BETHANY — With his team kneeling around him, Washington coach Dennis McCray made a simple statement.
“Last year at this time we were 0-1,” he said. “This year, we’re 1-0.”
Bethany was responsible for one of Washington’s three losses last season, beating the Warriors, on their own field, in the season opener. Friday, Washington got a chance for some revenge. The Warriors took advantage, beating Bethany 41-23.
“This is awesome. This is such an adrenaline rush,” Washington quarterback Darren Madden said. “It was amazing. That’s the only way I can put it.”
The Warriors used some big plays on offense and a goal-line stand on defense to hold back the Bronchos. Washington led by as many as 24 points, but Bethany didn’t go down without a fight.
The Bronchos cut the lead to 11 with 6:45 left after a 55-yard touchdown pass from Silas Day to Michael Coats.
But Washington sealed the game with two late interceptions from Blake Sturgell and Chance Pistole, the second was returned 60 yards for a touchdown with 5 seconds left.
“The second half kind of got a little crazy,” McCray said. “We did not do a very good job in the secondary. That was probably the only negative. Overall, it was a good win.”
Madden, getting his first chance to run the Washington offense as the full-time quarterback, was 11-of-18 for 283 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
“For the most part I was pleased,” Madden said. “I could have done better, but a win is a win.”
The Warriors led 13-3 at the half, getting a 99-yard touchdown pass from Madden to Justin Noel with 7:11 left in the second quarter.
“He had a hamstring injury last year and was limited in what he could do,” McCray said of Noel. “Now he’s healthy.”
Bethany looked to get back in the game on the last possession of the first half, putting together a 17-play drive that started at the Broncho 41. But after running back Devin Campbell reached the Washington 1-yard line after a 3-yard gain, Washington stuffed Nate Day on a fourth-down play with 1:13 left in the half to stop the drive.
Early in the third quarter, Washington’s Justin Canfield recovered a fumble at the Bethany 39. Four plays later, Josh Zimmer raced 23 yards to give Washington a 20-3 lead. Zimmer finished with 201 yards on 25 carries.
The Warriors seemed to be in control when Zimmer went in from 2 yards out with 4:07 left in the third quarter to make it 27-3. The run set up by a 53-yard pass from Madden to Jesse Nixon.
But Bethany scored right before the third quarter ended on a 1-yard sneak by Day, then made it 27-17 on a 53-yard pass from Day to Nick Branscum.
But Zimmer all but closed the door with 10 minutes left, racing 74 yards for a score to give Washington a 34-16 lead.
The Bronchos had a little life left, scoring on a 55-yard pass from Day to Coats with 6:45 to play. But Washington closed the door with the two late picks.
“This is a huge game,” Madden said. “We were thinking about last year and how they beat us. We knew they were going to be tough, but we just had to play our best, and we did.”
Scott Moore
366-3535
sports@normantranscript.com
Local Sports
September 6, 2008
Big win for Warriors
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