HAGERSTOWN, Md. – RISE.
That was the command and initiative of the Baltimore Ravens on Friday.
Jayden Paugh and Mason Galloway followed directions. They rose to the occasion.
The Boonsboro pair each got a hand up to make a key play in the final two minutes, lifting the Warriors to a critical 19-18 victory over North Hagerstown on Friday during the Hubs’ homecoming at Callas Stadium.
Paugh pulled in a juggling 26-yard touchdown reception with 1:41 remaining to give the Warriors the lead, just 83 seconds before Galloway sealed the game by blocking a 32-yard field goal attempt.
“It was, like, the biggest moment of my life,” said Galloway. “It’s awesome. The Ravens here, the homecoming game and then we came here and beat them. It feels great.”
Great. Yes. Easy. No.
The seesaw battle featured four lead changes in the final 14 minutes in a contest with major implications for playoff seeding.
It was all done under the long, purple shadow of the Ravens. The game was selected as the Ravens RISE Showdown Game of the Week, bringing former Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith, current wide receiver Zay Flowers, Ravens cheerleaders and mascot Poe to Callas Stadium. Smith and Flowers met with players for the pregame coin toss, while fans had opportunities for photos and autographs.
Joined by Dunkin’ and other sponsors, each school received $2,500 donations for their athletic programs and players received gear to wear during the game.
“The kids battled the entire game. I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Boonsboro coach Mark Wadel. “They could have got down easily at any point in that game. There were so many distractions here tonight with homecoming, the Ravens, and all the fireworks …
“There was just so much that could have went against us tonight and the boys just battled and battled. I’m super proud of them.”
North (3-5) seemed to be in control for most of the second half, using a punishing inside ground game to push the Warriors and eat the clock.
But things began to turn after North took its final lead when quarterback Ronnie Savage connected with Antonio Rivera-Herrera on a 19-yard, fourth-down touchdown pass for an 18-13 advantage with 5:29 remaining.
The two teams traded possessions with the Warriors (5-3) getting their final shot after a punt to the Boonsboro 36 with 2:39 remaining.
Jadon King ignited the drive with a 24-yard run on the first play to get to the North 40. He then caught a 14-yard pass from quarterback Blake Main to get to the 26.
On the next snap, Main stood in against North’s rush and delivered a pass across the middle to Paugh in the end zone. Paugh had the ball go off his hand but he tapped and juggled it twice before latching on for the go-ahead touchdown.
“I just ran that post,” Paugh said. “It was there all night, but Blake finally got time (to throw the ball). He found me and we connected. I had to do a little bit of concentrating, but… I knew I got it.
“Once I saw that second little bobble, I was like, ‘Oh, yeah, this ball is mine. I just knew I had to go get it. The game was on the line.’”
But the Hubs had their last chance, starting at their 26 with 1:34 remaining.
North quarterback Ronnie Savage engineered the drive with a combination of scrambles and short passes. Savage tested the Warriors on the left side, taking a hard hit, which left him down on the field and knocked his helmet off.
Because of the injury and the loss of his helmet, Savage was required to miss one play. Because of that, with 23 seconds remaining, North elected to attempt a 32-yard field goal to win the game.
Cue Galloway, who found a corridor to North kicker Chase Garver to bat down the attempt with 18 seconds remaining.
“It was a team effort,” Galloway said. “Everyone has to come together to get that block on a field goal. And it was just my time to shine and make the block. The previous two touchdowns, we realized that their outside blockers were just going with the outside guy, which opens up a gap, and I just went into that gap and went right in front of the ball.”
Getting inside was one thing, but getting the block was more important.
“My eyes were so open,” he said. “We’re coached to keep our hands at our waist. That’s where the ball trajectory goes, and that’s where it went.”
It was Galloway’s second big play of the game. He intercepted a Savage pass at the Boonsboro 1 to end North’s first possession of the game, preventing a possible touchdown. It led to the Warriors’ first touchdown. In all, he prevented a potential 10 points for the Hubs.
Galloway’s interception turned into an 85-yard scoring drive for the Warriors. Boonsboro used 10 plays and 4:48 of the clock to set up a 26-yard swing pass from Main to Landon French with 2:08 left in the quarter, capped by Ryan Robertson’s kick for a 7-0 lead that stood through halftime.
It was the first of three TD passes for Main and two scoring catches for French.
North scored on its first two possessions of the second half, first a 34-yard and then a 7-yard run by Michael Stewart. The Hubs failed on both conversions to take a 12-7 lead with 1:59 left in the third quarter.
Boonsboro responded with a four-play drive to score with :03 left in the quarter on a 10-yard strike from Main to French for a 13-12 lead. The drive was set up by Main’s 47-yard pass and daring grab by Darius Fraley a play earlier.
It all set up the drama in the fourth quarter.
Main threw for 146 yards and the three scores, while King added 70 yards rushing for Boonsboro. Stewart rushed for 109 yards and two TDs for North.
“You know, when you prepare as hard as we did – our kids had a great week of practice – good things are going to happen for you,” Wadel said.
Other Washington County scores
Mountain Ridge 21, Williamsport 7
Fort Hill 49, Smithsburg 14
Petersburg 55, Clear Spring 13
Liberty 28, South Hagerstown 6
