High School Football:
Lions Lose To Rams At Home

Saturday, September 25, 1999

By Gary Steiner
SJSports Staff Writer

The Overbrook Rams defeated the Cherry Hill West Lions 28-10 at Jonas C. Morris Stadium in a contest that was closer than the score indicated. Penalties and turnovers added up in the mistakes made by the Lions in this Olympic Conference Patriot Division game.

Both offenses were slow to get things started, but it was the Rams who would get the only score in the first quarter when Jerron Smith rumbled from the 1-yard line for a touchdown. James Polk's PAT put Overbrook up 7-0.

In the 2nd quarter, an intercepion by John Lipschultz would give the Rams the ball at West's 45-yard line. This drive was almost stopped on a 4th and 5 on the 9-yard line but for a pass interference call, which eventually led to a 2-yard touchdown run by Lipschultz. This plus Polk's second PAT put the Rams up 14-0. On the next series, the Lions punted to Bryan Foster, who then proceeded to run it back 50-yards for a touchdown. Another Polk PAT put the Rams up 21-0 with 2:20 left in the half. Andrew Rosner finally got the Lions on the board with a 43-yard field goal as the half expired.

To open the 3rd quarter, an Overbrook drive was stopped when West recovered a fumble at their own 44-yard line. After moving the ball into Rams' territory, the Lions were forced to punt. But the Rams fumbled, giving the Lions a 1st and 10 at the Rams' 20. A quick strike to Hamisi Tarrant for the touchdown gave new life to the Lions, with the score 21-10 after Rosner's PAT. On the next possession, the Lion defense held the Rams to a 3 and out, and the Rams' punter shanked it, giving the Lions a 1st and 10 at the Overbrook 35. But the Rams' defense held in turn, and a field goal attempt by the Lions on 4th down went wide left.

In the 4th, some good defense by the Rams caused a Lions' drive to stall, but what really hurt is when the Lions' punter fumbled the snap, giving the Rams a 1st and 10 at the Lions' 39-yard line. Similar to befor, on a 4th and goal at the 7, a pass interference call kept Overbrook's drive alive, which ended in a 1-yard touchdown by Rams' QB Charlie Bupp. Polk's 4th PAT would give the Rams a 28-10 lead with 4:50 left. The Lions last possession started at their own 30 with 1:39 left, but an interception by Overbrook's William Gordon ended any hope of a comeback by Cherry Hill West.

Photos by Forrest Robleto