Nylan Maine, Booker T. Washington stop Miami Southridge for needed victory

Booker T. Washington leaned on the experience of senior quarterback Nylan Maine, fending off Southridge and wet weather to jump back over .500.

The Tornadoes and Spartans played a tight first half Friday at Southridge Park. Maine and the Tornadoes cyclonic defense then took over for the final two quarters of the 27-14 triumph.

Whipping winds pelted players throughout the night, resulting in a litany of lost snaps and dropped passes.

Both teams found the end zone twice in the first half. Maine scored a go-ahead 10-yard touchdown at the end of the third quarter and threw a fourth-quarter dagger to sink the Spartans, snapping their seven-game winning streak.

“Thats why I play quarterback,” said Maine, who threw two touchdown passes and ran for nearly 100 yards.

“I like the ball in my hands.”

The Spartans used 13 plays to score on their first drive of the game, taking a lead on a 1-yard touchdown pass from James Perrone to James Gatewood.

Tornadoes running back Irwin James scored on a 1-yard run about four minutes later. Maine gave the Tornadoes their first lead with a beautiful 30-yard over-the-shoulder throw to Jamal Robinson Jr. about two minutes into the second quarter.

Running back William Williams tied the score with a 48-yard touchdown just before halftime, but the Spartans never scored again. Maine scored on his 10-yard run with 33 seconds remaining in the third quarter. He then hit Dontayvious Kinchens with a 22-yard dart for the final points of the game about two minutes into the fourth quarter.

Darrien Mobley Jr. and Ben Hanks III each intercepted Perrone in the victory. Eli Rauls registered two sacks for the Tornadoes.

“We just improved so much from the last few games,” Tornadoes coach Tim “Ice” Harris said. “The defense has been consistent at this point. We feel good where we are at at this point of the season.

“We are peaking at the right time.”