By By ROB BABLER / Niles Daily Star
THREE OAKS -- Senior running back Billy Syrette led a quick-strike Brandywine offense to a 54-20 pounding of host River Valley Friday night in Lakeland Conference football action.
Syrette, the 5-foot-8, 145-pound speedster, had touchdown runs of 62, 15 and 41 yards by early in the third quarter to give the Bobcats a comfortable 34-7 lead. Syrette had 174 yards on just 13 carries.
Head coach Jim Myers was pleased with how his offense ran the ball.
The Bobcats, in fact, were so efficient, they had the ball for eight minutes less than the Mustangs.
In addition to Syrette running the ball well, senior running back Aaron Holy senior quarterback Evan Smith also had rushing touchdowns.
Holy carried the ball six times for 68 yards and a touchdown.
Smith had eight carries for 79 yards and two touchdowns.
For the game, Brandywine amassed more than 300 yards rushing. The team did not attempt a pass.
While Myers was pleased with his team's running game, he also said River Valley has seen better times.
Mustang head coach Tom Palen was impressed with the speed of the Bobcat running game.
Brandywine took an early 6-0 lead on a Smith 13-yard run midway through the first quarter. Just three minutes later, after a three-and-out series of River Valley's, Syrette scored his first touchdown, cutting back from right to left for his longest score of the night.
The Mustangs then gave a clinic in power football, taking more than eight minutes to score their first touchdown. The tandem of seniors Randy Deaton and Andy Holub kept running up the middle, pounding away at the Bobcat defense. After 18 plays and 80 yards, Deaton punched the ball in from the two-yard line to bring the Mustangs within seven.
Given that touchdown, it looked as if the contest might become one of speed versus power.
That matchup, however, failed to materialize. Brandywine scored on its next two series to take a 28-7 lead by halftime.
Halftime allowed the Bobcats to make some defensive changes that kept River Valley from repeating its first-half drive.
In the second half, Brandywine scored another 20 points in the third quarter on runs by Syrette, Holy and reserve junior quarterback Jeff VanLaere to give the Bobcats a 48-7 lead.
While the Bobcats didn't attempt a single pass, the Mustangs attempted only one, completing it for seven yards.
Palen agreed the weather factored into the passing game as well. A steady downpour went on during most of the night.
Brandywine, now 2-3, hosts Bridgman next Friday.