Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Richfield grinds out 38-34 win

Tigers finally beat Carey, earn playoff berth


By JEFF CORDES
Express Staff Writer

It was a productive night for quarterbacks Tyler Cook of Carey (375 all-purpose yards) and Victor Vasquez of Richfield (337 all-purpose yards) when the Carey Panthers and Richfield Tigers clashed in an important Sawtooth Conference West game Friday.

But the difference in Richfield?s 38-34 eight-man football win was the way the Tigers established their running game and dominated ball possession and rushing yardage in the decisive second half. And Richfield made four of five two-point conversions.

Getting a 145-yard rushing effort from junior Wes Naylor to go along with 136 yards rushing and 166 yards passing by senior Vasquez, Richfield (6-2, 3-0 league) won its sixth consecutive game and snapped a 15-game losing streak to Carey grid teams.

Coach Garr Ward?s Richfield Tigers thus nailed down a state playoff berth, eliminated Carey (4-3, 1-2 league) from the playoffs and earned a shot at Camas County (6-2, 3-0) for the Sawtooth West championship Friday, Oct. 29 on Richfield?s field.

Richfield won it on the ground at Derrick Parke Memorial Field, but the visitors also hurt Carey in the air.

The Tigers out-rushed Carey 313-231 for the game, including a lopsided 191-87 edge in the second half when Richfield had the ball for 17 of 24 minutes. Carey managed only one first down after half, to Richfield?s 10. For the game, rushing first downs favored Richfield 18-3, and 19-10 total.

But the versatility of Vasquez kept Carey?s defense from concentrating on the run. Vasquez completed 9 of 15 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns including 52-yard and 55-yard TD aerials to senior Steven Ward, and a 20-yard TD toss to Colbin Naylor.

It wasn?t a night for the defenses, as the two teams combined for 10 TDs and 1,060 yards of total offense. But it was an excellent all-around night for Carey junior Tyler Cook, who rushed for 141 yards, passed for 180 yards more and made 13 tackles on defense along with a big interception.

Cook struck first Friday, sprinting 55 yards through a huge hole on a quarterback sneak for a 6-0 lead, which Cody Baird extended to 8-0 with the conversion run.

Richfield responded with a 13-play, 91-yard TD drive capped by the Colbin Naylor TD catch. Another long Tiger attack, covering 76 yards and nearly four minutes, made it 16-8 Richfield. The Tigers made both two-point conversions on Vasquez passes.

Following a 25-yard kickoff return by Bryan Hill, Carey kept applying the pressure. Connor Rivera (15 carries, 71 yards) rambled 32 yards on a draw play and Cook connected with Baird for a 14-yard first down. Once again Cook went to Baird for a five-yard TD toss and Cook ran the conversion behind the blocking of Luke Harmon.

The score equalized at 16-16 with four minutes left until half?but that was also the final two-pointer Carey made. The Panthers failed on their final three two-point tries, all passes.

Just before half, the exciting final 78 seconds produced TDs by each team and left the halftime score 22-22. Vasquez waved his magic wand for Richfield, under-throwing a long pass that defender Baird bobbled and the ball bounced into the hands of Ward, who finished a 55-yard scoring play.

With time ticking away Carey?s Cook heaved a 53-yard pass completion to Brad Hunt. Cook then completed two more short passes. With no time on the clock junior QB Cook found Bryan Hill going from right-to-left in the end zone and threw back to the junior receiver for the touchdown.

On the first drive in the third, Richfield?s Wes Naylor scored from seven yards out after a 40-yard Vasquez quarterback keeper. Vasquez rolled right and ran the two-pointer. Cook stunned Richfield by taking another QB sneak right down the barrel of the Tiger defense for a 76-yard TD, slicing Richfield?s lead to 30-28.

The teams traded possessions until Cook intercepted an under-thrown Vasquez pass and returned the ball 54 yards to the Tiger eight-yard-line. On fourth-and-goal, Cook hit Baird for a three-yard TD and Carey led 34-30 with a minute left in the third quarter. Once again, the conversion pass failed.

Richfield?s defense, led by Steven Ward (11 tackles), Vasquez (9) and Wes Naylor (8), pinned Carey down within the Panther 20-yard-line and forced the Panthers to punt. Cook?s short line drive punt was caught by Colbin Naylor at the Panther 36 and returned down to the Carey 20.

Six running plays later, Hector Romero plunged for the game-winning one-yard TD and Vasquez tossed the conversion pass to Colin Naylor. Carey?s offense couldn?t move, and Richfield ran out the clock.

Leading the Carey defense was Cody Baird (15 tackles) followed closely by Cook (13), Bryan Hill (12) and Allen Peck (12). Richfield finished up with a 29-19 possession time advantage, so Carey?s defense was on the field quite a bit Friday night.

Carey has one more game, but it doesn?t mean anything except for bragging rights.

The Panthers travel to Murtaugh (3-5, 1-2) Friday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. The visiting Red Devils whipped up on Dietrich 44-28 Friday and have shown an ability to score, averaging 23.7 points per game and playing tough teams in Raft River and Mackay.

PANTHER NOTES?North Gem (4-4, 3-1) virtually nailed down its first state playoff berth in nine years with a 26-16 win at Rockland (2-5, 2-1) Friday. Mackay (8-0, 3-0) hosts Rockland Friday, Oct. 29, but the Miners are expected to win easily. As the Sawtooth East second-place team, North Gem will play the Sawtooth West champ?Camas or Richfield?in the State 1A Division 2 first round game. North Gem hasn?t played Camas County or Richfield yet this fall.



Richfield 38, Carey 34

RICHFIELD...0...22...8...8...38
carey...8...14...12...0...34

SCORING

1st half

Carey?Tyler Cook, 55-yard run (Cody Baird run); 9:00 1st (8-0 C)

Richfield?Colbin Naylor, 20-yard pass from Victor Vasquez (Colbin Naylor, pass from Vasquez); 11:52 2nd (8-8)

Richfield?Steven Ward, 52-yard pass from Victor Vasquez (Ward, pass from Vasquez); 5:36 2nd (16-8 R)

Carey?Cody Baird, 5-yard pass from Tyler Cook (Cook run); 3:45 2nd (16-16)

Richfield?Steven Ward, 55-yard pass from Victor Vasquez (run failed); 0:59 2nd (22-16 R)

Carey?Bryan Hill, 3-yard pass from Tyler Cook (pass failed); 0:00 2nd (22-22)


2nd half
Richfield?Wes Naylor, 7-yard run (Victor Vasquez run); 10:21 3rd (30-22 R)

Carey?Tyler Cook, 76-yard run (pass failed); 10:07 3rd (30-28 R)

Carey?Cody Baird, 3-yard pass from Tyler Cook (pass failed); 1:06 3rd (34-30 C)

Richfield?Hector Romero, 1-yard run (Colbin Naylor, pass from Victor Vasquez); 4:49 4th (38-34 R)


KEY STATS RICH CAREY

Off. plays...78...71
Possession time...29:01...18:59
1st downs, rush...18...3
1st downs, pass...1...6
1st downs, penal...1...1
1st downs, total...19...10
Rushes, yards...58-313...32-231
Yards per carry...5.4...7.2
Fumbles lost...1...0
Comp., passes...9-15...16-29
Comp. percentage...60%...56%
Passing yards...166...180
Yards per catch...18.5...11.3
Intercepted by...0...1
Sacks by, yards...1-13...0-0
Returns, yards...5-71...6-112
Tot. yards gained...550...510
Penalties, yards...7-39...1-5
Punts, yardage...1-41...2-57
Punt average...41.0...28.5



INDIVIDUAL LEADERS?Carey

Rushing?Tyler Cook 6-141, 2 TD, 1 conv.; Connor Rivera 15-71, 3 1sts; Cody Baird 10-19, 1 conv.; Allen Peck 1-0.

Passing?Tyler Cook 16-29, 180 yards, 6 1sts, 3 TD.

Receiving?Brad Hunt 3-88, 2 1sts; Bryan Hill 4-31, 2 1sts, 1 TD; Cody Baird 5-23, 1 1st, 2 TD; Connor Rivera 3-36, 1 1st; Allen Peck 1-2.

Fumble recoveries?Brad Hunt 1.

Interceptions?Tyler Cook 1 with a 54-yard return.

Kickoff returns?Bryan Hill 2-41; Brad Hunt 3-17.

All-purpose yardage?Tyler Cook 375.

Tackles (88)?Cody Baird 15, Tyler Cook 13, Bryan Hill 12, Allen Peck 12, Luke Harmon 11, Devin Simpson 7, Jesus Ocampo 7, Brad Hunt 6, Brian Adamson 4, Jordan Surerus 1.



INDIVIDUAL LEADERS?Richfield

Rushing?Wes Naylor 30-145, 7 1sts, 1 TD; Victor Vasquez 18-136, 9 1sts, 1 conv.; Hector Romero 8-27, 1 1st, 1 TD; Steven Ward 2-5, 1 1st.

Passing?Victor Vasquez 9-15, 166 yards, 1 1st, 3 TD, 3 conv., 1 interception.

Receiving?Steven Ward 4-120, 2 TD, 1 conv.; Colbin Naylor 5-46, 1 1st, 1 TD, 2 conv.

Sacks?Troy Hettenbach 1-13.

Kickoff returns?Hector Romero 1-18; Victor Vasquez 2-35; Wes Naylor 1-6.

Punt returns?Colbin Naylor 1-12.

All-purpose yardage?Victor Vasquez 337.

Tackle leaders?Steven Ward 11, Victor Vasquez 9, Wes Naylor 8, Hector Romero 7, Troy Hettenbach 6, Colbin Naylor 6.




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