The skid is over and the Trophy is headed to Mercersburg.

Behind a solid all-around football game the James Buchanan Rockets earned its first win of the season, beating the Clear Spring (Md.) Blazers 30-6, in a non-league game Friday night.

The victory ended a 26-game losing streak and gave JB the bragging rights to the first Maxon-Dixon Match-Up trophy.

“This is all very rewarding to all the players,” JB coach Andy Stoner said. “Especially players like Sean Bankson. He’s been here for three years and this is his first win. He has given all he can and finally gets a win.”

Behind a strong rushing performance by Owen Stoner and a solid “bend, but not break” defense the Rockets dominated.

Stoner carried the ball 19 times for 287 yards and scored 4 touchdowns, including a 93-yard jaunt to open the scoring in the first quarter. Stoner scoring runs of 32, 36 and 9.

“I give all the credit to the line,” Owen Stoner said. “They were amazing. I can’t say enough how well they blocked.”

Coach Stoner was impressed with his junior fullback’s performance, but was especially tickled with a 77-yard dash that dug JB out of a hole.

“What were we third-and-12 and he rips off a big one,” Andy Stoner said. “I think he was a little gassed because I think he would’ve scored again there. Owen did an outstanding job tonight.”

Except for a bunch of  offside penalties the Rocket defense stifled Clear Spring and turned the game around right before halftime.

With a little over a minute left in the first half, and the Rockets leading 12-6, the Blazers’ defense stopped JB at the Clear Spring 5 on downs. Two straight incompletions by the Blazers brought a third-and-10 from the 5. On the third down play Blazer QB Cole Easterday dropped back for another pass attempt and was hit by Rocket defensive end Jackson Ellis, who knocked the ball loose and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown.

“The defense was electrifying,” Owen Stoner said. “We got some key stops and learned how to play well as a team.”

Three plays after the ensuing kickoff the JB defense came up big again as snap sailed over Easterday’s head and the Rockets’ Scott Seburn recovered at the Clear Spring 36. On the very next play Stoner scored and JB went into the locker room comfortably ahead 24-6.

“I’m not sure what was going on with all the offsides. We’ll have to take a look at the film and see what was going on” Andy Stoner said. “But overall the defense played very well. We had some players, like Grant Ellis, who were all over the place tonight.”

James Buchanan 30, Clear Spring 6

James Buchanan 12 12 6 0 – 30

Clear Spring 6 0 0 0 – 6

First Quarter

JB – Owen Stoner 93 run (kick failed), 8:55

JB – Stoner 32 run (run failed), 5:13

CS – Cole Weaver 14 pass from Cole Easterday (kick failed), :43

Second Quarter

JB – Jackson Ellis fumble recovery in end zone (run failed), :55

JB – Stoner 36 run (pass failed), :07

Third Quarter

JB – Stoner 9 run (run failed), 7:20

TEAM STATISTICS

First Downs – JB 10; CS 7

Rushes-yds. – JB 26-307; CS 31-38

Passing – JB 1-5-14-1; CS 5-22-82-1

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – JB, Stoner 19-287, Clay Sanders 2-13, Sebastain Wise 4-6, Jae-Lyn Carmack 1-1; CS – Andrew Matthews 19-75, Dylan McGill 3-9, Will Hess 1-3, Easterday 4-(-21), Aaron Hines 4-(-30).

PASSING – JB, Wise 1-4-14-1, Stoner 0-1-0-0; CS – Easterday 2-11-46-1, Hines 3-11-36-0.

RECEIVING – JB, Carmack 1-14; CS – Weaver 2-46, Matthews 2-24, McGill 1-12.

INTERCEPTIONS – JB, Stoner; CS – Weaver.