The Drifters varsity football team’s nearly flawless performance last Friday night against George Mason may potentially be a glimpse into the future. Senior running back Timmy Jackson led the Drifters with a career high 10 carries for 153 yards that featured two touchdown runs and one touchdown pass.
With both sides of the ball working in concert, the Drifters pounded the Mustangs into submission 20-0 lead by halftime. The Drifters’ defense shut down the Mustangs’ offense, giving up one first down within the remaining minutes of the third quarter. The final score of 33-6 could be an indication of the younger players stepping up to make a difference in their program.

Whether it was special teams or the interior line dictating the course of the game, the host Drifters were completely in sync.
“This week’s focus was to commit to change — and tap into our talent,” Drifter head coach Jeremy Jack said. “I was pleased with the effort. We came out firing on all cylinders and scored on our second possession of the night.”

In the first quarter, the Drifters scored from a option pass, courtesy of a 43-yard touchdown pass from Timmy Jackson to Randy Ruczynski. Ruczynski finished the night with three catches for 58 yards.
The ensuing Mustang possession was abruptly halted into a found down possession after a sack from Dion Gonzales. Moments later, Jackson brought the partisan Monroe Park crowd to their feet with a 72-yard score.
As the Mustangs continued to sputter on offense, the Drifters capitalized on a botched punt, which placed them deep into the Mustang’s territory. After a series of runs from the 15-yard line, Jackson scored from the 1-yard line — the Drifters led, 20-0 with 7:44 left in the second quarter.
Seizing another opportunity to score deep within the Mustangs’ red zone, the Damian Eiras scored from 4 yards out to give the Drifters a commanding 27-0 lead. In order for the Drifters to be effective in the backfield, Eiras must open holes at his fullback position in order for the single-wing offense to operate. Eiras is a consistent and effective player capable of creating first down opportunities in crucial situations.
The Drifters completed their scoring after capping a 55-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown by Gonzales. Gonzales finished the game with seven carries for 57 yards.
Courtesy of a 3-yard touchdown by Nico DeOcampo, the Mustangs managed to escape a shutout in the third quarter with less than 2 minutes remaining on the clock.
While the Drifters varsity football team will be on the road to King & Queen next Friday, at 7 p.m., the junior varsity team will host the Royal Tigers at 6:30 p.m.

Leonard M. Banks
Sports Editor