Old, new lead way for Arundel

Joe Blackwell could get used to this.

Blackwell scored four touchdowns and gained 257 total yards in his debut as Arundel's new weapon, leading the defending Class 4A East Region champions to a 34-27 victory over Old Mill yesterday.

"I'm trying to go out here and help my team however I can, and we did it," said Blackwell, who scored the Wildcats' first four touchdowns as they built a 27-13 lead late in the third quarter.

Blackwell, who transferred from Archbishop Spalding last year, ran for 174 yards and gained another 83 on five catches - three of them touchdown passes from Billy Cosh. Blackwell paced the Wildcats' ground game - something they didn't use much last season - to create long drives and keep the Patriots' defense off-balance.

"It's really nice to have him," Arundel coach Chuck Markiewicz said. "He's kind of a secret. At least he was a secret."

Cosh, who ran for 78 yards, still used his right arm often and effectively. He completed 29 of 45 passes for 347 yards and four touchdowns.

Cosh and Blackwell hooked up twice in the first quarter for a 13-0 lead and once more in the third on a 33-yard strike with 3 minutes, 36 seconds left. Cosh threw a seven-yard pass to Jon White to make it 34-20 early in the fourth.

"That adds a new dimension to their team that they didn't have," Patriots coach Damian Ferragamo said. "It's hard to stop both."

R.J. Harris, in his first game as the Wildcats' No. 1 receiver, caught 13 passes for 204 yards.

Josh Furman and Jason Clements, Old Mill's go-to running backs, were able to pick up some chunks of yardage, but not enough.

Furman ran for 219 yards on 16 carries and a pair of scores, while Clements collected 143 yards and a touchdown. Furman cut into the Wildcats' lead with an 86-yard run with 1:29 left in the second to make it 13-7.

"I knew I'd have a breakaway run," said Furman, who ran for just 11 yards on four carries prior to that play. "It just takes time."

Brad Cummings added a pair of field goals - a 30-yarder in the second quarter and one from 23 in the third - to even the score.

Blackwell and Cosh answered immediately. The two combined on a seven-play, 75-yard drive - all on the ground - that Blackwell capped with a 13-yard dash into the end zone.

"We exploited what the defense gave us," said Cosh, whose 21-yard run set up Arundel at the 24. "They were back farther and didn't want us to throw against them, so they had five men in the box. And we took advantage of it and ran the ball pretty well."

Cosh found Blackwell with 52 seconds left in the third for a 27-13 lead.

Furman and Clements surrounded White's touchdown catch with fourth-quarter scores. Furman took off on a 35-yard dash with 10:40 to play, and Clements pushed his way into the end zone from the 3 on Old Mill's next possession.

"This isn't rocket science," Ferragamo said. "You've got two good guys. You give it to them as much as you can and eventually, they'll do something for you."

The Wildcats fumbled the ball four times and lost three, including on Harris' stretch to the goal line late in the second period and Old Mill was able to convert on two of those opportunities for 10 points on consecutive drives.

But Cosh and Blackwell gave Arundel's defense just enough room.

"This is just the first week," Blackwell said. "We've got nine more to go."

Arundel (1-0) 13 0 14 7 - 34

Old Mill (0-1) 0 10 3 14 - 27

First Quarter

AR - Blackwell 28 pass from Cosh (Young kick)

AR - Blackwell 7 pass from Cosh (kick failed)

Second Quarter

OM - Furman 86 run (Cummings kick)

OM - Cummings 30-yard FG

Third Quarter

OM - Cummings 23-yard FG

AR - Blackwell 13 run (Young kick)

AR - Blackwell 33 pass from Cosh (Young kick)

Fourth Quarter

OM - Furman 36 run (Cummings kick)

AR - White 7 pass from Cosh (Young kick)

OM - Clements 3 run (Cummings kick)

PASSING: AR - Cosh 29-45-4=347 yards; OM - Thornton 3-17-0=35 yards. RECEIVING: AR - Harris 13=204 yards; OM - Hicks 1=20 yards. RUSHING: AR - Blackwell 28=174 yards; OM - Furman 13=219 yards; Clements 24=143 yards.