Varsity 541

Comets clinch SSC crown in overtime

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KLAMATH FALLS — The Crater football team had no trouble mowing over the competition in the Southern Sky Conference this season, at least until Friday night.

As Crater's offense sputtered, Klamath Union hung around and nearly took down the fifth-ranked Comets in overtime.

But Devin Massey delivered for the Comets in the extra frame and the defense made a key stop as Crater survived, 13-7, to take its third conference championship in four years at Modoc Field.

"I was absolutely not pleased with our performance tonight," said Crater coach John Beck. "But I was happy we won it for the kids. The kids showed poise and resilience. It was good that we found a way to win."

The Comets (8-1, 4-0 SSC) get a first-round bye and will play the Marshfield-Hermiston winner on Nov. 20.

One play after the Comets picked up the first down on a fourth-and-one situation in overtime, Massey plunged into the end zone to put Crater ahead, 13-7. But on the extra point, the snapped ball sailed over the holder's head and the conversion failed.

The Pelicans' (6-2, 2-2) ensuing possession wasn't quite as successful. Crater stopped KU for negative yardage on the first two plays and, two plays later, Ryan Sonday picked off a desperation pass, giving the Comets the Southern Sky Conference title.

"We've won it the last four years and the seniors have done a tremendous job," said Beck. "We just found a way to win and now we have two weeks to prepare for our next opponent and make a push into the playoffs."

Massey rushed for 131 yards on 17 carries and had a 22-yard touchdown scamper to put the Comets on the board in the second quarter.

After shutting out the Pelicans through three quarters, Justin Chavarria broke the ice on a 15-yard touchdown run to knot the score 7-all, setting up the extra session.

Though their offense — their passing game in particular — struggled throughout, the Comets' defense came up with big plays when needed. Crater came up with three interceptions and nose tackle Mike Bishop had three sacks — all in the second half.

Skyline Conference

NORTH VALLEY 29, HIDDEN VALLEY 20 — At Merlin, Hidden Valley led 14-0, then North Valley turned the momentum around with two touchdowns late in the first half to pull even at intermission.

Hidden Valley scored on a 4-yard run by Caleb Krouse in the opening quarter and quarterback Taylor Bars went in from 2-yards out with 2:07 left before halftime to give the Mustangs a 14-0 lead.

North Valley quarterback Ryan Anderson and brother Dane Anderson connected on a 62-yard touchdown pass with 1:36 left in the second quarter. Then the brother combo struck again, this time from 20 yards, with 31 seconds remaining before halftime.

The Knights took the second half kickoff and drove 70 yards to take the lead on Ryan Anderson's 1-yard run with 7:40 left in the third quarter.

Hidden Valley cut the Knights lead to 21-20 with 2:24 remaining in the third on T.J. Morse's 14-yard touchdown run.

North Valley finished with 270 yards in offense, while the Mustangs amassed 192 yards on the ground and 65 through the air.

Hidden Valley 7 7 6 0 —20

North Valley 0 14 7 8 —29

HV — Krouse 4 run (Wardle kick)

HV — Bars 2 run (Wardle kick)

NV — D. Anderson 62 pass from R. Anderson (Benetti kick)

NV — D. Anderson 20 pass from R. Anderson (Benetti kick)

NV — R. Anderson 1 run (Benetti kick)

HV — T.J. Morse 14 run (kick failed)

NV — Hogan 19 run (R. Anderson run)

CASCADE 28, ILLINOIS VALLEY 6 — At Turner, quarterback Nick Lamonica and wide reciever Tyrell Williams hooked up for two touchdowns, and Robbie Federico ran for two touchdowns for Cascade.

Illinois Valley's only score came when Thomas Parker ran for an 82-yard touchdown with 3:05 remaining in the second quarter.

Illinois Valley 0 6 0 0 — 6

Cascade 14 14 0 0 — 28

C — Williams 13 yard pass from Lamonica (Mongenel kick)

C — Federico 16 yard run (Mongenel kick)

C — Williams 6 yard pass from Lamonica (Mongenel kick)

IV — Parker 82 yard run (kick short)

C — Federico 53 yard run (Mongenel kick)

Sunset League

CASCADE CHRISTIAN 40, MYRTLE POINT 0 — At Myrtle Point, Jake Gettman completed just three passes, but all were touchdowns as top-ranked Cascade Christian maintained its perfect record.

The Challengers (9-0, 7-0 Sunset League) will host the first round of the state playoffs next weekend.

Gettman, who has thrown 17 touchdowns in only 45 attempts this season, was 3-for-6 passing for 130 yards, and Tyler Stickler led the Challengers' rushing attack with 80 yards on 12 attempts and a touchdown. The Challengers rushed for 281 yards as a team.

On the second play from scrimmage, Tyler Marshall hauled in a 56-yard pass from Gettman for a score and Colton Cochran caught Gettman's other TD pass in the first quarter.

The Challengers' Brandon Grissom ripped off a 36-yard run to pay dirt and Ben Joffer caught a 64-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. Austin Wipf also punched in a touchdown for Cascade Christian.

Cascade Christian 14 20 6 0 —40

Myrtle Point 0 0 0 0 —0

CC — Marshall 56 pass from Gettman (Beard kick)

CC — Cochran 10 pass from Gettman (Davis kick)

CC — Wipf 1 run (Beard kick)

CC — Stickler 1 run (Davis kick)

CC — Grissom 36 run (kick failed)

CC — Joffer 64 pass from Gettman (kick blocked)

COQUILLE 39, ROGUE RIVER 6 — At Rogue River, Joe Harris rushed for three touchdowns of at least 40 yards to lead visiting Coquille to the victory.

Heston Altenbach added a late 10-yard scoring run and tossed a 41-yard touchdown to Ryan Dannels, and teammate Shawn Maddox returned a fumble 20 yards for a score for the Red Devils.

Christian Reyes scored Rogue River's lone score on a 78-yard run in the second quarter.

Coquille 7 13 6 13 — 39

Rogue River 0 6 0 0 — 6

Coq — Joe Harris 52 run (Ryan Dannels kick)

Coq — Harris 40 run (Dannels kick)

RR — Christian Reyes 78 run (kick failed)

Coq — Shawn Maddox 20 fumble return (kick failed)

Coq — Harris 44 run (kick failed)

Coq — Heston Altenbach 10 run (kick failed)

Coq — Dannels 41 pass from Altenbach (Dannels kick)

District 2

BUTTE FALLS 68, ELKTON 0 — At Elkton, Codey Myers rushed for four touchdowns and passed for two more as Butte Falls concluded the regular season with a rout of Elkton.

The Loggers (8-1, 7-1 District 2) will play either Mohawk or Lowell next Friday or Saturday in a first-round Class 1A state playoff game.

Butte Falls rushed for 269 yards, while limiting Elkton to 55 total yards.

Elkton 0 0 0 0 —0

Butte Falls 20 24 24 0 —68

BF — Ellis 58 run (pass failed)

BF — McGonagle 5 run (McGonagle run)

BF — Gower 27 pass from Myers (run failed)

BF — Myers 5 run (McGonagle run)

BF — McGonagle 5 run (Myers run)

BF — Myers 12 run (pass to McGonagle)

BF — Myers 24 run (pass failed)

BF — Dunham 46 pass from Myers (run failed)

BF — Myers 8 run (pass failed)

BF — Ellis 70 interception return (run failed)

DAYS CREEK 52, PROSPECT 14 — At Days Creek, Prospect finished winless with the season-ending loss.

The Cougars were 0-8 on the year.