Columbia football roster

2        NICK NOBILE                                          WR/DB        5-8      145      11

4        MICHAEL BURKE IV                              WR/DB        6-3      195      12

5        DAESHAWN MCILLWAIN                     RB/DB        5-8       150        9

7       MARQUEL WANSLEY                             WR/DB       5-5       135      10

9       KEITH WAKEFIELD                                 RB/DB        5-7        170     10

11     NICK WILLIAMS                                       WR/S          6            140    11

12     SETH LEFEVER                                         QB/LB         6-2       191     12

14     WILL KREISER                                           WR/LB       6-3       191     11

16      AARON ZINK                                                  K            5-7       135     11

20      JORDAN HALTER                                      WR/DB       5-10     155    12

22      JOSE RETAMAR                                       RB/DB          5-7       150    10

28      ANDREW COMBS                                    RB/LB          5-5        162    11

54      ANDRES MUNOZ                                     OL/DL          5-11     230     10

51      DAVID BOOHER                                       OL/DL          5-9       245     12

55      DION MATTHEWS                                    OL/LB          5-9       190     12

56       BRYAN FLORY                                         OL/LB          5-10     175     11

60      QUINCY MANCOTYWA                           OL/DL          5-10     237     11

62       BEN HANK                                                 OL/DE          6-1       190     12

68      KRIS EVANS                                                OL/DL          6-3       297     12

71       JOHNNY BOSLEY                                       OL/DL         6-2       216     11

75       VANYEL PETERSON                                 OL.DL          6-1       210     10

80       ALEC HOOPER                                           WR/DB         5-9       130     11

86      QUINCY WELLS                                          WR/LB          5-11    160     10  
66     JOSHUA DOMENA                                      OL/DL            5-6      223     11                          

Tickets and fan bus

Columbia High School is selling tickets in the main office through Wednesday. The cost is $5 for adulkts and $3 for students, At the game, all tickets will cosr $5.
It should be noted, schools receive a percentage of all ticket sales in advance.

There will also be a fan bus for Friday's game. It will leave the high school at 10:45 a.m. Thje cost is $5. More information is available by calling Laurie Burke at 629-9681.

The game is Friday at 1 in Hershey Park Stadium. Columbia will sit on the east side of the field.

Still in first

Despite back to back losses, Columbia still holds Class A lead: http://tripletdad33.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/fb-1a-wk9.pdf

Columbia football notebook

Last three games
Two of the Tide's last three games of the regular season -- Lancaster Catholic (Friday) and Pequea Vslley next week are on the road. The Tide closes the regular season at home on Friday, Nov. 4 against Donegal.
That will be a special night on the hill, serving as Parent's Night for the football team, band and cheeleaders. It will also be Hall of Fame Night when the 2011 Claass of CHS Athletc Hall of Famers is inducted. That group includes the 1970 unbeaten football team, which beat Donegal that year 42-0.
Other inductees are Aaron Anspach, Glenn VonStetten, Lamar Kauiffman and Donald Schoelkopf.
Columbis has not beatern Lancaster Catholic since 2003 when they scored a 40-0 win over the Crusaders, ironcilly, at Rossmere.
Since then, Catholic has outscored the Tide, 300-65, including a 52-20 win last year on the hill, when Columbia grabbed the early lead but couldn't hold on.
The results are much better against PV, who the Tide holds a 12-1 record against. Last season, the Tude dumped the Braves, 48-13.
Against Donegal, the Tide has won 10 of the last 11 games, The only Donegal win was two years ago by a 40-0 score. In those 10 wins, the Tide has scored Donegal, 447-214.

By the numbers...
Through the first seven games, Seth Lefever and Andrew Combs are the leading rushers with 450 and 327 yards respectiely. Lefever has also completed 65 of 126 passes for 773 yards. Michael Burke and Nick Nobile are the top receivers with 46 and 13 catches.
Bryan Flory tops the tackle charts with 88 stops, 43 of them are solo tackles.
Also, the Tide has given up 1,327 on the ground and 615 through the air.

Game is off

Tonight's football game at Columbia with Annville-Cleona has been postponed until Monday at 6 p.m. Third rescheduled game of the home season.

My angle on Friday's game

Through six games of the 2011 football season, there have been a lot of interesting things happen to the Columbia Crimson Tide football team Prior to Friday's Homecoming game with Northern Lebanon, the Tide had not played a home game on Friday night.

They had not had their starting quarterback since the first half of the season opener.

And they were really only not in one game this season, their first loss of the season three weeks ago against Class AAAA power Daniel Boone. There was the dramatic comeback against Boiling Springs two weeks ago and a dominating performance last week against Elco.

Those were the team highlights. The individual highlights have been many as well. Far too many to list.

Friday night in the second Section 3 game of the season, there were the first 23 minutes, 59 seconds and the final 24 minutes and one second. It all added up to a 42-26 by the visiting Vikings.

The Tide, who won their league opener a week ago over Elco, was one of three unbeaten teams (standings-wise) in Section 3. Northern Lebanon was the other and the team, which will take a huge effort to beat, Lancaster Catholic, is the other.

Columbia dominated most of the first half.

It was senior leadership and the stellar play of two of their big guns that got the Tide off to a big start. Those two big guns are seniors Seth Lefever and Michael Burke. On the Tide's first 11 plays, which was a 70-yard scoring drive, the two had their hands in all 11 plays. Lefever (11-13-0, 145), completed three passes to Burke and one to Will Kreiser and ran six plays. Burke also ran the ball once for 16 yards and a score that put the Tide ahead 6-0 as the PAT was blocked with 5:59 left in the opening period.

And on the Vikings' first series as they were most of the first half, the Tide defense did its job and NL punted. Three plays later, Lefever and Burke combined for a 54-yard catch and throw and then Burke caught a two-point conversion from former starting QB Tyler Harrison, who was seeing his first action since the Eastern opener. With 3:21 left in the first quarter, the Tide was rolling, 14-0.

On the kickoff, Nick Nobile recovered a Viking fumble, but the Tide couldn't convert and punted. Again, the Tide defense came up big and on their next possession, the Tide fumbled, their first turnover of the night.

Northern Lebanon again had trouble moving the ball, thanks to a couple of major penalties. It looked like the Tide had another scoring opportunity wiped out by a series of penalties. Columbia's next score was set up by a Lefever interception of Tanner Dresch, which began a Harrison to Lefever score covering 26 yards to give the Tide a 20-0 lead with just under three minutes left in the first half. And for the second time in the first half, Columbia had its PAT blocked.

That's when Northern Lebanon got a little momentum. Behind the running of Dresch, Ryan Daub and Colton Ryan, the Vikings got on the scoreboard when Dresch fired the first of his two touchdown passes to Oscar Maysonet, this one covering 27 yards and at the break, it was a 20-7 score.

The second half was a much different story. The Vikings scored on their first possession of the half on a second throw and catch from Dresch to Maysonet. The big play on the drive was a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty against the Tide on a third down incomplete pass, which allowed the Viking drive to continue.

Now a 20-14 game with a little more than eight minutes left in the third quarter, things were getting a little tight. After being forced to punt, the Tide's defense came up big again. Burke picked up a fumble and scampered 35 yards for a score. After missing their third PAT of the game, the Tide again was up two scores.

But on the ensuing kickoff, Daub sprinted 87 yards with the football for a score and all the sudden, the Tide's lead was down to 26-20 with five minutes still left in the third quarter.

Still no problem as the Tide, back on offense moved right down field. They were faced with a third and two at the Viking 25 and got one yard. On fourth down with 11.3 seconds left in the quarter,. Lefever was stopped just short of the first down, giving the ball back to the Vikings.

Fifty-four seconds into the fourth quarter, Daub broke off a 69-yard run, up the middle and for the first time in the game, the Vikings led, 27-26.

It still wasn't much of a problem, until the Tide coughed up the football on a pass completion, giving the ball back to NL near midfield. And, with every play on the ground, the Vikings went up nine points Another second half turning point was on the ensuing kickoff. The Vikings opted for a pooch kick, which caught the Tide flat-footed and they recover. Three plays later, Ryan busted one 39 yards for the final score of the game with 3:46 left.

Columbia tried again to score, but had a pass picked off with two minutes left.

Get there early

For those venturing to the hill for the game tomorrow -- there are three class reunions going to be at the game, its also Homecoming and Football Friday will also be in attendance. so what I am saying without drawing a picture -- don't wait till the last minute to get there -- you might find parking tough and in the ticket line to get in. Plus. you'll miss a pretty good football game and perhaps Homecoming!

Vote for 4

Michael Burke will be representing Columbia in the 2011 edition of Mr. Touchdown.  WHP-580 is inviting listeners and fans to vote for their favorite high school football player as often as they can at WHP580.com. Fans can vote as often as they like until the polls close at11:59 p.m. on November 6th.  With the voting being done online, the fans do not even need to be in the local area to vote.Michael Burke will be representing Columbia in the 2011 edition of Mr. Touchdown.  WHP-580 is inviting listeners and fans to vote for their favorite high school football player as often as they can at WHP580.com. Fans can vote as often as they like until the polls close at11:59 p.m. on November 6th.  With the voting being done online, the fans do not even need to be in the local area to vote.

Columbia football notebook

Offensive heros

There were many for the Crimson Tide. But let's start with the offensive line led by senior Ben Hank,who allowed the Tide to 273 yards on the ground and another 175 through the air. Other members were Dion Matthews, John Bosley, Bryan Flory and Vanyel Peterson.

Seth Lefever rushed for 154 yards,with 144 of those yards as quarterback. He also caught one pass for a score, added a one-point conversion, a two-point conversion and rushed for another.

Michael Burke caught six passes for 126 yards and two scores. Like Lefever, Burke also rushed for a score and added a two-point conversion.

Andrew Combs was steady with 77 yards on 14 carries and score.

On the other side

The Tide allowed the Knights, 133 yards on the ground and 75 through the air. Eastern had two big plays in the game, a 46-yard run and a 52-yard pass that both went for scores.

Tackle chart leaders were Flory with 13 stops, including two for losses and Matthews with nine, including two sacks.

Will Kreiser, with a fumble recovery and Daeshawn McIllwain with a pick, had the turnovers.

Odds and ends

Columbia was flagged five times for 45 yards. There was a female official used in the game in the critical position of umpire. The Knights were flagged eight times for 50 yards. The only area of advantage for the Knights was in the kick return area.

Columbia had scoring drives of 1, 2, 3, 11 and 12 plays. The Knights had drives of 7, 9 and 11 where they didn't score.

The game marked the debut of Richard Brubaker as Eastern coach. He replaced Jeff Shutter.

Burke commits to Villanova

Columbia football standout Michael Burke IV has given a verbal commitment to Villanova University to continue his football career following graduation in June.
Villanova is a member of the Football Championship Sub Division, formerly Division 1-AA, is considering a move up the ladder to Division I and would play in the Big East.
Villanova was the FCS National Champion in 2009 and lost in the semifinals last year.
Notable  football alums are Howie Long and Brian Westbrook.
High School football practice in Pennsylvania opens in two weeks.

Comeback ends season

At Memorial Stadium on Cottage Hill at Steelton-Highspire High School, the "high rolling" Rollers scored 41 straight points to end the season for the Tide in a 41-32 playoff loss.


This one was as different as say night and day or snow or rain.

Columbia dominated the first half of the game. The Rollers dominated the second half. As a result, the Rollers are moving onto a semifinal match-up against Reading Holy Name. The Tide season ended with a 4-7 record.

The four wins is the most for a Columbia football team in the last three years. Three years ago, the Tide went 3-8 and was an un-Columbia like 0-10 a year ago. Had it not been for a couple of tough section losses to Annville-Cleona and Northern Lebanon, the Tide probably would have won two more games.

Under first-year head coach Mike Burke III, the Tide took a big step toward restoring the pride, which had been missing the last two seasons. With a number of key skill people returning next season, the Tide is well suited to make a run at bigger and better things.

As stated early, Friday’s game was as different as night and day.

Columbia, who had lost its previous four playoff meetings to Steel-High was up to the challenge early.

On their second possession of the game after being pinned back at their own 9, the Tide moved early up field. Junior quarterback Tyler Harrison ran for 27 yards on the first two plays of the drive, then completed back-to-back passes to Michel Burke for 60 yards moving the ball to the Roller 11.

Three plays later, Harrison scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 1-yard sneak with 3:34 left. Columbia had the early 6-0 lead after missing its first PAT of the game.

After forcing the Rollers to punt, Columbia moved in for its second score. A 46-yard Harrison to Burke pass set up a 10-yard sprint to the end zone for Harrison. With 53 seconds left in the first quarter after missing their second PAT of the game, the Tide led 12-0.

On their first possession of the second quarter, the Tide used the run and pass to move in for their third score of the half. As a sign of how good things were for the Tide. Fullback Dominic Trout rumbled 15 yards with a pass after it was tipped at the line of scrimmage by the Rollers. It was te first of two such plays on the drive, which started at the Tide 1 and ended when Harrison found Burke behind the Roller secondary for a 40-yard score. After missing their third straight PAT, the Tide led 18-0.

But it wasn’t long before the Rollers kicked their offense into high gear. After falling behind, Clayton McNair, who was held to minus 13 yards on his first three carries, broke loose on a 27-yard run to put the Rollers on the board with 1:50 left in the first half.

Trailing now 18-7, Columbia moved in for another score, but a fourth down pass fell short at the Roller 35 with 22 seconds left on the half.

But Columbia got one more chance to score. Cain Warfel picked off a Roller pass with five seconds left, but the Tide didn’t score.

Yes, it looked good for the Tide at the half. They were moving the ball on offense and their defense was the big plays. A trip to the District Three semifinals was just 24 minutes away for the Tide.

But the start of the second half was not a good one for the Tie.

McNair, who found the going rough in the first half, got untracked in the second half.

On the Rollers’ first possession of the second half, he carried four times for 73 yards, including a 3-yard blast for a score with 10:31 left in the third quarter. His second score of the game pulled the Rollers within 18-14.

It still looked good for the Tide. They moved the ball to the Roller 34 before they fumbled, giving the Rollers new life. Steel-High as most good teams do, capitalized. Five plays after the fumble, McNair bounced in from the 4. The PAT gave the Rollers their first lead of the game, 21-18 with 7:33 left in the third quarter.

Late in the third quarter, the Tide moved the ball again, moving to the Roller 45 before being forced to punt.

The punt pinned the Rollers back at their own 7.

The Rollers were now rolling and quickly moved up field, scoring with 7:12 left in the game on a 5-yard run by McNair and it just got worse for the Tide.

On their next possession, Harrison was picked off and that resulted in another McNair score and a 35-18 Roller lead with 6:47 left.

Harrison was again picked off on the Tide’s next possession, but the Rollers fumbled giving the ball back to the Tide at the 2. But for the third straight possession, Harrison was picked off by Jordan Millberry, who took the pick to the house, giving te Rollers a 41-18 lead with five minutes left.

The Tide was down but not out. DJ Wells pulled the Tide within two scores with a 37-yard run with 4:26 left. Again, the Tide botched the PAT and trailed 41-24.

After recovering the onsides kick, the Tide scored again, this time on a 50-yard pass from Harrison to John Markley. The Tide finally converted the two-point conversion and trailed 41-32.

But the Tide couldn’t recover their second onsides kick and the Rollers ran out the clock.

Tide tunes up Donegal

Friday’s regular season finale had all the makings of a shoot out through the first 12 minutes. The two teams combined for 27 first quarter points, with the Indians leading the 14-13.


After forcing the Tide on a three and out on their first series, the Indians kicked their Wing-T offense in high gear. Starting at their own 25, Donegal needed just five plays to find the end zone on a 59-yard sprint to daylight by Drake Brumfield. Matt Foltz’ PAT gave the Indians a 7-0 lead with 8:29 left in the first quarter.

The Tide has a high powered offense and on their second offensive series of the game, they got ot going. Behind the running of Johnny Vazquez and Keenan Edmond and a couple of Tyler Harrison pass completions, the Tide needed 10 plays to score as Harrison teamed for the first time in the game with Michel Burke for a 26-yard score. Seth Lefever easily booted the PAT and the game was tied 7-7 with four minutes left in the first quarter.

On this night, at least early, the Tide had no answer for Donegal’s Wing-T. Right after the Tide’s score, the Indians need just four plays to complete a scoring drive. Johnnie Martin rushed in from 23 yards out. Foltz added the PAT and the Indians were back on top, 14-7 with 2:31 left in the first quarter.

In their first two drives of the game, Donegal ran nine plays, scored twice and 132 yards total offense. They only had 167 the rest of the way. It would also be the Indians’ last lead..

On a chilly night in Mount Joy, the defenses weren’t warming up.

As easy as Donegal moved down field to score to take the lead., the Tide was having no trouble either.

The next scoring drive belonged to Edmond. He carried the ball three times for 25 yards and completed the drive catching a 36-yard pass from Harrison, scoring to pull the Tide within a point, 14-13 as the Tide botched the PAT with 2.9 seconds left in the first quarter.

That’s when the game took a decided turn for the better if you are a Columbia fan, not so good if you were a Donegal fan.

Needing to get something going, the Indians decided to throw the football. Michael Robinson was picked off at the 30 by Edmond, giving the ball back to a “red hot” Tide offensive unit. They capitalized as Burke and Harrison combined for a 25-yard score and with 7:38 left, the Tide, who missed the two-point PAT, led 19-14.

The Tide’s defense stepped up again on Donegal’s next offensive series. With Martin carrying the football, the Donegal runner was stripped. Tide defensive lineman Roger Walton came out of the pack with the football and rumbled, bumbled and stumbled into the end zone for a 23-yard return and all the sudden with 4:41 left in the first half, the Tide was rolling, 25-14.

After forcing Donegal to punt (Donegal on three straight offensive series had 26 yards and two turnovers), the Tide went back to work on offense. With 95 seconds left in the first half, Columbia scored again. This time Harrison found Lefever for a 5-yard score. A two-point PAT from Harrison to Burke gave the Tide a commanding 33-14 lead.

Donegal was forced to punt again and the Tide went on the clock with less than a minute left in the first half. This time, the clock, not Donegal’s defense turned the Tide back at the Indian 27.

Donegal continued its offensive struggles as the second half opened. They punt to the Tide, but the Tide turned the ball right back to the Indians, who marched 54 yards in 10 plays, scoring on a 5-yard pass from Robinson to Caleb Pardun with 4:53 left. At that point, the Tide led 33-21.

The Indians slowed the Tide down a bit on their next offensive series. Columbia drove to the Donegal 17 before running out of downs.

The two teams then traded punts before the Tide’s Vazquez picked off Robinson setting the Tide up at the Indian 35. Three plays later, Burke and Harrison combined on an 8-yard pass. Lefever’s two-point PAT on a pass from Harrison gave the Tide a 41-21 lead with 7:39 left in the game.

With the game no longer in doubt, the Tide added another score with 1:43 left as DJ Wells sprinted in from the seven. Donegal then scored on the game’s final play ona 20-yard pass from Robinson to Brumfield.

Offensive show vs. Donegal

LNP's story on last night's game: http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/309017

Week 9 notebook: Need a road win to wrap of regular season

Final game on road
Columbia's three wins this season have come at home. The Tide, who travels up Kinderhook Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff with rival Donegal, has not won a road game since the last regular season of the 2008 season against Donegal by a 41-27 score.The Tide is 2-12 in its last 14 road games.

The points
The 48 points were the most the Tide scored in a game since week 10 of the 2008 season when they put 41 on the scoreboard against Donegal (see above). The Tide was shutout by Donegal last season 40-0, ending a 9-game Tide winning streak over the Indians.

Another streak ends
The win over the Braves ended a 1-game losing streak to PV, who stunned the Tide 27-12 last season. Since 1998, Columbia has scored 40 or more points against PV eight times.
More on the Braves
PV dressed 19 players for the game and had four others out with injuries. Columbia will play at West York in a junior varsity game Monday. One thing I took notice too was PV head coach  Curtis Waltman did very little coaching during the game, leaving a majority of the calls to assistant coaches, primarily d-coordinator Dino DiPaolo, the son of former Catholic coach Tony DiPaolo. Coaching change?

Parent's Night
Friday was Parent's Night for the football team, cheerleaders and band. I made note of this last week and I think it should be noted that two football players walked out with members of the Tide's football staff and not a parent.

The numbers
With a win over Donegal, the Tide will finish Section 3 play with a 3-3 record \and the possibility of finishing in a four-way tie for second place behind Lancaster Catholic.
Friday night, Dom Trout recorded three sacks. He entered the game tied with teammate Michael Burke for the Section 3 lead with four each.

Other views

Here are some other views from last night's big win over Elco.
Lebanon Daily News: http://www.gametimepa.com/ci_16230790
Intel-New Era: http://articles.lancsports.com/local/4/296485
PennLive: http://articles.lancsports.com/local/4/296485

Missed opportunities for the Tide

The difference in a win and a loss for the Columbia football team came down to a couple of missed opportunities. Those opportunities added up to a 35-20 non-league loss to Boiling Springs.
On the turf at Boiling Springs, the Tide was moving the ball on offense, but didn’t come up with many big plays on defense until the second half.

The Bubblers scored their first points of the game on their first drive. BS went 76 yards in nine plays, scoring on a 6-yard run by Ryan Miller to take a 7-0 lead with 6:37 left in the first quarter.

After punting on their first possession of the game, the Tide got its offense untracked on their second offensive series.

Starting at their own 20, the Tide behind the passing of Tyler Harrison moved to the BS 4. On the Harrison, the Tide junior quarterback completed three passes to Michael Burke and one to Seth Lefever.

But with four cracks to score inside te four, the Tide couldn’t dent the goal line and gave the ball back to the Bubblers.

After both teams traded punts, BS went in for another score. This time, the Bubblers started at their own 25 and 75 yards and 14 plays later, QB Jared Bliss found Roland Miller and the Bubblers were ahead 14-0 with three minutes left in the first half.

Right before half, the Tide had its second opportunity to score. Columbia got to the Bubbler 11, before self destructing.

The Bubblers went ahead 21-0 on their opening drive of the second half. Starting near midfield, the Bubblers scored with 9:46 left in the quarter on a second Bliss touchdown pass.

Back came the Tide. Behind the running of DJ Wells, Harrison and Johnny Vazquez, the Tide reached the BS 11. On first down, Wells sprinted in from the 11. The Tide botched the PAT and trailed 21-6 with 4:40 left in the third quarter.

Inspired, the Tide forced the Bubblers to punt and got something going again. Starting near midfield, the Tide scored again, this time on a 24-yard pass from Harrison to Burke. Again, Columbia failed to convert the two-point conversion and trailed 21-12 with 68 seconds left in the third quarter.

But the Bubblers answered. Bliss scored, ending a 12-play, 84-yard drive, scoring with 6:33 left in the fourth quarter to take a 28-12 lead.

Columbia answered the score again. Harrison hit passes to Burke, Wells and Nick Nobile to move to the BS 1. Harrison scored on a 1-yard sneak. This time, Columbia converted the two-point conversion as Harrison found Burke in the end zone. With 3:35 left in the game, Columbia trailed 28-20.

But BS iced the game, needing just three plays against a gambling Tide defense, scoring on a 25-yard run by David Cook with 2:22 left.

Columbia tried to comeback. They moved to the BS 11 but a Harrison pass was picked off in the end zone to end the game.

Vote for the Tide

It's time to vote, not for a new governor, but for the Columbia football program to be featured on Fox 43 on Friday night at Boiling Springs. Congratulations, your matchup, Columbia at Boiling Springs is one of
four games selected for FOX43's High School Football Frenzy "Game of the Week." We encourage you to let your students, alumni and fans know that they can go to our website www.hsfootballfrenzy.com and vote for your game.
The matchup receiving the most votes will be designated as our "Game of the Week" for Friday Night, Sept. 24. If your matchup wins, FOX43 will come out to Boiling Springs and be live for our 30-minute preview show and have a report on location after the game for our highlights at 10 p.m.
Keep in mind we will be there to showcase both schools in the game and would like to have cheerleaders, band members, alumni and fans from both teams with us during our show at 6 p.m. This is your chance to shine as a school and program and show viewers all across our area your school pride. http://www.hsfootballfrenzy.com/

Boone outscores Tide

If you look at the size of the schools -- Daniel Boone and Columbia, it was not a good thing for the Tide.
Daniel Boone is a Class AAAA school and the Tide, a Class A school. Sort of like David vs. Goliath.
Probably a game that shouldn't be played.
Daniel Boone was coming off a season where they lost to Manheim Central in the District Three Class AAA playoffs. The Tide was coming off its first winless season in 52 seasons.
And on top of that, Friday night, Columbia celebrated its third Athletic Hall of Fame inductions.
And it was Daniel Boone, who came out on top, outscoring the Tide 49-25, to improve to 3-0 on the season. With the loss, the Tide fell to 1-2, heading into Friday's game with Boiling Springs.
The outcome of this one might have been a little different had the Tide converted a few chances.
It looked like a long night three minutes into the game. Boone running back Darrel Scott busted off a 49-yard touchdown to give the visitor's a 7-0 lead.
Thanks to a roughing the passer penalty against Boone, Columbia moved to the Blazer 48 when Brock Taylor sprinted 48 yards to the end zone to give the Tide some points. Dominic Trout converted the PAT and the game was suddenly tied with 8:59 left in the first quarter.
Boone threatened to take control of the game on their next possession, moving to the Tide 36, before quarterback Tom Boldolus misfired on three straight passes.
After the two teams exchanged punts, the Tide took the lead. Shakim McIlwain on second down broke off a 60-yard touchdown run to give the Tide a 13-7 lead. Columbia missed the PAT and it was looking good for the Tide late in the first quarter.
After the two teams exchanged punts, Boone took a one-point lead with 8:11 left in the first half when Bodolus fired the first of his five touchdown passes, this one a 4-yard pass to Scott Martin. The PAT went right through the uprights and Boone led 14-13.
That didn't matter.
The Tide came right back. Tyler Harrison completed back-to-back passes to Michael Burke IV. But two plays after the pass completions to Burke, disaster struck for the Tide. First with 6:37 left in the half, Harrison went out with an ankle injury and was replaced by Seth Lefever. On the next play, McIlwain fumbled at the five and Boone recovered.
That turnover led to a Bodolus 65-yard scoring pass to Randy Van Horn and a 21-13 Boone lead.
And it got worse on the ensuing Boone kickoff. The Blazers weren't kicking deep, settling for a high pooch kick. On this one, the Tide failed to pick up the loose football and Boone recovered at the Tide 33.
Boone went for the kill but Bodolus' pass was picked off by John Markley at the 10 and returned it to the Blazer 33. But the Tide was flagged for an illegal block on the return. Instead of setting up on the Boone side of the field, Columbia got the ball at their 24. They couldn't move the ball and punted. With 16.5 seconds left in the half, Boone scored again as Bodolus found Alex Ewing and at the half, Boone was ahead 28-13.
To open the second half, Boone got the ball and was moving in for another score when Taylor stepped in front of a Bodolus pass and returned it 65 yards for a score. Again, the Tide missed the PAT and trailed 28-19 with 9:20 left in the third quarter.
Boone woke up. Bodolus found Justin Brown for a 33-yard score and all the sudden it was 35-19 Boone with 7:49 left in the third quarter.
Four minutes later, Scott scored on another long run of 59-yards and Boone's advantage was 42-19.
Two possessions and one turnover later, Boone's Boldolus found Jared Stoffers for his fifth TD pass of the game and Boone was ahead 49-19.
The Tide broke its scoring drought with 7:03 left in the game as Johnny Vazquez rumbled in from the 15.

Week two notebook

Injury update
Junior linebacker/tight end Seth Lefever played just defense on Friday after suffering a back bruise last week against Eastern.

The two halfs
Against the Bobcats, Columbia moved the ball at will in the first half. The rushed the ball for 95 yards and passed for 97 more yards. In the second half, the Tide had 64 yards passing, 63 on one play and just six yards rushing. They also had one first down and punted five times.

Burke has big game
Michael Burke IV had 159 yards receiving and three scores. He also returned one kickoff for 31 yards. He has five touchdows for the season.

First turnovers
Columbia had its first turnover of the season when Tyler Harrison was picked off int he first half. They also forced their first turnover, recovering a fumble after a score. The biggest turnover they didn't get was late in the game when Aaron Greene coughed up the football on a late run, but recovered his own fumble.

The difference in the game
Points after touchdowns decided this one. Columbia was one of four, while Northeastern converted all four chances.
Junior High falls
Columbia dropped its first ninth grade game of the season to Northeastern, 14-6 on Wednesday.

Rally falls short

Columbia's bid for its second win of the 2010 football season fell a little short Friday night.
On the turf at Northeastern, the host Bobcats scored 24 straight points to rally to beat the Tide, 32-26.
It was one the Tide left get away.

\Coach Michael Burke III’s team used its ground game on their first possession to move 68 yards in 13 plays to score. That came with 4:47 left in the first quarter on a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Tyler Harrison. Twelve of the 13 plays on the drive were runs by either Harrison, Dominic Trout or DJ Wells. A big play on the drive was a 21-yard pass from Harrison to Michael Burke IV late in the drive. The PAT was blocked and the Tide led 6-0.
It got better on the ensuing kickoff. The Bobcats mis-handled the kickoff as Columbia recovered at the Bobcat 31. Five plays and a couple of penalties later, the Tide scored again on a 15-yard [ass from Harrison to Burke. Again, the Tide couldn’t convert the PAT, but still led 12-0 with three minutes left in the first quarter.
On their next possession, the Tide drove to the Northeastern 11 early in the second quarter before running out of downs.
The Bobcats got back into the game when they picked off a Harrison pass with 7:30 left in the first half. That led to the first of four touchdowns by Aaron Greene, who scored on a 16-yard sprint. The Bobcats, unlike the Tide converted the two-point PAT and trailed 12-8.
Once again the Tide put another late first half score on the board on a 15-yard pass from Harrison to Burke with 25 seconds left in the half. Columbia led 18-8 after not converting the PAT for the third time in the half.
Even without making the extra points, the Tide was in control of the game.
That all started to change on the Bobcats’ first possession of the second half.

Greene, who rushed for 226 yards in the game, was tough to bring down for the Tide. Northeastern pulled within two points on Greene’s 2-yard run with 6:19 left in the third quarter. The two-point PAT was converted and all the sudden it was 18-16, still in favor of the Tide.
As easy as the Tide was moving the football in the first half, they struggled in the second half.
After two possessions, the Tide had minus 14 yards in the second half.
Northeastern finally took the lead three minutes into the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Greene, 24-18 and with under two minutes left, the Bobcats took even more control on Greene’s fourth score of the game. NE converted the two-point PAT and led 32-18.
The Tide finally got some momentum in the final minutes when Harrison and Burke combined for a 63-yard score with 53 seconds left. This time the Tide converted the PAT as Harrison found Wells for the conversion to make it 32-26.

All Columbia needed to do was recover the onsides kick and get an attempt to win the game. They didn’t and the Bobcats ran out the clock.