By Staff
The Edwardsburg varsity football team locked up the undisputed Lakeland Conference championship Friday night with a 44-15 victory over visiting Bridgman.
The Eddies, who have now won eight straight games since a season-opening loss to defending state champion Constantine, will face host Comstock (8-1) on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Division 4 state playoffs.
The winner of Friday night's game will take on either Dowagiac (6-3) or No. 2 ranked Paw Paw (9-0) in the district championship game the following weekend.
Edwardsburg scored 14 points in the first quarter and then outscored Bridgman 17-7 in the second quarter to open up a 31-7 halftime advantage.
The Eddies (8-1 overall and 7-0 in the Lakeland) finished their scoring with a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter.
Bridgman tacked on a touchdown in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.
Jeff Mortimer got the Eddies out to a 7-0 lead as he scored on a 32-yard run and David Daniels added the point-after-touchdown (PAT) kick.
Edwardsburg increased its lead to 14-0 on a three-yard run by Daniels and the extra point.
Kyle Poe scored on a 30-yard run to extend the Eddies' advantage to 21-0 following Daniels' kick.
Bridgman averted the shut out with a 22-yard run by Jereth McMillen and a PAT.
Daniels scored a one-yard touchdown and kicked a 41-yard field goal to complete the first half scoring for the Eddies.
Daniels also opened up the second half scoring as he tallied his third touchdown of the night on a 13-yard run. The kick however, failed.
Randy York capped the Edwardsburg scoring with a 60-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Daniels added the PAT to make it a 44-7 contest heading into the fourth quarter.
McMillen scored on an eight-yard run and Ben Nacci added the two-point conversion for the Bees.
Mortimore finished with 98 yards on 11 carries, while York added four runs for 93 yards and Daniels rushed for 66 yards on 12 carries.
Steve Gowen was 3-of-6 for 45 yards. All of his passes were caught by Scott Walker.
Joe Dubash led the Eddies with eight tackles, including three for losses. Monty Ort finished with six tackles.
York had two interceptions on the night.
The Eddies finished the night with 330 yards rushing and 375 yards in total offense. Bridgman had 151 yards rushing and 46 yards passing.
Bridgman 0 7 0 8 - 15
Edwardsburg 14 17 13 0 - 44
E – Jeff Mortimore 32 run (David Daniels kick)
E – Daniels 3 run (Daniels kick)
E – Kyle Poe 30 run (Daniels kick)
B – Jereth McMillin 22 run (kick good)
E – Daniels 1 run (Daniels kick)
E – Daniels 41 field goal
E – Daniels 13 run (kick failed)
E – Randy York 60 interception return (Daniels kick)
B – McMillen 8 run (Ben Nacci run good)