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Comets coast to fourth straight victory
(by Tony Lange - September 22, 2010)
Comets coast to fourth straight victory
By TONY LANGE
After shaking hands with Parma following last Thursday night's 38-13 victory, Solon didn't kneel very long for a postgame discussion of the Northeast Ohio Conference crossover game.
"We are, SC. We are, SC. We are, SC," the Solon Comets chanted in unison as fans were still exiting Byers Field in Parma. Several playmakers, including four quarterbacks, contributed to the Comets' fourth straight victory.
Starting the scoring for the Comets was Tres Barksdale with a 33-yard touchdown reception from Patrick Kramer, who was five of six passing for 90 yards.
At 6-foot-2, Barksdale was able to jump and reach above Parma's defensive back on a one-on-one coverage down the sideline. The play was designed for his teammate who ran an inside seam route, he said.
"The safety bit on it, so it opened up on the outside. I went over top of his hands and just picked it," said Barksdale, who had six catches for 72 yards. "Getting open is all about route running. Having your routes crisp and breaking at the right angle and coming out at the right yard line."
Solon started the second quarter with a 73-yard drive that ended with tight end A.J. Hicks' 32-yard touchdown reception from Kramer. Hicks' play-action route was designed to lead him in front of the linebackers.
"When I ran and I turned, Kramer threw the ball and I caught it. I turned back around and their whole defense was on the other side of the field because they bit hard on that fake," Hicks said. "It felt good. It was my first catch all year and it happened to be my first touchdown."
Keeping things rolling, the Comets came out of their halftime huddle and put together a one minute, 16-second, 75-yard scoring drive to start the second half and go up 21-0. From the five-yard line, Solon's starting quarterback, Chris Humphrey, rolled out to the right and fired a shot to Cory Stuart in the back of the end zone.
"Any pass for a touchdown is an amazing feeling," said Humphrey, who also is a starting kick returner and defensive back. "It's tough, but it's fun. I just love the game and always being out there whether it's offense or defense."
Parma's defensive backs were getting anxious on some of the Comets' offensive routes, Stuart said.
"I gave him a few steps on the inside and broke it outside and it just opened up well," said Stuart while describing his touchdown reception. "When Chris saw me, he put it in the back of the end zone."
On Solon's next possession, Kyle Hammonds had a 59-yard run before being tackled at the four-yard line. On the next play, he ran it into the end zone.
"It felt good. I broke through a couple times and I started getting a little frustrated because I would have a long run and I couldn't finish it," said Hammonds, who also had a 69-yard run to set up Stuart's touchdown and a 43-yarder to set up Hicks' touchdown. He carried the ball 14 times for 224 yards.
Hammonds said he visualizes where he's going to run and keeps his legs moving through tackles.
"I stay low, get my pads down and run hard," he said. "It just becomes who's tougher. Whoever ends up being tougher either makes the tackle or breaks the tackle."
Down 28-0, Parma finally showed some life toward the end of the third quarter and drove the ball to the Comets' three-yard line. On third down, linebacker Ryan Schwenke sacked the quarterback on a blitz for a 12-yard loss. Schwenke had 11 tackles.
"It was big obviously because it gave them a fourth and 15," Schwenke said. "Our defense kept them off the board which is big especially in that point in the game when they were starting to get momentum back."
Khoury Crenshaw added a 61-yard touchdown run and Alex Knight had a 32-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
C.J. Jackson, Jovon Johnson and Darian Hicks each had an interception. Nick Davidson had 11 tackles.
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