Englewood – Jairin Potter thought his first late-game interception was good enough to clinch a victory for the Englewood Pirates, but it turned out he needed to give it a second shot.
Potter picked off two throws by Cavin Thorne in the final 3 minutes, 16 seconds Friday night to push Englewood past Frederick 12-7 in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs at Pirates Stadium. Potter, who also plays quarterback, thrilled the crowd with his first interception, but he had to do it again a minute later after Englewood fumbled the ball back to the visitors.
“I thought we were going to have it after that first pick. I thought we had it, but we turned the ball over. Things happen like that, so we had to make another play,” Potter said.
Englewood (9-2), a three-time state champion from 1935-37, won its first postseason game since 2004.
Frederick (7-4) was playing in its first playoff game since 1992. Though the Warriors did not notch the victory, coach Thad Lear and Frederick did put together a second winning season in 14 years after posting a 44-86 record over that time.
Thorne, who heaped too much blame on himself after the game, was the Warriors’ only offensive option. He gained 153 of his team’s 162 total yards, 109 of those yards on the ground.
“I was anticipating (Potter) to cut to the outside, and I guess I didn’t make the right throw,” Thorne said.
Englewood took the lead on its first drive, going 41 yards in eight plays with the shifty Bryce Penn taking it in from 2 yards out, though the extra-point try failed. Penn finished the game with 109 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries.
Still in the first quarter, Thorne put the Warriors up with a weaving 52-yard touchdown run, and the score would stay 7-6 until early in the fourth quarter.
Englewood missed a 25-yard field-goal attempt on its opening drive of the second half, but the Pirates ground out a 10-play drive that featured Potter and Penn on the ground. Penn scored from 3 yards with 11:06 remaining in the game.
But Frederick had chances to steal its first playoff victory in program history.
The Warriors started driving toward the winning score, but Potter picked off Thorne. Three plays later, Penn fumbled and Justyn Genchi-Martinez picked up the loose ball on the 3. Frederick took over for one last chance with 2:43 left on the clock, but Potter intercepted Thorne again.
Frederick 7 0 0 0 – 7
Englewood 6 0 0 6 – 12
E – Penn 2 run (kick failed). F – Thorne 52 run (Ellingson kick). E – Penn 3 run (pass failed).
