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Comets grabbed lead they couldn't hold
(by Tony Lange - November 17, 2011)
Comets grabbed lead they couldn't hold
By TONY LANGE
Things were looking good for the Solon Comets to start the game last Saturday during their region semifinal contest against Mentor.
During the Cardinals' first offensive play, the Comets delivered a huge hit on star quarterback Mitch Trubisky to force a fumble. Solon's Ryan Pastor scooped up the loose ball and ran 18 yards into the end zone for the 7-0 lead.
Three plays later and under pressure, Trubisky threw an interception to Solon's Justin Kresevic, which gave the Comets the ball on the Mentor 22-yard line.
The Comets' offense gained zero yards on the next three plays, but decided to go for it on fourth-and-10 instead of attempting a 39-yard field goal. An incomplete pass, Mentor's ball and a swing in momentum was the ensuing outcome.
Mentor went on to score five straight touchdowns to make it a 35-7 ballgame with 1:18 left in the first half.
The Comets started off well and had the momentum in the beginning of the game, head coach Jim McQuaide said.
"We had the momentum and then we lost it a little bit on the second series when we intercepted and had it on the 22-yard line and we didn't get any points out of it," he said. "That kind of let them back in. We lost that momentum control."
As Solon punted with just less than a minute left in the first half, it appeared Mentor would gain another possession. The punted ball, however, was deflected off a Cardinal and the Comets gained a first-and-goal on the Mentor 4-yard line with 49 seconds left in the half.
Quarterback Patrick Kramer was able to escape a tackle in the backfield and complete a touchdown pass to Tres Barksdale to give Solon its momentum back heading into the locker room at halftime, despite being down 35-14.
That was just one of a number of plays the Comets would have to make to overcome the 28-point deficit, McQuaide said.
"We just always tell our guys you've just got to keep fighting and keep chipping away at things," he said. "We dug ourselves a pretty deep hole and you couldn't get out of that hole with one play. So, that was just one part of helping us get out of that hole."
In the second half, Solon's defense forced turnovers and punts, allowing its offense to come to life.
In the third quarter, Solon's defense forced three three-and-outs as well as three interceptions. Ryan Schwenke had one of those picks for the Comets and Kresevic had the other two, one which was a 55-yard touchdown return.
Also in the third quarter, Kramer and Barksdale connected for another touchdown, this time was a 70-yard catch-run.
Heading into the fourth quarter, the Comets trailed 35-28.
Mentor was able to score on the first possession of the fourth to regain a two-touchdown lead at 42-28.
After a touchback, Solon's Khoury Crenshaw ran 80 yards for a touchdown on the next play, but Mentor blocked the Comets' extra-point attempt. The score was 42-34 with 10:26 to play.
"You could go from the first quarter all the way through the end of the game and there's certain plays that we would want back for a do over," McQuaide said. "And then there's plays that we made great plays, too. So, it's an accumulative thing. I don't ever think it's just one play or two that changes an entire game."
Darian Hicks came up with an interception, which set up Kramer's 11-yard touchdown pass to Cory Stuart and a chance to tie the game. Kramer's two-point conversion pass, however, went incomplete and the score remained 42-40 through the last five minute of the game.
Solon ended its season at 9-2, with both losses coming against Mentor.
Not much was said following the loss, McQuaide said.
"I don't have a script to make them feel better," he said. "We went there to play the entire game. I think we did that. We put ourselves in a hole, but we fought hard to get out of the hole and just came up a little short. We were in a position to win in the fourth quarter. We just didn't finish the deal."
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