The tide has almost completely turned.
Kendall Fuller took game MVP honors
largely because of his 72-yard punt
return for touchdown.
Photo by Ken Inness
rolled up its third win in four tries over arch-rival
DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) 13-10 in a battle of Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and East Coast powers Friday night.
The Falcons used an early special teams touchdown then rode its both opportunistic and rugged defense to end DeMatha's five-game winning streak to start the season.
DeMatha (5-1) had dominated the series before that en route to five straight WCAC titles. Good Counsel, No. 23 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national rankings, has won the last three conference crowns.
It took little time for Good Counsel to jump out on front as
Kendall Fuller took a punt return 72 yards for a touchdown with 5:45 left in the first quarter. Fuller slowed down, then sprinted into the end zone.
Leo Ekwoge gives Good Counsel a
lead midway through second quarter
with 16-yard touchdown run.
Photo by Ken Inness
After a 37-yard field goal by
Siegfried Schmidt, Good Counsel increased its led to 13-3 lead in the second quarter on a 16-yard touchdown run by
Leo Ekwoge. The score was set up following an interception by
Kirk Garner and that was largely because
Dorian O'Daniel hit quarterback
John Lovett just as he threw the ball.
A missed 36-yard field goal try just before halftime prevented a larger lead for Good Counsel, which managed just 77 total yards in the half. The Falcons also lost linebackers O'Daniel and
Darien Carr to injury so though ahead, they weren't feeling particularly good.
DeMatha returned the favor midway through the third quarter, missing a 24-yard field goal to keep Good Counsel's lead at 13-3.
But after both teams went scoreless the rest of the quarter, DeMatha struck on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Lovett to
Darryl Turner with 9:42 left in the game. That cut the lead to 13-10.
DeMatha running back Mark Allen
was effective running the ball
most of the night.
Photo by Ken Inness
On its next possession, DeMatha had a golden opportunity to tie the game, but a 32-yard field goal try never got off the ground due to a bad exchange from center to holder.
Good Counsel ran out the clock from there to improve to 5-1.
DeMatha came into the game 5-0 for the first time at the midway spot in four season. Lovett was coming off a big game - 16 of 24 for 237 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-10 win over Bishop Carroll last week.
Good Counsel was coming off a bye following a rugged five-week stretch, which included a season-opening defeat at nationally-ranked Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas). The Falcons last played Sept. 22 and began WCAC play with a 45-24 win over Gonzaga
(Washington, D.C.).
O'Daniel, who is committed to play linebacker next year at Clemson, ran for 325 yards and four touchdowns in that one.
He was in street clothes for the second half of this one due to a shoulder injury.
Read Stephen Spiewak's game preview story. Follow the action on Qwixcore by Bob Calloway. Some details from this report were from various Twitter accounts. 
Good Counsel takes the field after taking a much-needed bye week.
Photo by Ken Inness
