In a matchup of fast, aggressive defenses at Forester Stadium, Arlington Bowie's defense proved to be stiffer than Skyline's in a 17-7 Bowie victory.
Bowie improved to 3-0 on the season while holding Skyline to 208 total yards and just 10 first downs. Bowie, ranked No. 7 in the area 5A poll, picked off two passes and held Skyline (2-1) to only 86 yards through the air.
Bowie got touchdowns on two long pass plays. The first came on a fourth-and-13 late in the first quarter. Quarterback Christian Matthews found Roddy Maginot in the end zone from 25 yards out.
In the third quarter, Matthews tossed a bubble screen to Trae Hawkins who zipped 38 yards up the sideline for a 14-10 lead. Matthews was 22-of-34 for 222 yards.
Skyline, ranked No. 12 in the 5A area poll, got its only score in the third quarter on a 2-yard plunge by Keldon Hampton. The touchdown was set up by a 51-yard completion from Javiar Hall to Tony Drake down to the Bowie 17-yard line.
A personal foul penalty gave Skyline first-and-goal at the nine and Hampton scored two plays later.
Bowie kicker Eric Molina tacked on the final score with under five minutes to play. Molina had been shaken up on Bowie's previous possession when his punt was blocked, but he recovered to boot a 37-yard field goal.
The blocked punt came after Bowie was assessed 25 yards in penalties on one play and was facing a fourth-and-29. However, the ball rolled beyond the line of scrimmage on the deflection and Bowie recovered.
On its first drive of the game, Skyline marched to the Bowie 16 only to see Bowie's Kip Edwards pick off a Hall pass. Edwards snared the pass eight yards deep in the end zone and returned it to the 50.
Bowie's Marcus McGraw stepped in front of another Hall pass in the third quarter and returned it 20 yards to the Skyline 23. However, Bowie's offense could not capitalize.
Bowie got 57 of its 320 yards of offense on the final play before halftime. Matthews threw a Hail Mary into traffic and a Skyline defender tipped the ball to Maginot who had clear sailing to the goal line. However, Skyline's Troy Stoudermire chased him down and made the tackle at the 1 yard line.
