Blazers stumble at Big Horn, 17-7

Andrew Towne
Posted 10/7/20

BIG HORN – The Big Horn Rams scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to move past Torrington High School 17-7 Friday evening.

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Blazers stumble at Big Horn, 17-7

Posted

BIG HORN – The Big Horn Rams scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to move past Torrington High School 17-7 Friday evening.

“We beat ourselves pretty badly,” THS coach Russell Stienmetz said. “We would have a pretty good drive going on, and then we would have a penalty or penalties. We would the face second and long or third and long.”

In all, Torrington committed 14 penalties for 125 yards.

Despite that, the Blazers were in the ballgame for much of the contest.

Midway through the first quarter, Big Horn took a 7-0 lead.

The score remained the same through the first half.

The Blazers missed multiple opportunities through the first two quarters.

“Having a touchdown called back in the first half and missing a field goal, also in the first half, hurts,” Stienmetz said.

Finally, with 3:53 left in the third quarter, Torrington senior running back Cody Pierce broke free for a 28-yard sprint to the end zone.

“We were able to run the ball,” Stienmetz said. “That’s the one thing we were able to do with them sitting there with two high safeties. Our running game was a lot better than it had been in previous games, but we need to capitalize and get the ball into the end zone.”

Early in the fourth quarter, the Blazers were once again moving the ball down the field, but Big Horn forced a fumble which was taken 55 yards to the end zone.

The Rams added a field goal to put the game out of reach with 3:24 left in the game.

The Blazers outgained the Rams, 273-232, but only 69 of those yards came through the air.

“We knew we weren’t going to be able to throw against this team as they sit in cover two or cover four on passing situations,” Stienmetz said. “When we got behind the sticks like that, we weren’t able to capitalize, move the sticks and keep our drives alive.”

Pierce led the Blazers with 84 yards rushing on 11 attempts, while junior Trace Floyd added 78 yards on 15 carries. Junior quarter Beau Bivens was 6-of-15 passing for 69 yards. Floyd was his top target with 25 yards receiving on two catches.

The Blazers (4-2 overall and 3-1 in the 2A East) travel to Newcastle (0-5 and 0-4) on Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

“Newcastle is a team that is hungry,” Stienmetz said. “We need to get off the bus and clean up the penalties and put the ball in the end zone.”