With all of the quarterback candidates playing at peak performance at Saturdays annual Orange and White game, the spot is still up for grabs.The Orange team, comprised of the no. 1 offense and no. 2 defense, had the first possession of the game on its own 25 yard line. Two plays later, Brian Null completed a 66-yard pass to Corey Zeno for the Orange teams first touchdown of the day. Alex St. Peter finished off the possession with his first extra point of the day.The White teams first possession was less than successful and was an indication of how the rest of the first half would turn out for the White team. Just three plays after gaining possession of the ball, Ryan Bisetti punted the ball. An Orange fumble recovered by Keith Davis midway through the first quarter seemed to give the White team itsr first break, but the team did not gain much more than yards from the turnover before returning the ball to the Orange team.Late in the second quarter, a 20-yard pass completed from Josh McCown to Cooper scored the Orange teams second and final touchdown of the game. St. Peter kicked and earned the extra point.With little time left in the first half of play, the Orange teams Andrew Higham intercepted a White pass in their end-zone. Time ran out on McCown before he could do anything with the Orange possession.In the opening minutes of the third quarter, the second half seemed as bleak for the White team as the first half had been. A quarterback sack by Steven Hagler ended the White possession quickly.But in three short unsuccessful plays, the Orange team returned the ball to the White team.The defense tougher today than they have been all year, Null said.The White team picked up the ball at the White 39-yard line. Quarterback Daniel Machalik made the first big play of the quarter with an 11-yard carry for a first down. A pass complete to Ronnie Thomas put the ball on the Orange 38-yard line. Three plays later, a Machalik pass to Jason Hoffman scored the first White touchdown. The touchdown was earned through 11 plays that covered 61 yards. Drew Alfords extra point brought the score to 14-7.Late in the forth quarter Eric Brown ran the ball for a five-yard touchdown. With the game on the line, the White team went for the two-point conversion. The attempt went unrewarded after Michael Peel intercepted the pass.At the end of the annual Orange and White game, the Orange team found itself on top with a final score of 14-13.It was a close ball game that could have gone either way and that was good, head coach Ron Randleman said.While watching the game from the Presidents Box, Randleman took notes on players and their showing during the game.What I had hoped for was a good flow in the game and I thought that we had that, Randleman said. We didnt have a lot of foolish mistakes, which sometimes you do when youre dealing with a lot of your young guys who havent had a lot of work in the game.While the team treated the spring scrimmage as a conference game, the team had to hold back some of the plays the team has been working on because coaches from other schools were watching the game from the stands, according to Null.With the starting quarterback position still up in the air, both Null and McCown have said they will spend time working to improve their skills. Randleman has said that the starting quarterback position will not be announced until two weeks before the opening game next season.A pleased Randleman ended the day by recognizing outstanding players and graduating seniors. Randleman also announced the members of the all conference team and the honorable mentions. Of the four Bearkats on the all conference team, three will be returning to play for the Bearkats in the fall.
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