BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Running back Cartez Daniels and wide receiver Andru Siemer combined for 89 yards and two touchdowns to help Keystone Heights High School defeat visiting Ridgeview 27-26 in an Aug. 18 preseason kickoff classic.
The Indians led 20-18 when the varsity players exited the field after one series in the third quarter. The younger players were able to add a score and then pick up three first downs on Keystone’s final drive to run out the clock and preserve the win.
“We’ve got to improve on a couple of things here and there, but I love our kids,” Head Coach Steve Reynolds said. “I love the way they compete. They battle. They bounce back. They don’t let things pull them down.”
Keystone, which opens the varsity regular season at home against Eastside on Friday, Sept. 1, at 7:30 p.m., had to demonstrate its resiliency at the start. Ridgeview received the opening kickoff and scored on its first play from scrimmage, with Rayhn Hutchinson breaking loose for a 58-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion run attempt failed, with the Indians’ Garrison Teague making a tackle to keep the score at 6-0.
The Indians’ offense answered with an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Quarterback Baylor Ford completed passes that resulted in two first downs — a 10-yarder to Wyatt Van Zant and an 11-yarder to Teague. Teague’s reception put Keystone at the Ridgeview 47. Two Daniels runs and an incomplete pass later, the Indians went for it on fourth-and-3, with Ford scrambling for a 7-yard gain and a first down at the 33.
A pass-interference penalty resulted in another first down before Teague (two receptions for 27 yards) caught a 16-yard pass to set up first-and-goal at the 8. Daniels, who rushed for 52 yards on 13 carries, scored on a run from there with 6:09 to play in the first quarter. Tyler Sapp kicked the extra point for a 7-6 lead.
Keystone’s defense forced the Panthers to go three-and-out on their next series. A catch-interference penalty on the punt gave the Indians a first down at the Ridgeview 35.
A holding penalty wiped out a long run by Daniels, but the Indians cashed in on the drive anyway, with Siemer, who was running wide open down the middle of the field, hauling in a Ford pass for a 29-yard touchdown. After Sapp’s PAT, Keystone led 14-6 with 3:18 to play in the first quarter.
“Andru can be a playmaker,” Reynolds said of Siemer, a senior baseball and basketball player who’s playing football for the first time. “I’ve had him in my pocket a little bit. I didn’t want the whole world to know about him just yet.”
The Panthers’ Steven Woods returned the ensuing kickoff 46 yards to the Keystone 40. Ridgeview picked up a first down on a 21-yard pass play, but its offense failed to advance any farther. On a third-and-15 play, Jackson Herman sacked quarterback Travon Malone. The Panthers went for it on fourth down, with Malone being stuffed for no gain.
Ridgeview’s next possession began on the Keystone 42. Two consecutive pass plays resulted in a first down at the 24. Hutchinson then had a 12-yard run for a first down at the 12-yard line. Siemer broke up a pass in the end zone on second-and-10, but Hutchinson took a pitch for an 11-yard gain to the 1. Hutchinson then scored from there at the 6:59 mark of the second quarter. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the Panthers trailing 14-12.
The Panthers weren’t the beneficiary of good field position the next time they had the ball, beginning a drive at their own 16. Teague and Jayden Goodman both had tackles to hold Ridgeview to minimal gains on run plays as the Panthers eventually set up to punt on fourth-and-8. The Panthers’ punter was somehow able to get a kick off despite a bad snap, but it didn’t travel far, giving the Keystone offense possession at the Ridgeview 16 with 1:52 remaining until halftime.
Daniels, who was carrying the majority of the load with two running backs out with injuries, was out of the game with cramping issues. Brody Stephens, a freshman, stepped in and picked up 4 yards on first down. A reception by Siemer, who finished with three catches for 37 yards, set up fourth-and-2 at the 8. Ford, who completed 6 of 13 passes for 74 yards, picked up the first down on a 5-yard run. Stephens then took a handoff into the end zone for a 3-yard score with 15 seconds on the clock, making it a 20-12 game. Sapp’s PAT was blocked after a bad snap.
Each team’s varsity players played one series in the second half. After Keystone went three-and-out, the Panthers cashed in on a four-play, 52-yard drive. Christian Felder, despite tight coverage, was able to catch a deep pass for a 45-yard touchdown, pulling the Panthers to within 20-18. Siemer intercepted the pass on the two-point conversion attempt.
Keystone’s younger/junior varsity players had a three-and-out on their first offensive series, but were set up with good field position for their second when Ridgeview went for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 34-yard line. Layton Wright forced the turnover on downs on a tackle for a 4-yard loss.
Destin Harnage ripped off a 10-yard run on the ensuing first down to move the Indians to the 20-yard line. Keystone later converted a third-and-14 play when quarterback Jackson Parmeter completed a 22-yard pass to Bryce Hollingsworth. That set up Parmeter’s 2-yard touchdown run with 2:02 to play in the third quarter. Ryder Thomas kicked the extra point for a 27-18 lead.
Ridgeview answered with an 11-play, 75-yard scoring drive. The Panthers had first down-producing runs of 20 and 10 yards, while a 16-yard pass resulted in another first down at the Keystone 25. Ridgeview decreased its deficit when Quincy Hall scored on a 24-yard run about midway through the final quarter, which was played with a running clock. Jordon Mesa had a successful run on the two-point play to make the score 27-26.
Keystone’s ensuing drive didn’t get off to a promising start as Stephens was tackled for a 1-yard loss, but Harnage came back with an 11-yard gain on the next play for a first down. A 6-yard run by Stephens later set up third-and-5, which was converted on Harnage’s 10-yard run. On the next play, Stephens gained 8 yards. Parmeter then took two kneel downs to run out the clock.
Harnage, a sophomore, finished with 62 yards on 14 carries, while Stephens had 52 yards on 10 carries.
“I was impressed with how our younger guys ended up moving the ball,” Reynolds said, adding, “We saw two really good young running backs tonight.”
