Kicking off the inaugural Coventry hall of fame weekend, the Comets put up a hall of fame worthy performance in knocking off Crestwood 28-26.
Landing big blows was the name of the game, as the teams did not let rain prevent plenty of scoring.
The Comets (1-3, 1-0 PTC) scored an early knockdown before most fans took a seat. Crestwood (0-4, 0-1 PTC) decided to do a squib kick to avoid the legs of senior Jeff Walker, who started at quarterback after freshman Jeff Kuykendall was injured last week. This backfired, as the Red Devils were burned by Walker’s arm instead as he found senior Billy Johnson deep on the first play from scrimmage for a 65-yard touchdown pass.
Less than 20 seconds in, Coventry held a 6-0 lead.
This took the Red Devils off guard, who proceeded to go three-and-out. Coventry jumped on this opportunity by going 76 yards in seven plays, 45 of which came on a spectacular run by Walker and the final five yards coming from Richard Geiger who scored to give the Comets an early 13-0 lead.
“We’re getting to the point of the year where our younger guys are learning to play at varsity speed,” Coventry coach Jay Newcome said. “When we get our starters back in a few weeks, we are going to be in a great situation. Our seniors... they’ve had a lot of adversity already, I am very happy to see their hard work pay off.”
Crestwood was far from being out for the count, as they regrouped and jabbed their way down the field, running the ball 10 of 11 plays as Dakota Long punched it in from nine yards out for the touchdown. A botched field goal turned into a two-point conversion, and it was 13-8.
This blow did not faze the Comets, as they returned the favor with another drive. A reverse to Colton May for 29 yards and a 22-yard run by Walker helped set up a fourth and 3 from the Crestwood 21-yard line. Walker needed to make a big play and he did, finding a seem up the middle and going the final 21 yards for the score.
The score was 21-14 at the half, and the Comet faithful, with hall of fame inductees in attendance, were lively even in the rain. All inductees or their family members were honored during a halftime presentation.
Their presence seemed to have a positive effect, especially the defense. During a scoreless third quarter, the Comets forced two of their three fumbles on the night, recovering all of them. The Red Devils’ defense countered with a blocked field goal.
The bend but don’t break defense of the Comets seemed to be working, until with 6:09 left the Red Devils running back Talon Stephens, who rushed the ball five straight times, finished the drive with a 15-yard run for a touchdown. The Red Devils tried to sneak in an extra blow by going for two-points and the lead, but the Comets would have none of it, stuffing the run to keep a sparse 21-20 lead.
“We play as a team,” Comet junior linebacker Jim Mashburn, who had a sack and a fumble recovery, said. “We give heart every play. We can’t win when we aren’t a team. (The conversion stop) not only got the defense going, but the whole team and crowd. That’s the loudest I’ve ever heard them.”
Crestwood ended up with the ball again on the Coventry 33-yard line, but the Comet defense stepped up to the challenge. Freshman JW Bell stuffed a Red Devil running back behind the line of scrimmage, Cody May followed with a sack, and Billy Johnson defended a fourth down pass aimed for the end zone.
“Our defense came up big,” Newcome said. “The more times they can get the ball back to Jeff Walker and Billy Johnson, the more chances we got to score.”
With less than 2:00 minutes remaining, the game looked secured. Coventry only needed a first down to run the clock out, but Walker found an opening and drilled the Red Devil defense in the gut with a 65-yard touchdown run. It gave the Comets a 28-20 lead, and Walker 220 yards rushing, but it also gave the Red Devils the ball back with 0:56 remaining.
“I thought it would be over,” Walker said. “I was a little disappointed in myself (for not running the clock out), but all I could see was the end zone.”
Crestwood, staring defeat in the face, came up clutch. Quarterback Nick Prochnow found Chris Graves deep in a similar play the Comets ran to start the game for a 59-yard touchdown pass.
Just like that, 28-26. The Comets could have laid down and allowed Crestwood to tie it up, but the Comet crowd would have none of it. The place was trembling from all the noise, which gave new energy to the defense. Going for two points for the third time on the night, Pronchnow completed a pass to one of his receivers at the one-yard line, but three Comets jumped on him and knocked him out before he could cross the goal line.
Winner by knockout – Comets.
