KC seniors quietly make difference
KARNS CITY— No football team goes 12-1 by accident.
It takes a solid running game, leadership from the quarterback position, clutch plays, solid blocking and textbook tackling.
And it takes special players.
In Karns City's case, consider seniors Nick Reed, Chris Price, Levi Buck and Cody Williams among the latter.
None of them weighs as much as 180 pounds, but each has played a physical role in a Gremlins season that has led them to a PIAAClass AAquarterfinal game at 7 p.m. today at Pine-Richland High.
"Guys like that epitomize what our program is all about,"Karns City coach Ed Conto said. "We don't get good-sized players around here very often."
• Reed, 5-feet-10, 145 pounds, came out for football for the first time since seventh grade and has been a staunch performer in kickoff and punt coverage, recording 10 tackles and two assists.
• Price, 5-10, 173, is the Gremlins' starting tight end and started at quarterback in the season opener.
• Buck, 5-7, 157, is a starting defensive end who's recorded 44 tackles and nine sacks.• Williams, 5-7, 146, also starts at defensive end and has 31 tackles and three sacks."We may not always get the glory, but if we take out our blocker, our linebackers are going to make the play behind us,"Williams said.Conto said he shakes his head every time he looks at his defensive ends on the field."We have to have the smallest players at that position anywhere," he said. "But those two have been playing defensive end all of their football lives."We tried moving Cody to cornerback or safety. He wanted none of it. He and Levi love playing where they're at and they're technique is so sound that they get away with it."Their quickness doesn't hurt, either."We're halfway around big offensive linemen before they're even out of their stance,"Buck said. "I love defensive end because you've got a chance to get to the quarterback and make something happen on every play."Buck and Williams have taken on fullbacks who outweigh them by 80 pounds or more.
"It's no big deal,"Williams said. "You just get underneath them and they'll go down."Reed admittedly regrets not playing football sooner."If I had come out every year, I'd probably be one of the starters right now," he said. "As it was, I knew I'd have to work hard just to find a role to play on this year's team."There's a lot of talent out here and these guys have been at it for a while."Conto agreed with Reed's assessment."Nick has a lot of speed. We could have used him at running back,"the coach said. "But he's been very effective on special teams. He's the first guy down the field quite a bit."Reed appreciates making the tackle on a kick or punt return because of the times he's paid the price flying downfield."You can't be afraid of the cross blocks," he said. "I can think of a lot of times when I've been blindsided and found myself laying on the ground, not knowing what hit me."To tell the truth, that's part of the fun of it."Price knew how important his role was at tight end. He was replacing all-conference performer Cameron Turner, who started at the position for Lock Haven University as a freshman this season.
Price has only six receptions in 2008, but he has been invaluable as a blocker. The Gremlins have rushed for 3,500 yards."There's technique to it,"Price said. "I have to hook the end on sweeps. I knew how good a player I was replacing, but it didn't bother me. I learned from him."Conto described Price as a versatile player "who has helped us in a number of areas."Besides playing tight end, Price rotates in at safety on defense. He played quarterback during the Gremlins' season opening win over St. Marys.He is unsure whether he is KC's No. 2 quarterback right now."Hopefully, it never gets to the point where we have to find out,"Price said. "Things have been going just fine the way they are."
