Elijah Bowick’s big night helps Myers Park edge Porter Ridge

It’s a scene that probably haunted Indian Trail Porter Ridge’s defensive backs overnight – Myers Park wide receiver Elijah Bowick on a post pattern.

Bowick caught four long passes on that route Friday night, three for touchdowns in the Mustangs’ 28-23 victory over the Pirates at Monroe’s Walter Bickett Stadium.

Mustangs quarterback Drake Maye and Bowick hooked up for touchdown passes of 32, 22 and 65 yards. And a fourth pass that didn’t result in a touchdown helped set up Myers Park’s winning score.

That came midway in the fourth quarter, covering 65 yards and taking the Mustangs from their 22 to the Porter Ridge 13. Three players later, Maye scored on a short run.

That made it 28-16, and Myers Park then had to hold off Porter Ridge and its strong running game.

The Pirates got a final score with 2:15 left, but Myers Park recovered an onside kick attempt by Porter Ridge and was able to run out the clock.

The victory kept the Mustangs one game behind Butler in the Southwestern 4A race, with two weeks remaining.

The Pirates stunned Myers Park by driving 64 yards in seven plays on the game’s opening drive, doing all the damage on the ground. Jaylen Coleman scored from 8 yards.

Porter Ridge threatened to widen its lead later in the quarter, moving from its 21 to the Myers Park 23 – once again, entirely on the ground. But on third-and-7, Pirates quarterback Grayson McCall’s pass was intercepted by Mustangs defensive back Trey Bly.

Myers Park’s offense seemed to awaken at that point, and the Mustangs moved 77 yards in eight plays, scoring on the first Maye-to-Bowick pass. Bly had a role in the Mustangs’ second score, as his 34-yard punt return put Myers Park in business at the Porter Ridge 36. Four plays later, Maye connected with Bowick on a 21-yard touchdown pass.

Records: Myers Park is 8-1, 4-1 Southwestern 4A; Porter Ridge is 6-4, 4-2.

Three who mattered

Bowick, Myers Park: The Mustangs’ standout senior receiver, a Virginia Tech commit, had six catches for 241 yards.

Maye, Myers Park: Maye completed nine-of-14 passes for 245 yards (all but 4 of those yards to Bowick). One of the touchdown passes to Bowick came on a flea-flicker.

McCall, Porter Ridge: McCall, the Pirates’ senior quarterback who has committed to Coastal Carolina, rushed 24 times for 134 yards.

Worth mentioning

▪ All but 17 of Porter Ridge’s 328 yards came on the ground. McCall (134 yards) and Jaylen Coleman (116) accounted for most of them.

▪ The game was moved early Friday afternoon from Porter Ridge High to Walter Bickett Stadium on the Monroe High campus because of the rain. The Monroe field has a turf surface.

▪ Porter Ridge’s Jared Wheatley made a 51-yard field goal – into the breeze – on the last play of the first half, but he is no stranger to long kicks. He connected on a 49-yard field goal earlier this month. Friday night’s 51-yarder cleared the crossbar with 10 yards to spare.

▪ Myers Park’s Bly had a big game, with a long punt return, an interception and a couple of touchdown-saving tackles.

What’s next

Myers Park is home against Independence next Friday; Porter Ridge closes its regular season next Friday at Harrisburg Hickory Ridge.

Myers Park 0 14 7 7 - 28

Porter Ridge 6 3 0 14 - 23

PR -- Jaylen Coleman 8 run (pass failed)

MP -- Elijah Bowick 32 pass from Drake Maye (Matthew Dennis kick)

MP -- Bowick 22 pass from Maye (Dennis kick)

PR -- FG 51 Jared Wheatley

MP -- Bowick 65 pass from Maye (Dennis kick)

PR -- Grayson McCall 1 run (Wheatley kick)

MP -- Maye 2 run (Dennis kick)

PR -- McCall 2 run (Wheatley kick)