Hickory exploits KC errors
KARNS CITY — Hickory coach Mike Brest isn't surprised about how well his defense can capitalize on a turnover — it's been doing it all season.
With Karns City driving for a potential tying score before halftime, the Hornets used an unconventional 90-yard interception with 10 seconds left to take a two-touchdown lead on its way to a 28-14 nonconference victory over the Gremlins.
"We've returned four or five of those for touchdowns this year," said Brest. "We practice returning all the time. You've got to be aggressive on defense and we have been."
On the play, Gremlins quarterback Dylan Hipple had a first-and-10 from the Hickory 35 with 30 seconds left when he tossed a pass to the 10-yard line, underthrowing his intended receiver.
Marlon Pegues easily intercepted it. But before being tackled, he flipped the ball to Alexander Kirsch, who made his way to midfield before breaking down the right sideline for the score.
Pegues had staked the Hornets (4-2) to an early 7-0 score when he took the opening kickoff 82 yards.
"(Pegues) did it all. That hurt us," said Karns City coach Ed Conto. "But our kids recovered."
Karns City settled down and tied the game on a 2-yard Alex Kinkela run with 11:18 left in the second quarter to cap a 13-play, 72-yard drive.
The teams exchanged possessions before Hickory took a 14-7 lead when Pegues scored from 5 yards out with 3:30 before halftime.
In the 10-play, 66-yard drive, Pegues and quarterback Mike Grata combined for nine carries on 78 yards to sustain the drive.
Hickory looked to seal the game on a 10-play drive that took up most of the third quarter, but the Gremlins' Tyler Shreve recovered a Pegues fumble to give Karns City the ball on its own 30.
The Gremlins began to churn out yards, gaining 50 on six consecutive plays before Hipple found Tyler Marsinetti on a 20-yard strike in the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter to pull Karns City to 21-14.
Hickory, however, countered with what proved to be the final score of the game, a nine-play, 68-yard drive, culminating with a 30-yard keeper by Grata.
Andrew Smith spearheaded the drive with four consecutive runs totaling 29 yards.
Pegues finished the game with 146 yards on 20 carries while Kinkela led the Gremlins with 61 yards on eight carries.
"Karns City played a heck of a game," said Brest. "We knew they had some really good players. It was a great ballgame. I'm proud of my kids. They had some adversity and they bounced back.
"The bottom line is, at 9:30 p.m., we wanted to be 1-0. We'll make some corrections. We have to focus on getting better," Brest added.
For Karns City, Conto knows his players are experiencing growing pains and hopes they continue to learn and improve as the season rolls on.
"It's a step in the right direction," said Conto. "Now, what we need to do is build off it. Next week, do we challenge or think, 'Ok, we're here now.'
"Now, we have to take it up a notch," he added.
