BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Despite a better offensive performance in the second half, which featured a standout performance from Bryar Schenck, the Keystone Heights High School football team couldn’t recover from falling behind by 18 points in the first half, losing 38-18 to host Crescent City on Oct. 7.
The Indians (1-5) marched 80 yards for a touchdown on their second drive of the game, but gained just 11 yards on 12 plays the remainder of the first half.
In the second half, Keystone was able to put two scores on the board, courtesy of Schenck, who accounted for 109 of the team’s 112 yards after halftime.
Head Coach Chuck Dickinson said he felt his offensive line blocked better in the second half, when the Indians operated more out of a wing-T formation.
“Maybe that’s what we need to get back to,” said Dickinson, whose team hosts District 6-2S opponent Palatka on Friday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
Schenck proved tough to bring down in the second half, fighting his way to 74 rushing yards. He finished with a total of 89 yards on 18 carries, while also catching two passes for 35 yards.
“He gave a great effort,” Dickinson said. “Maybe this will be the game that propels him in the next few games.”
Defensively, Keystone gave up three plays of 40-plus yards. Two resulted in touchdowns, while the other set up a 1-yard score as the Raiders (2-3) finished with 308 total yards to Keystone’s 207.
Dickinson said his defense was in position to make plays.
“Everybody was where they were supposed to be,” he said, “but we were missing tackles.”
Crescent City’s first big play occurred on its third play from scrimmage. The Raiders were facing third-and-10 from the Keystone 41 after Brayden Wester dropped running back Brandon Padgett for a 2-yard loss. Sheldon Patrick caught a short pass from Eric Jenkins across the middle of the field and turned it into a touchdown at the 7:23 mark of the first quarter. David Newbold kicked the extra point to put the host team up 7-0.
After going three-and-out on their first series, the Indians showed life. Darrion Grady picked up a first down on a 5-yard run. He followed that with a 9-yard run on which he fumbled, but Keystone’s Sam Ulsch fell on the loose ball, giving the Indians another first down. Quarterback
Baylor Ford completed an 17-yard pass to Garrison Teague for a first down at the Crescent City 38, while Grady later ripped off a 24-yard run to set up first-and-goal at the 7. Grady, who rushed for 66 yards on 15 carries, eventually capped the 80-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 38 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Ford’s pass on the two-point conversion was incomplete, leaving Keystone trailing 7-6.
Keystone’s defense got off to a good start on the following series, with Tyler Anthony-Rozier recording a 3-yard sack. The Raiders’ Jenkins, however, set up third-and-short with a 12-yard run. He then was able to get the defense to jump offsides to give Crescent City a first down. Ray Davis later got free for a 51-yard touchdown run on the third play of the second quarter. After Newbold’s PAT, the Raiders led 14-6.
The Raiders drove into the red zone on the next series, with a 17-yard pass and a 15-yard run by Padgett helping their cause. A fumble and two incomplete passes forced Crescent City to attempt a field goal on fourth-and-7 at the Keystone 8-yard line. An illegal-procedure penalty backed the Raiders up, but Newbold was able to connect on a 29-yard kick, putting his team up 17-6.
Crescent City began its next drive at the Keystone 39-yard line after a short punt. The Raiders tried to capitalize immediately with a long pass on first down, but Ulsch came up with an interception at his own 4-yard line.
The Keystone offense was unable to gain a first down, so the Indians were forced to punt for the fourth time in the half. Crescent City blocked the kick, with the ball falling into the hands of the Raiders’ Lendavious Keenon, who was standing in the end zone. The touchdown put Crescent City up 24-6 with 46 seconds left until halftime.
Tackles by the Indians’ Colton Hollingsworth and Vernell Jackson helped force Crescent City to punt for the first time on the opening drive of the second half, but the Raiders would get the ball back when Davis intercepted a pass. His return set the Raiders up at the Keystone 20-yard line. Two plays later, Davis caught an 8-yard touchdown pass at the 5:11 mark of the third quarter as Crescent City increased its lead to 31-6.
Keystone’s Jackson returned the ensuing kickoff 63 yards, giving the Indians the ball at the Crescent City 36. What followed was a six-play drive that consisted of nothing but runs by Schenck. His first two carries went for 13 and 9 yards, while a 6-yard run set up what would be a 4-yard touchdown with 1:48 to play in the third quarter. The two-point conversion was no good, leaving the score at 31-12.
The Indians’ defense was able to force Crescent City to turn the ball over on downs on the following series. The next time the Raiders had the ball, they picked up a first down on a third-and-20 play as Jenkins completed a 24-yard pass to Davis. Jenkins then hooked up with Padgett, who eluded tackles on his way to a 52-yard gain to the Keystone 1-yard line. Jenkins went over center for a touchdown with 5:28 to play, with Newbold adding the PAT for a 38-12 lead.
Schenck had two runs that produced first downs as the Indians marched from their 43 to the Crescent City 37. He later caught a short pass from Jackson Parmeter and turned it into a 32-yard touchdown at the 2:05 mark to complete the scoring. Parmeter’s pass on the two-point conversion was incomplete.
Hollingsworth led the Keystone defense in tackles with eight, while Noah Branch and Wyatt Van Zant each had six.
Palatka, Keystone’s next opponent, brings a 6-0 record into the game. The 10th-ranked Panthers are coming off a 61-8 win over Space Coast and have scored at least 26 points in each of their games. Opponents are scoring an average of nine points per game.
