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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend September 17, 2005 Reina helps propel Crater past Gresham By KRIS HENRY Mail Tribune CENTRAL POINT — If there’s one sure thing stemming from Friday night’s football game between Crater and Gresham, it’s that Charlie Reina awoke this morning a very sore young man. The 5-foot-9, 185-pounder was seemingly all over the field Friday, smashing more Gophers than an 8-year-old at an arcade in helping the Comets sneak by Gresham for a 20-7 victory in their home opener. Reina unofficially reached double digits in tackles from his safety position (10), bumped his production up to triple digits in rushing yards (112 on seven carries) from his tailback spot and even completed a pass for good measure. About the only thing keeping his performance from being complete was when the Comets ran out of popcorn to sell at the concession stand. It was that kind of night for the jacked-up junior. Advertisement "I thought he played a great football game on both sides of the ball," Crater coach John Beck said of Reina. "He made big play after big play. He’s coming into his own as a very good football player. He’s got great athleticism and a burning desire to be good. I’m really proud of him." It didn’t take long for Reina to make his mark against the Gophers (1-1), turning the game’s first play from scrimmage into its first touchdown as he tiptoed through the middle and outraced everyone to the end zone for a 54-yard score. "I was expecting to get tackled," Reina later admitted. "I was holding onto (fullback Callan Hartzer’s shirt) looking for a hole when somebody grabbed my heel and then out of the corner of my eye I saw the hole and took it up and didn’t look back. It was awesome. It was the best run I’ve ever had." The swarming Comet defense made that score hold up throughout the first half, with Cody Clark and Hartzer providing big hits from their linebacker position and Johnny Wasniewski ball-hawking from his rover slot. The Gophers had only 44 yards of total offense in the first half and finished with 121 overall. Crater (2-1) drove deep into Gresham territory inside the final three minutes of the first half, barely missing a 37-yard field goal to the left and having another drive halted at the Gophers’ 27 before getting the biggest gift of the game 41 seconds prior to halftime. After turning the ball over on downs, the Comets could barely blink before they had the ball back in their hands as a shotgun snap eluded Gresham quarterback Joe Schiller and found its way to Crater lineman John Havniear, who picked up the loose ball and rumbled to the Gresham 2-yard line. Hartzer bulled in for a 1-yard score three plays later to send the Comets into halftime with a 14-0 edge. Gresham switched to its running game in the third quarter and found immediate success, slowly but surely marching to the Crater 21 before turning the ball over on downs on an 8½ minute drive. The Comets dodged that bullet only momentarily, however, as the offense bogged down and Clark’s punt from the Crater 22 was blocked by Matt Holmes and Peter DeBois. Taking over at the Crater 8, Gresham scored three plays later on a 7-yard pass from Schiller to Andrew Cramer. After forcing a three-and-out series, the Gophers missed a chance to pin Crater further back on its heels when Hartzer stepped in front of a Schiller pass at the Gresham 44 and returned the interception 15 yards. Reina then pulled up on a pitch right and found Tyler Davis for a 23-yard strike that put Crater on the Gresham 6. Quarterback Brian Theis, however, was intercepted three plays later in the end zone with 5:24 to go. "That helped our momentum right there even though we didn’t score," Reina said of Hartzer’s interception. "Callan’s pick was big because we were able to eat some more clock up and regain field position." After yet another defensive stop by the Comets, Reina helped seal the victory with a 35-yard scamper on first down to the Gresham 14. Theis then scored from the 1 after a pair of smashmouth runs up the gut by Hartzer for the final tally. Hartzer finished with 57 yards on 12 carries and hauled in four passes for 45 yards as the Comets managed 256 yards of total offense. "We battled to the very end and played four quarters of Crater football," said Reina. "This win right here is just the building block." Reach reporter Kris Henry at 776-4488, or e-mail Reina helps propel Crater past Gresham ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. 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