Plummer, Pyros too much for Ducks
By STEVE KEPPEL
Sports Writer
Howard looked like it might continue the weekend of upsets but it was unable to endure, dropping the game 19-7 to Pasquerilla East.
The overmatched Ducks got an added spark to their offense with the return of injured quarterback, Jill Veselik. Although she played well, it did not prove to be enough as the Ducks battled the Pyros to a 19-7 defeat that dashed their hopes of an upset victory.
On a weekend that was highlighted by the spirited play of underdogs, this game at first seemed like an upset in the making. The Howard defense came out fired up as they forced the mighty PE offense to go three and out on the first possession of the game.
"Our defense was focused on not letting [quarterback Elizabeth] Plummer run the ball," Coach Nate Medland said.
On the next series, the Ducks offense drove down the field led by the running and passing of Veselik, who looked confident in her first appearance in three games.
The drive was capped off with a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Julie Wernick. After the extra point, Howard had a seven point lead.
PE was trailing for the first time all season and after being shut down in its first series on offense it was uncertain how they would react.
"We dropped two or three passes in the first series but we are a veteran team so it did not make us too nervous," Plummer said. "We were never in this position before so we wanted to see how we would respond."
Respond is exactly what they did. The next drive Plummer lead the Pyros straight down the field with her precision passing and some excellent catches by her receivers. The drive ended with Plummer tying the game on a third-and-goal touchdown pass to receiver Kerry Hanley.
The Ducks momentum dwindled.
The PE defense, not to be outdone by the offense, stepped it up and held the Ducks scoreless for the rest of the afternoon.
The Howard defense also played well, holding Plummer's scrambling in check for most of the day until she broke up the middle for a 44-yard backbreaking score before the end of the half.
With only a six-point lead, the heavily favored Pyros came out with a vengeance in the second half scoring on their first drive and putting the game out of reach, with the score 19-7.
"The game was a lot closer than the score, they played us tough," Plummer said.
"By focusing on not letting Plummer run, we had to cover their receivers one on one with our corners and their receivers were just better," Howard coach Medland stated.
Howard ended the year 3-4 but the team wonders how things would have differed if Veselik played all year.
"If she hadn't gotten hurt we probably would have won a few more games and wouldn't have ended up playing PE in the first round," Medland added.
All Sports Stories for Tuesday, November 2, 1999
