The Washington Blue Lion football team rebounded from a tough loss at London last week with a 54-6 win over the visiting Linden McKinley Panthers at Gardner Park Friday night.
Linden McKinley played the game with a very short roster of some 22 to 25 players.
The Blue Lions scored 27 points in the first quarter and 27 additional unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 54-0 halftime lead.
Dillon Steward got the scoring underway with a five-yard run with 10:49 to play in the opening quarter.
Nick Bishop’s extra-point kick gave Washington a 7-0 lead.
The next score came on an 18-yard pass from Gio Thomas to Eli Lynch. Bishop’s kick gave the Blue Lions a 14-0 lead at the 7:51 mark of the first quarter.
With 3:59 to play in the first, Thomas hit Omar Porter who ran for an 83-yard touchdown.
The PAT by Bishop lifted the score to 21-0.
With 2:40 to play in the first quarter, Steward returned a Linden McKinley punt 78 yards for a touchdown.
The extra-point kick was no good, with Washington leading 27-0.
Washington scored four further touchdowns in the second quarter.
To start things off, Thomas connected with Steward for a nine-yard touchdown pass play. That score came at the 9:18 mark.
The extra-point attempt was no good, putting the score at 33-0.
With 7:07 to play until halftime, Steward returned a Panthers’ punt 65 yards for a touchdown. Bishop’s kick made it 40-0, Washington.
Thomas had a three-yard run for a touchdown and Bishop’s boot made it 47-0.
Omar Porter ran for a four-yard touchdown with 3:01 to play in the half.
Bishop’s kick set the score at 54-0.
The second half was scoreless until the Panthers’ Eddie Lewis recovered a fumble returned it for a touchdown with 19 seconds to play in the game.
The extra-point attempt was no good.
Taking a look at the halftime statistics, Washington had 209 yards of offense to two yards of offense for Linden McKinley.
Washington had 141 yards passing (6 of 8 from Thomas) and 68 yards rushing on 10 attempts.
Linden McKinley had 31 passing yards and negative 29 yards rushing.
Washington (now 3-1 overall) will travel to Columbus St. Charles next Friday night.
Linden McKinley will play Columbus Whetstone next week.