There?s an old expression that says you can always go home. Last night at Patterson High, Maryland High School Football Hall-of-Fame coach Roger Wren did just that.
Unfortunately for the Patterson Clippers (1-2, 1-2), Wren brought his new team, Baltimore Polytechnic (2-1, 2-0), back with him, and left with a solid 28-12 victory.
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“It?s been a real emotional roller coaster for me,” said Wren, who coached 32 years at Patterson. “I know and love these Patterson players.”
Using a bruising running game, the Engineers lined up behind two of their biggest linemen, seniors Christian Emezie and Brandon Mitchell, and pounded the ball, going over 409 yards as a team. On top 6-0 on a Tyree Reid (seven carries for 63 yards and one touchdown) 15-yard touchdown scamper late in the first quarter, and then 12-6 on a short plunge up the middle by Lee Reynolds (nine carries for 75 yards, three scores) halfway through the second, the Engineers dictated play.
The Clippers, however kept answering. Kevin Gee (14 carries for 74 yards) scored on a 41-yard touchdown run and a nine-yard catch from Greg Johnson to send the game into halftime knotted at 12-12.
The second half, featured more of the same for Poly. Lee Reynolds provided the winning score on a 21-yard run. The ensuing two-point conversion gave the Engineers a 20-12 lead they would not give up.
Mitchell chalked up the running game to hard work in practice as well. “I think it was all about our conditioning,” Mitchell said. “We stayed low, they stood straight up, we moved the ball.”
Fullback Javon Little finished with 183 yards on 17 carries, while Lee Reynolds rounded out the scoring on his third touchdown run followed by a two-point dash, making it 28-12.
