By By ADAM FISHER / Niles Daily Star
One play in Brandywine's 40-0 loss to Centreville Thursday summed up the night for the Bobcats.
Early in the second quarter, Centreville quarterback Jon Logan fumbled the snap. After the ball was kicked around for a few seconds, running back Kyle Roach scooped it up, broke free from the crowd of bodies and ran 44 yards to the endzone.
The score put the Bulldogs up 20-0 a minute into the second period.
Brandywine gave up 249 rushing yards and five touchdowns in the first half, while gaining only 43 total yards.
Head coach Terry Borr said his inexperienced team struggled executing the plays the coaching staff wanted to run.
The Bobcats' offense couldn't get past Centreville's defensive line in the first half. They ran for 37 yards, 11 of which came on one Alan Schoff run in the second quarter.
After three straight three-and-out possessions in the first quarter, Brandywine fumbled the ball on the first play of its next two possessions. The turnovers led to 14 Centerville points.
With three players on the roster with varsity experience before this season, Borr said he must stress the fundamentals to the Bobcats. Tackling was a weak point Thursday, as evident from Roach's second quarter touchdown run.
In the second half, Brandywine's offense began to move the ball and it's defense started making stops. A large part of Brandywine's improvement in the second half, though, came from Centreville fatigue. The Bulldogs dressed only 15 players in the game.
Centreville head coach Jeff Terpenning admitted the Bulldogs got tired in the second half, but added he did what he could with the low amount of players.
On the Bobcats opening drive of the third quarter, they gained 47 yards, more than the entire first half.
The offense was led by quarterback Brian Westveer, who took over for starter Jeff VanLaere in the second quarter.
VanLaere injured a finger in the first half and was unable to throw the ball.
Westveer completed 6-of-16 passes for 47 yards. Borr was impressed by the junior because, before last week, he had never taken a snap at quarterback.
Borr said he was encouraged by the play of Westveer and his receivers. He said Brandywine's passing game, which was almost non-existent in its first game, made good strides Thursday.
D.J. Elrod led the wideouts, picking up 37 yards on three catches.
After giving up 255 yards in the first half, the Bobcats limited Centreville to 113 yards in the second. Brandywine totaled 104 yards on the night to Centreville's 368.
After a 25-0 loss to Lawrence in Week One, Brandywine has been outscored 65-0 in two games this season.