WESTBROOK – Bonny Eagle quarterback Matt Rollins spent much of last season getting ready to make his first varsity start.

It paid off Friday night.

Rollins ran and passed for more than 250 yards as the Scots opened their Western Class A football season with a 36-0 victory over Westbrook at Olmsted Field.

“Matt started on defense last year and didn’t play much quarterback,” Bonny Eagle Coach Kevin Cooper said. “This is his first varsity start and he did a heck of a job in his work in preparing for this moment. That’s why he performed like he did tonight.”

A starter at linebacker last season when Bonny Eagle reached the regional semifinals, Rollins got into a couple games while serving as backup to starting quarterback Ryan Nason, who graduated last June.

Friday night, Rollins looked extremely comfortable running the Scots’ spread offense.

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“There were not so many nerves because we’ve really been working hard all offseason and we knew what we had to come out here and do,” Rollins said. “I really worked hard last year. I knew what my job was last year, and that was to prepare for this year.”

Rollins completed nine of 13 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a game-high 123 yards on 13 carries and scored a touchdown.

While building a 28-0 lead in the first half, the Scots demonstrated big-play scoring ability.

“We think we’ve got some real good skill players,” Cooper said. “We’ve got two good running backs, we’ve got a good running quarterback. We’ve got a good throwing quarterback. We’ve got three good receivers. We’ve got a good tight end as a receiver. We’ve got good skilled guys who can score touchdowns.”

Wide receiver Cam Cooper, the coach’s son, opened the scoring less than eight minutes into the game when he took a swing pass from Rollins and raced 44 yards untouched down the left sideline to complete an eight-play, 95-yard drive.

Less than three minutes into the second quarter, Rollins threw a 24-yard scoring pass to Magnes Lewis.

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With 4:57 left in the first half, Rollins plunged in from the 1 two plays after he ran 71 yards on the first play after a Westbrook punt.

With 2:19 left, Ethan Thorne swept right 44 yards for a touchdown on his only carry, two plays after another punt.

With 7:46 left in the game, Nick Adkins completed the scoring with a 2-yard run five plays after linebacker Shane Corbett tackled punter Ryan McIntosh at the Westbrook 30 following a poor snap.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

 


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