Football: Daniels gives Blue Devils a new toy

Junior scores all 13 points in Springbrook’s narrow victory over winless Richard Montgomery

They may have found their secret weapon.

Junior Joey Daniels has now been the offensive difference-maker in two straight games, each tighter than a noose. In week three, his 28-yard pass to Michel Allen on a fake punt changed the complexion of a three-point victory at Magruder. Last Friday, he accounted for every point in a 13-12 home squeaker over Richard Montgomery.

After Rockets linebacker Purnell Ricks recovered a fumble in the end zone to put his team up 6-0, Daniels’ 5-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Phoenix Butler-Poole knotted the score. Then, on the last play of the third quarter, he ran the same route to catch a 13-yarder and kicked the Blue Devils’ first extra-point of the season to account for the one-point margin of victory. He later added a potentially game-saving tackle of tailback Gary Frazier during the defensive stand that clinched the game.

‘‘He’s a super athlete, just one of those athletes that does it all,” said Blue Devils head coach Rob Wendel. ‘‘We start him both ways, at defensive end and tight end, he’s our backup punter and number-two quarterback, and it’s his attitude that’s the best part. We’d like a couple more just like him.”

It’s taken every last ounce of Daniels and friends’ grit to get Springbrook back to .500 after early-season losses to 2006 playoff teams Gaithersburg and Kennedy. Springbrook trailed in both of its wins, and has yet to find a potent offensive threat the likes of departed tailback Adou Kouadio.

Luckily, the defense has been fantastic. Aside from Week Two at Kennedy, when 2006 Gazette Player of the Year Melvin Harris ran wild, the Blue Devils have shut down everyone. They simply got every stop when they needed to on Friday.

Hill snuffed out a non-designed fake punt deep in Rockets territory to set up Daniels’ second touchdown. Junior Gerrad Brown fell on a Frazier fumble with under five minutes left. And cornerback Miles Gray picked off Andre Brown’s fourth-down pass with just over two minutes for the coup de grace.

‘‘We think we can rely on the defense to win, and we’ll help out on offense if we need it,” said Hill. ‘‘This definitely put us back in the playoff hunt. We’ve got a big game next week against Sherwood, and they’re a really good team, so we’ll have to be better next week.”

Once again, Richard Montgomery showed all the signs of a dangerous squad, but couldn’t eke out a victory. It has multiple offensive weapons to work with, with Frazier, the ultra-talented dual threat Brown, and a potentially lethal wide receiver in 6-foot-3, 225-pound Purnell Ricks. Further, their wide-open, pro-style offense has driven the field on all four of its opponents thus far.

But the Rockets just seem snakebitten. They led for much of Friday’s game, but every time they were ready to extend the margin, something went wrong. Whether it was a fake punt, untimely mistake, or near-fumble recovery that they just couldn’t fall on, they seemed to be a fortunate bounce of the ball away from success all night.

‘‘I feel like we’re just one click away,” said Richard Montgomery head coach Steve Forsythe. ‘‘I’ll tell you this much — we’re the best 0-4 team in the county. In the beginning, this was just a collection of talented athletes. But now, I think we’re starting to put it together, and you shouldn’t be surprised if we upset someone.”

The Blue Devils are just starting to get those bounces. The defense had been getting them even in losses, like when they nabbed four turnovers against the Trojans while allowing just seven points.

But now the offense is starting to get them too, in large part, because of Mr. Jack-of-All-Trades.

‘‘I like making big plays,” said Daniels. ‘‘It’s exciting. Playing tight end, I’m small, but I’ve got a big heart.”