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PREP FB: Comets crush Axe in season finale By Mail Tribune staff Updated: Oct 29, 2022 12:16 AM A A 6 View all photos CENTRAL POINT — On the second play from scrimmage, Andrew Kelly ripped off a 67-yard touchdown run and it was off to the races from there for the Crater football team, which pulled away in the first half to close its season with a 55-6 victory over South Eugene at Dutch Meyer Field. “It was a great way to end the season and to build momentum going into the offseason,” said Crater coach Berk Brown. “And it was a great way to send off the 12 seniors the way that they deserve.” Brown made it a point of emphasis to get his seniors the ball, beginning with his senior running back Kelly. With just less than a minute gone off the clock, Kelly took the handoff and wrapped around the right tackle and sped down the sideline untouched to break the ice and put the Comets up 6-0. Kelly later opened the scoring in the second quarter with a 29-yard TD run where he slashed up the middle, shed an arm tackle and found paydirt. On one of a handful of trick plays by the Comets (3-6, 2-5 Midwestern League) on the night, senior receiver Spencer Bramucci gathered the pitch on an end-around and reached the corner of the end zone from 4 yards out to put Crater up 13-0 in the first quarter. A four-year cornerstone for the Comets on the offensive and defensive lines, senior Mike Sherrill had been clammering all year to get the ball and Brown obliged with a designed play where the offense shifted to move Sherrill from the line to the backfield before receiving the direct snap and rumbling up the middle 15 yards for his first touchdown in his final game. “He’s been begging ever since he was a freshman to get the ball and we designed a play and he caught the snap from center and got into the end zone,” said Brown. “It was an awesome way to cap a career. He’s been one of the hardest working guys for the last four years. He’s just a team guy.” The lone touchdown catch of the game was hauled in by senior tight end Luke Higginson on a pass from his younger brother, sophomore quarterback Ben Higginson, from 17 yards out. Senior running back Dimitri Hemme also added a TD to his career, scoring on an 11-yard run. “We really wanted to give our seniors an opportunity to have the ball in their hands,” added Brown. The Comets also received second-half touchdowns from the their future featured backfield duo of Zach Kampstra and Valentin Rodriguez. Kampstra, a junior, got some added work in the second half and punched one in from 3 yards out to give the Comets a 48-0 lead. The sophomore Rodriguez ran one in from 30 yards out in the fourth quarter. The Comets kept the Axemen (1-8, 0-7) out of the scoring column until the fourth quarter and had strong defensive performances from Sherrill and Luke Higginson along the defensive line. South Eugene0006—6 Crater202177—55 C — Kelly 67 run (pass failed) C — Bramucci 4 run (Bramucci kick) C — Hemme 11 run (Bramucci kick) C — Kelly 29 run (Bramucci kick) C — L. Higginson 17 yard pass from B. Higginson (Bramucci kick) C — Sherrill 15 run (Bramucci kick) C — Kampstra 3 run (Bramucci kick) SE — Schmidt 2 run (kick blocked) C — Rodriguez 30 run (Bramucci kick) GRANTS PASS 49, ROSEBURG 26: At Roseburg, Grants Pass running backs Gage Blay and Trevor Reeves combined for seven touchdowns as the Cavemen won the South/Central Football Conference finale at Finlay Field. Blay carried eight times for 52 yards and four TDs and Reeves rushed 18 times for 88 yards and three scores to boost Grants Pass (6-3, 4-3 SCFC). The Cavemen outgained Roseburg in total yardage, 324-253, with Jace Blanchard completing 15 of 19 passes for 185 yards. Cayden Eckel scored twice to lead the Indians (0-8, 0-7). Grants Pass147217—49 Roseburg07712—26 GP — Blay 1 run (Leach kick) GP — Blay 8 run (Leach kick) R — Eckel 28 pass from Rackley (Michael kick) GP — Reeves 1 run (Leach kick) GP — Blay 25 run (Leach kick) GP — Blay 1 run (Leach kick) R — Eckel 8 run (Michael kick) GP — Reeves 4 run (Leach kick) R — Williams 6 pass from Littlefield (pass failed) GP — Reeves 1 run (Leach kick) R — White 14 pass from Littlefield (kick failed) SPRINGFIELD 30, EAGLE POINT 29: At Eagle Point, Springfield scored in the fourth quarter and put the game on the line with a two-point conversion and the gamble paid off in a comeback that left the teams tied for second place in the Midwestern League behind Thurston. The Eagles (6-3, 5-2 MWL), who had a 23-22 edge at halftime, increased their lead to 29-22 with a 2-yard touchdown run from junior Hugo Perezchica. Springfield (6-3, 5-2) was held scoreless in the second half until a fourth-quarter touchdown run that drew the Millers within 29-28. Springfield opted to forego the extra-point attempt and gamble for two and was rewarded with a successful effort. Eagles junior quarterback Bryton Livingston, who went 15-for-30 for 273 yards, threw two of his three touchdowns in the first half to Kaden Huff. Huff finished with four receptions for 66 yards and senior Dawson Foulon caught a 29-yard touchdown to give the EP a 23-22 lead before halftime. Senior running back David Brown paced the Eagles with 123 total yards — he had 17 carries for 73 yards and added three catches for 50 yards. Springfield61608—30 Eagle Point02360—29 S — 6-yard run (conversion failed) EP — FG Cordle 22 EP — Huff 12 pass from Livingston (kick failed) S — 78-yard run (conversion successful) EP — Huff 20 pass from Livingston (conversion successful) S — 70-yard pass from Kasperek (conversion successful) EP — Foulon 29 pass from Livingston (conversion failed) EP — Perezchica 2 run (kick failed) S — 28-yard run (conversion successful) ASHLAND 39, KLAMATH UNION 36: At Ashland, Ashland rallied from a 28-17 deficit in the fourth quarter with 22 straight points, highlighted by a 90-yard touchdown reception by Gavin White from Jojo Harrower, to secure the Grizzlies’ first Big Sky Conference win in the season finale at Walter A. Phillips Field. Harrower connected on a 7-yard TD pass and ensuing two-point conversion with Crosby Lehnerz to pull Ashland (2-7, 1-5 Big Sky) within three points before White’s big play. The Grizzlies followed that up with a fumble forced by Kekoa Kaho’okaulana that was returned for a score by Noah Shrader with 5:45 to play. Harrower completed 16 of 28 passes for 274 yards, while White carried nine times for 133 yards and one score. Jacob Ortega led Ashland with 110 yards receiving on five catches against the Pelicans (2-7, 1-5). Klamath Union70722—36 Ashland77322—39 A — White 9 run (Wildman kick) KU — 2-yard run (Ortiz kick) A — Ortega 51 pass from Harrower (Wildman kick) KU — Garrett 1 run (Ortiz kick) A — FG Stringer 27 KU — Glidden 4 pass from Saluskin (Ortiz kick) KU — Garrett 4 run (Ortiz kick) A — Lehnerz 7 pass from Harrower (Lehnerz pass from Harrower) A — White 90 pass from Harrower (Wildman kick) A — Shrader 23 fumble return (Wildman kick) KU — Garrett 5 run (Atchley pass from Saluskin) COQUILLE 21, ST. MARY’S 0: At Coquille, St. Mary’s junior TJ Flowers ran 26 times for 135 yards but the Crusaders struggled to gain offensive traction with five turnovers and suffered their second straight loss to wrap up the regular season. Flowers and Bradley Patten each recorded an interception for St. Mary’s, which was limited to 16 yards passing by Coquille as Tyson Delplanche finished 3-for-13 with two interceptions. St. Mary’s (6-3, 6-3 FWL) finished in a third-place tie with Coquille in the Far West League standings. The top four teams in the FWL automatically advance to the 3A state playoffs. Hayden GeDeros scored three close-range touchdowns to power the Red Devils (6-3, 6-3), crashing in from the 1-yard line on the first play of the second quarter before a 10-yard run in the second quarter and another 1-yard run in the fourth. St. Mary’s0000—0 Coquille0777—21 C — GeDeros 1 run (Hoyle kick) C — GeDeros 10 run (Hoyle kick) C — GeDeros 1 run (Hoyle kick) NORTH VALLEY 52, PHOENIX 14: At Merlin, Jackson Selden scored a 43-yard touchdown to trim Phoenix’s deficit to 26-6 before halftime but the Pirates couldn’t pull off a comeback in the Far West League finale. Jair Ramirez added a late touchdown for the Pirates, who finished 0-9 overall and in FWL play. North Valley improved to 4-5 overall and in league play. Andrew Kelly, Crater football Spencer Bramucci, Crater football Bryton Livingston, Eagle Point football Kaden Huff, Eagle Point football Gavin White, Ashland football Jojo Harrower, Ashland football