WINTHROP — Derek Pamphrey is just making up for lost time.

After missing the majority of his first three seasons, the senior tailback/safety just continues to turn in solid performances week after week. Friday night he returned an interception 35 yards to set up one score and scored the clinching touchdown to help Winthrop fight off a scrappy Oak Hill team in a 15-8 victory.

The Ramblers (6-0) had coasted their way through the early portion of the schedule, routing team after team. Friday’s match up with the visiting Raiders (2-4) appeared to be one-sided on paper, but the game itself turned out to be a defensive stalemate.

“Their defense came to play,” said Pamphrey. “Ours did as well. That’s what saved us. It was tough.”

The Ramblers moved the ball sporadically in the first half, marching as far as the Raider 13 on the opening drive of the game. The drive stalled when quarterback Travis Luce was sacked for an 11-yard loss and fumbled the ball into the arms of Raider defensive tackle Mike Saunders.

The game remained deadlocked into the third quarter. Midway through the stanza, Oak Hill freshman quarterback Parker Asselin dropped back to pass, but was pressured by the Winthrop defensive line. His pass was launched long downfield and hung up for grabs. Pamphrey settled underneath the ball to haul it in at the 50. He then tucked it away and began running down the right sideline. He returned the ball to the Oak Hill 15.

“I just read the quarterback’s eyes,” said the senior. “I was going for six, but got knocked out of bounds.”

An 11-yard run over the left side by tailback Ryan Conant (25 carries for a game-high 115 yards) set up Travis Luce’s quarterback sneak from a yard out two plays later to put the Ramblers up 7-0.

The Winthrop defense turned in a pair of key plays early in the fourth quarter. On second down from his own 21, Josh Allen was gang tackled for a 5-yard loss. Asselin was then sacked by Travis Hutchinson on third down. The 12-yard loss placed the ball on the Raider 4.

Allen, whose punts had pinned the Ramblers inside their own 10 four times, had his kick blocked through the end zone by Conant for a safety to put the home team up 9-0.

The Raiders answered on their next drive after taking over at midfield. A 30-yard screen from Asselin to wing back Eric Vatteso and a fourth down, 21-yard completion to Joel Wells keyed a 50-yard scoring drive. Cody DePuy, who led the Raiders with 42 yards on the ground, barreled in from the 6 and rushed for the two-point conversion to make the score 9-8.

An unsuccessful onsides kick and a 15-yard facemask penalty set the Ramblers up at the Raider 38. Two Conant runs totaling 11 yards and a 15-yard infraction called on the Oak Hill bench moved the ball to the 9. From there, Pamphrey (66 yards rushing) raced up the middle for the insurance score.

The Rambler defense took over to seal the win. Asselin had no shot on first down as defensive tackle Tyler Reeve broke through the line to toss him for an 11-yard loss. Two plays later, Pamphrey batted down a pass intended for Wells downfield. On fourth down, Hutchins flushed Asselin out of the pocket and all the freshman signal caller could do was tuck the ball away and pick up five yards, well shy of the first down.

“We struggled offensively,” said Winthrop coach Joel Stoneton. “They had a good defensive game plan. We just couldn’t move people up front.”

After his team turned in a lackluster 21-0 loss last week to Dirigo, Oak Hill coach Dave Wing liked what he saw on the defensive side of the ball.

“We’re like Jekyll and Hyde,” said Wing. “I think we played well enough to win. We’re a good team. We played well defensively, but it was a frustrating game.”

It was the Ramblers defense which frustrated the Raiders’ offense. Allen finished with just 13 yards on nine carries. Overall, the running game mustered a paltry 39 yards on 30 attempts. The offense managed just five first downs and fumbled the ball seven times.

“Our defense has been fantastic,” said Stoneton. “They won the game for us tonight.”

dst.hilaire@sunjournal.com

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