Beat up Burlingame beats Hillsdale

But the Burlingame defense made a number of huge plays, coming up with four turnovers, converted a couple of short fields and then thwarted a last-minute comeback attempt from the Knights to hold on for a 17-14 non-league victory.

“We made plays when we had to,” said Burlingame head coach John Philipopoulos. “Our kids showed up today. We talked about grit and accountability (this week), what we call ‘Panther Pride.’”

Initially, it looked it was going to be a long night for Burlingame (3-2 overall). After Hillsdale (2-3) forced a three-and-out on the Panthers’ first possession, the Knights promptly marched 69 yards on 12 plays — overcoming a holding penalty and getting a drive-continuing personal foul facemask penalty against Burlingame — punching it from 12 yards out on a Jacob Bonner scoring for a quick 7-0 lead.

On Burlingame’s next possession, the Panthers went in fits and starts. They were flagged five times for 40 yards on a drive that started on their own 35 and ended when a 39-yard field goal attempt failed early in the second quarter.

But the Panthers’ fortunes changed on the next play from scrimmage. Hillsdale took over on its own 27 and on first down, quarterback Grant Matthias tried to connect on a wide receiver screen.

But Burlingame’s Dylan Black stepped in front of the pass for the interception, giving the Panthers first down at the Hillsdale 16. Three play later, quarterback Nick Armstrong went in from from 6 yards out to tie the score at 7.

It looked like Hillsdale was going to respond on its ensuing drive. Starting from their own 25, the Knights worked the ball down to the Burlingame 18 before they tried a halfback pass that turned into a fumble recovered by Siale Po’oi-Unga,

Burlingame was forced to punt, but the Panthers got the ball right back on the next play when Ciaran Baker intercepted a pass to give Burlingame the ball at the Hillsdale 25.

“Those defensive plays are what shifted momentum,” Philipopoulos said.

Again, Burlingame took advantage as the Panthers needed seven plays to take a 14-7 lead, with Armstrong converting a fourth-5 with a 7-yard run. Three plays later, Armstrong, a senior, hooked up with younger brother Will Armstrong, a junior, for a 13-yard scoring strike — with Nick Armstrong lofting a perfect, over-the-shoulder ball, with Will Armstrong making a tremendous catch for a 14-7 lead at halftime.

“We essentially built our offensive game play around Nick and Will Armstrong,” Philipopoulos said.

After forcing Hillsdale to punt on its first possession of the second half, Burlingame embarked on its longest drive of the game. Starting from their own 34, the Panthers used power running from Baker and the scrambling ability from Nick Armstrong to get into position to kick a 31-yard, Dylan Rossum field goal for a 17-7 lead.

It looked like the game was all but over when Burlingame forced the Knights to punt for the second straight possession.

The Knights, however, caught a break when the punt was downed at the half-yard line. While Burlingame did not get any points out of its ensuing drive, eventually punting the ball away at the Hillsdale 41, the Panthers did take nearly nine minutes off the clock on a drive that bridged the third and fourth quarters.

But Hillsdale had one last push in it. Starting from their own 20, the Knights got to midfield before the drive bogged down and they faced fourth-and-20. But Mattias hit Brady Skidmore over the middle for a 31-yard gain. Two plays later, Bonner bulled his way into the end zone from 5 yards out to cut the Knights’ deficit to 17-14 with 2:14 left.

Despite failing to recover the onside kick, the Knights got the ball right back when it forced and recovered a fumble midfield.

Facing third down, Mattias, once again, came up big, finding Skidmore, again, for 35-yard gain down to the Burlingame 15.

Skidmore finished the game with six catches for 109 yards.

The Knights’ chances for a rousing comeback died in the hands of Will Armstrong, however, who picked off a pass in the end zone with 27 seconds left in the game.

If there was ever game in which a team needed everything it could get from its quarterback, Friday was it for Burlingame as Nick Armstrong all but willed his team to the win. He rushed for a team-high 72 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. He also completed 9 of 15 passes for 112 yards and another score. Will Armstrong finished with five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown.

“We had to (rely on Nick Armstrong’s running). He our most explosive runner,” Philipopoulos said. “He was outstanding tonight.”

Hillsdale was led by Bonner, who finished with 111 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, while Mattias completed 11 of 24 passes for 161 yards.

“We told the guys this was a pivotal game for us,” Philipopoulos said. “It was the difference between being 3-2 and 2-3.”