Freedom Rings, OP Does Not Answer on Homecoming Night

 

Osbourn Park had all the trappings set up for a win versus Freedom (South Riding) Friday night. They were coming off a 24-22 win versus Hylton, it was Homecoming weekend and members of the 2022 Osbourn Park Hall of Fame class were in attendance. Unfortunately they were not able to capitalize on the Eagles' mistakes and lost 15-0. 

Freedom would threaten to score from inside the redzone very early on, but senior linebacker Bryson Thompson would force and recover a fumble to give the Yellow Jackets the ball with 10:48 left in the quarter. OP would not be able to take advantage, as the Eagles would get the ball back. The Yellow Jackets defense would force another turnover at the 7:06 mark when Thompson made a tackle for a loss on fourth down. 

On the following drive, Osbourn Park would go for it on fourth down themselves, but could not convert and Freedom got the ball back with 2:53 left in the quarter. 

Neither team would be able to score in the first quarter as it ended 0-0. 

The Eagles broke the ice when senior running back Josh Johnson slashed through the Yellow Jacket defense for a 20 yard score. They were successful on a two-point conversion, going up 8-0 with 11:28 left in the half. 

Osbourn Park may have not put points on the board, but not for failure to move the ball. They'd rack up 11 first downs on the night, with a handful coming on a drive right before the half. Junior quarterback Adrian Cabrera would have completions of 29 and 23 yards to senior receivers Wyatt Hurley and Alex Molina. 

Cabrera looked for Hurley over the middle at the five yard line, but they'd fail to connect. On the next two plays, Osbourn Park would be backed up by a false start call and a sack. On fourth and seemingly forever, Cabrera's pass wouldn't find it's mark and OP turned the ball over on downs with 2:40 left in the quarter. 

Freedom would make the Yellow Jackets pay when Josh Johnson ripped off another scoring run, this time from 30 yards out. The Eagles would go up 15-0 with 1:35 left in the half. 

The next ninety seconds or so would be frantic, with both teams turning the ball over trying to score. The first would be an interception thrown by OP backup quarterback Matt Brown on a deep heave to the endzone. Freedom would toss an interception of their own, picked off by Matt Brown as time expired. 

Osbourn Park would honor their 2022 Hall of Fame Class Friday night. Not  all 16 were able to attend. (from left to right: Michael Foley, Justin McElfish, Jimmy Greene, Erica Field Fox, Richard Dombrowsky, Aaron J. Trammell, Breanna Walker)

The Yellow Jackets would turn the ball over on downs again with 6:33 left in the third quarter. The Eagles had a long touchdown called back by a hold at the 4:05 mark. They'd end up turning it over on downs with 3:41 left in the third quarter. 

A costly encroachment penalty would almost give life to the Eagles on fourth down late in the game, but they'd get called for holding and were forced to punt the ball. 

On fourth down of OP's final drive in the redzone, Cabrera would be pressured by the Eagle defense and throw an incomplete pass to Bryson Thompson. Despite the shutout, Thompson was a force on both sides of the ball, finishing with 86 yards rushing, the fumble force/recovery and eight tackles (including one for a loss).

I spoke to Osbourn Park head coach Marsel Wells following the game. 

"The boys competed tonight. They weren't able to execute like they are capable of. Our defense played a solid game, but our offense failed to take advantage of mismatches and possessions in the redzone."

Osbourn Park (1-6) hosts the undefeated Battlefield Bobcats (7-0) next Friday night (10/21) at home. The Bobcats come off a 23-7 win over Unity Reed. Kickoff is at 7 pm. 

For more on the Yellow Jackets, visit their website and follow them on Twitter @OPHSfootball. 

Game notes: 

- Bryson Thompson's longest run went 37 yards

- Wyatt Hurley would be OP's leading receiver with 5 catches for 65 yards

- OP announcer Michael Foley would have the night off following his Hall of Fame induction. Teacher/coach Patrick DeRosa filled in for him and knocked it out of the park. 

- Both teams notched 11 first downs

- OP was 5-12 on third down to Freedom's 3-6

- Freedom was more successful on fourth down at 2-3 to OP's 1-6

- Matt Brown also had 2 tackles and a pass breakup to go with his interception

- OP had 8 flags for 57 yards, but Freedom dwarfed them with 16 flags for 145 yards

-Turnovers were aplenty (OP:6, Freedom: 4)

- Rutilio Argueta- Alvarez was all over the field, racking up 7 tackles and one TFL

- Sophomore linebacker David Fitzgerald tied Bryson Thompson for the most tackles with 8

- Osbourn Park finished with 27 rushes for 126 yards