Friday football: Bayside 21, Green Run 10

VIRGINIA BEACH

Bayside got off to a shaky start Friday night, but the result was just fine.

The fourth-ranked Marlins overcame a fumble on the opening kickoff to beat visiting Green Run 21-10 in the season opener for both teams.

“There was a lot of pressure coming in,” Bayside defensive back Demetrious Nicholson said. “We’re just relieved to get that first win.”

The Marlins might have displayed opening-night jitters when they muffed the opening kickoff to give Green Run the ball on the Bayside 32. The Stallions then benefited from a 15-yard penalty that gave them a first down on third-and-10 and helped set up Andrew Bolis’ 27-yard field goal.

“I told the guys to not get down and we had to stay focused,” Nicholson said . “And we bounced right back.”

Bayside got it going on its second drive, mixing the passes and runs, including a 22-yard pass play from quarterback Deion Stitt to Nicholson. TeQuan Mizzell capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown to give the Marlins a 7-3 lead.

Bayside had a chance to add to its lead late in the first half, but Stitt’s pass in the end zone was intercepted by Tequan Mayfield, a former Bayside player who transferred last year.

But the Stallions couldn’t get much going offensively. Running back Dre’Quez Lambert had several nice runs, including a 64-yarder into Bayside territory, but that was it.

“We’ve got to learn how to finish,” Green Run coach Shawn Wilson said. “We have to take advantage of opportunities when we have the chance.”

Bayside running back Shaquille Black gave the Marlins a 14-3 lead in the third quarter on a 15-yard run. And Stitt sealed it in the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run that was s et up by Will Dillard’s 22-yard run.

“I thought the defense did a pretty good job,” Bayside coach Darnell Moore said. “But we’ve still got some work to do. The good thing is we won.”

Key stats: GR—Lambert 17-135, rushing; B—Stitt 8-9-1-81, passing; Dillard 10-94, rushing; Nicholson 4-76 yards, receiving.

Larry Rubama, (757) 446-2273, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com

#4 Bayside 21, Green Run 10

Green Run;3 0 0 7 — 10

Bayside;0 7 7 7 — 21

GR—FG Bolis 27

Bay— Mizzell 4 run (Magee kick)

Bay—Black 15 run (Magee kick)

Bay—Stitt 1 run (Magee kick)

GR— Sykes 17 pass from Lambert (Bolis kick)

;Green Run;Bayside

First downs;9;14

Rushes-yards;27-148;34-202

Passing yards;36;81

Passing;4-13-1;7-9-1

Punts-average yards;4-32;2-42

Fumbles-lost;3-1;1-1

Penalties-yards;7-45;5-65