Beating the bug
KARNS CITY — No matter what practice is like now, it can't be anything like last week for Karns City's football team.
Tackles Dalton Jones and Bryant Oddo were hampered by sprained ankles. Tight end Trevor Knox was hospitalized for surgery.
Nose guard Blaine Wilson pulled a groin muscle, slot back Kaiden Powers was hospitalized with strep throat and the flu bug was circulating around the Gremlins.
“It was unbelievable. Two or three guys were getting sick each day,” KC coach Ed Conto said. “I wasn't sure who was going to be available to play Saturday (against Hickory).
“We kept making contingency plans for our lineup. Kaiden wasn't even out of the hospital Friday night. He didn't go on the bus with us to Slippery Rock Saturday. We left him home, figuring he was out.”
Powers was medically cleared Saturday morning. He went to the high school to retrieve his gear on his own, got to the stadium, suited up and joined his teammates who were already warming up.
“He still didn't look good,” Conto said. “I looked at him and said 'Are you sure about this?' He said he was good, then went out there and had a Kaiden Powers type of game.”
The 6-foot-3, 270-pound Jones managed to practice Tuesday, then missed the rest of the week as his ankle swelled up. He took the field and played most of the game Saturday.
“He lined up against Hickory's best lineman and more than held his own,” Conto said of Jones.
“Some of our teams, at this time of year, they're thinking about hunting more than football. It's a long season, but everybody is still on board here. This group is still hungry.”
The Gremlins (10-2) are looking to extend their season another week. They take on Central Martinsburg (11-1) at 7 p.m. Friday in a PIAA Class 3A quarterfinal game at E.J. Mansell Stadium in DuBois.
Conto said his team is not as big as the Dragons up front, making it necessary “for us to get off the ball lower and quicker.
“We want our pads to be lower than their pads,” he continued. “Getting leverage on their linemen will be important.”
Karns City rushed for 342 yards in last week's 35-17 win over Hickory, putting the Gremlins over the 3,000-yard rushing mark as a team. Chandler Turner went over the 1,000 mark (1,018) on the ground despite having just 83 carries all year.
Powers has 614 yards rushing, Cullen Williams 565 and Eric Dodd 477. All four backs had 80 or more yards rushing last week.
“We always play a lot of people and that came in handy with our injuries of late,” Conto said. “Players taking over those spots have been out there before.”
Jake King has thrown for 1,233 yards and 12 touchdowns while having tossed just four interceptions all season. Jimmy Thompson has 19 catches for 342 yards to lead the receiving corps.
Defensively, Thompson and Mitcjh McDonald have combined for 14 sacks from their end positions.
The Gremlins are facing a Central Martinsburg defense that has allowed more than eight points in a game only twice this year.
“They must play good, sound defense,” Conto said. “They stay in their positions. They're strong in fundamentals. Their technique is good and they fly to the ball well.
“At this time of year, special teams and turnovers make the difference. We want to be a little better than them on special teams and we're emphasizing taking care of the ball.”
