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Comets can’t keep up with Red Dragons @PLRedDragons

Tagged under: District 6, Gameday Hub, News

| September 26, 2021


 

Purchase Line’s senior wide receiver Mello Sanchez catches one of his two two-point conversions of the night (above). RAY KAUFFMAN PHOTO.

Homecoming, senior night, and a rivalry game are three elements that helped create a night to remember for the Purchase Line Red Dragons as they faced off against the Penns Manor Comets, September 24. The Comets fell short of the Dragons, 44-6, but they were within reach at halftime, leaving most of the touchdowns to be scored within the second half.

Penns Manor began the game with a three-and-out drive, stunned by the Purchase Line defense. Senior Mello Sanchez picked up the punt at his own 20-yard line and avoided several tackles before he was surrounded and taken down. The Dragons opened their offense with a first down run from junior Andrew Beer. Seniors Brady Syster and Jayce Brooks, along with sophomore quarterback John Elick combined for the next ten yards. This cycle of runners continued as the Dragons made their way up the field. Syster set himself up with a run to the 14-yard line, and on the next play, he finished the drive with 14-yard touchdown, for an early score of 6-0.

The Comets took the field at the 26-yard line. Penns Manor’s junior quarterback Max Hill threw a pass intended for junior Justin Marshall, but the pass was slapped down by Brooks. Marshall and junior Ashton Courvina took care of a first down, but on the next play, the ball was fumbled near the Comets’ 18-yard line and recovered by Purchase Line. After several bursts, Elick capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown and then hit Sanchez in the endzone for the conversion, making the score 14-0. With only a minute and a half left in the first quarter, the Dragons were up two touchdowns.

The team in white started the second quarter on a nice drive down the field, but near the 35-yard line, the Dragons forced a turnover on downs. Purchase Line saw some light, but then the ball was fumbled and recovered by Penns Manor. After tackles by senior Vincenzo Scott and Beer, the Comets were forced to punt, as were the Dragons following a quarterback sack. Unfortunately for both teams, this was the cycle for the rest of the second quarter, leaving a halftime score of 14-0.

A high opening kick resulted in the Red Dragons receiving the ball near midfield to begin the second half. A penalty and some tackles for losses by Penns Manor caused the Dragons some struggles, until Elick linked with Beer at the 44, setting up the rest of his run to the 9-yard line. The Dragons fumbled the ball on the next play, allowing the Penns Manor offense to take the field again. Courvina caught a dart from Hill near their own 20 and finished out the run at the 45. Marshall took over on the next play for a few yards, and after two more plays, senior Alec Johnson completed the first down. Not long after, Hill threw a pass near the endzone, but it bounced off the receiver’s hands and right into those of Sanchez, which is well known for being a dangerous situation.

Sanchez returned the ball to midfield and Elick took full advantage of this when he hit Beer on a run to the 17-yard line. Beer took it to the house a couple of plays later for a 9-yard touchdown. Elick waited for Beer to get open in the endzone, which caused this duo to strike again for the conversion, creating a score of 22-0 with under a minute left to play in the third quarter. Two plays into Comet offense, Marshall broke free of the Red Dragons’ defense for a 63-yard touchdown run as the clock ran out. The score at the end of the third quarter was 22-6.

Syster wasted no time in the fourth quarter.  On the first play of offense, he took it home for a 51-yard touchdown. Elick and Sanchez connected for the conversion, putting the Dragons up 30-6. Brooks’ kick landed in Marshall’s arms and he carried it to the 35. A penalty got the Comets the first down they needed to get across midfield. Hill and Courvina combined for the next first down, which set up a passing play for Hill. What would’ve been a touchdown pass, was intercepted by Beer, who took it back up to the 35-yard line. On the next play, Syster ran the ball 43-yards back into Comet territory, which led to Beer’s 22-yard touchdown and a score of 36-6. Penns Manor could not find their first down mark on the next drive, so their punt team took the field after a three-and-out.

Sanchez returned the ball to the 35 and Brooks backed him up with a first down run across midfield to the 47. This is when the Red Dragons seniors walked off the field together and the substitutes began to rotate in. The next two plays consisted of two fumbles picked up by the opposite team. First the Comets forced a fumble on the Dragons and then Purchase Line stole the ball right back on a dropped snap. After a penalty on junior Joe Lamer’s touchdown run, the ball was placed at the 33-yard line. Sophomore Brock Small scored the final touchdown of the game for 33 yards and followed up by connecting with senior Logan McCracken for the two-point conversion. This closed out the scoring for the game, making the final score 44-6.

Brooks said, “Simple little mistakes in the first half tore us down and we weren’t picking ourselves back up. I think the break at halftime just calmed that all down and got us back up and moving the way we wanted to. With River Valley being a better team, we can’t have those little mistakes at all, for they could cost us the game. Along with that, when we do make mistakes, we have to pick ourselves up. I think we are all realizing that and that will help us in this next game.”

Syster said, “I think the problem was the distractions that we had before the game. A lot was going on and that caused us a slow start. Once the second half started, we were locked and ready to go. We can’t come out slow for River Valley. We have got to play a perfect 48 minutes and do what we do next week!”

Beer said, “I think River Valley is a better team and we are going to have to shut down their run game. We need to have less mistakes and come out stronger in the first half.”

You can catch the Purchase Line Red Dragons this week as they take on the River Valley Panthers, while the Penns Manor Comets will be matching up with the Homer Center Wildcats.

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews

 
 
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