing drive.

Moving from its 39, Queen Anne’s ate over 4 minutes of clock before Alex McDonald (22 carries, game-high 106 yards rushing), found an opening on the left side for a 5-yard touchdown run. Starlings was hit as he attempted a two-point conversion pass, leaving the score 19-7 with 2:03 left in the first half.

“We came out early, kind of felt out the defense, then figured out, here’s where we want to go (and) where we don’t want to go,� Mooney said. “McDonald runs hard. He’s not the biggest guy (5-foot-5, 140 pounds). He’s not the strongest guy, but he plays with that Lion heart. We’ll love to get DeRodney back, but Alex McDonald has got all the heart in the world and I’m just so proud of him today.�

Easton drove from its 31 to 48, but on fourth-and-eight, quarterback Brady Walls (9 of 19, 80 yards) was intercepted by Jamison Woodward. Romelo Wilson and Blodgett also had an interceptions.

“This is what we’ve been waiting on,� Mooney said of a defense that held Easton — which came in averaging almost 39 points a game — to its lowest point total of the season. “We just had missed assignments (in losses to Wicomico and Stephen Decatur). We’d get ‘em in a third-and-10, third-and-15 and we blow an assignment.

“It was just like, ‘All right. Now, let’s play a complete four downs,’� Mooney added. “And coach Jude Mandes is a great defensive coordinator. Got the utmost confidence in him and he just keeps bringing it with that defense. They brought it today.�

The Lions fattened their lead to 33-7 on their first two second-half possessions. Starlings hit Hegedus (five receptions, 154 yards) with touchdown throws of 30 and 56 yards, the second coming with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter. Altamirana added both PATs.

“He’s a dog,� Mooney said of Starlings, who eclipsed Tyler German’s single-game passing record of 253 yards. “He has the utmost confidence in himself. He just radiates that in the huddle. All the players buy in to what he’s doing. He’s just amazing.�

Easton, which lost Horsey to an eye injury in the first half, ended Queen Anne’s 26-point run with 8:03 left in the game, as Jamier Copper (15 carries, 89 yards) broke loose for a 44-yard scoring run. Kai Ferraris tacked on the PAT.

“We executed the game plan perfectly,� Mooney said. “Everybody that had a job to do did it. We were aligned perfectly. We were assigned perfectly. And then they just came out with some fire.�

Notes: Hunter Kelly had eight tackles — two for loss — for Queen Anne’s, and Amari Baynard had six tackles, including two for loss, and a fumble recovery. Wilson also had a fumble recovery.

KENT ISLAND 36, PARKSIDE 33

STEVENSVILLE — Spencer Chappell kicked a 36-yard field goal in the closing seconds Friday, lifting the Bucs over Parkside for their third straight win.

Kent Island senior running back Jaxson Hess carried 21 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns, and also caught a TD pass for the Bucs (4-2). Quarterback Liam Allen completed 7 of 13 passes for 108 yards and one TD. He also ran for 90 yards on 12 touches.

COL. RICHARDSON 46, SNOW HILL 14

AMERICAN CORNER — Ja’Zir Dickerson rushed for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries, as the Colonels (4-2) extended their win streak to four.

Derrick Mitchell added 154 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, and Bradley Thomas had three carries for eight yards and a TD. Chatydrick Pickrom (seven carries, 57 yards) also ran for a TD. Jared Morales led the defense with 14 tackles. Jordan Poole had 12 tackles and Pickrom 10.

CAMBRIDGE-SD 54, KENT COUNTY 0

CAMBRIDGE — Jayden Hollowell scored touchdowns on his only two carries, and TJ Wilson and Xavier Alexander each threw a touchdown on their only passing attempts, as the Vikings (1-5) notched their first victory of the season. Majestic Jones and Semaj Pinder had one TD reception apiece.