Burr Oak climbed to 4-2 overall and 2-2 in Southern Michigan 8-Man Football League play Saturday after a 26-6 victory at St. Joseph Michigan Lutheran.
James Saylor put the Bobcats out front early with a seven-yard touchdown run, followed by a three-yard pass to Cole Summey for the 2-point conversion. Chantz Owens added a 41-yard TD run in the first quarter.
Saylor completed a 53-yard scoring pass to Alex Campbell in the second frame and Saylor got loose on a 13-yard touchdowns scamper in the third stanza. Owens carried the ball 12 times for 61 yards, James Saylor had 15 rushes for 61 yards and Alex Munoz finished with seven carries for 38 yards.
Saylor finished 11-of-21 passing for 160 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Owens had two receptions for 33 yards, Munoz made four catches for 28 yards and Campbell finished with three receptions for 93 yards.
“Despite the poor weather conditions, I thought we played better football this week by playing our assignments and communicating all night long on defense,” Burr Oak coach Ryan Stephens said. “… It was a defensive battle in the trenches and the Bobcats came out on top.”
Stephens explained how the Bobcats limited Lutheran by containing quarterback Casey Ross. Burr Oak linebackers Owens and Aurturo Hernandez-Gonzalez get a lot of credit for shutting down the playmaker, he said.
“Offensively, it wasn’t a big game for the backs, but we did an excellent job with clock management and holding on to the football in sloppy weather conditions,” Stephens added. “Alex Campbell at left wideout made some acrobatic catches to help the Bobcats score at crucial points in the game.
Brent Everitt made seven tackles, Owens posted 12 stops and a pair of fumble recoveries, Hernandez-Gonzalez finished with 10 tackles and Munoz picked up 10 and a sack.