Wildcats’ first district game another heartbreaker

Big plays doomed the Coalgate Wildcats varsity football team which lost its first district game Friday night.

The Wildcats were on the road playing Marietta, and, at one point during the game, had a six-point lead over the Indians.

“We still have guys who aren’t doing their job on every play,” Head Coach Nathan Hill said, “that’s what gets us beat. Every time there’s a big play, we’ve got a couple of guys not doing their job and it showed.”

The Indians were first on the board with a 55-yard rushing touchdown late in the first quarter. After a successful twopoint conversion, Marietta went up 8-0.

However, with about 3:40 left in the half, the Wildcats answered with a big play of their own.

After receiving a punt and starting a drive at the 50yard line, Coalgate junior quarterback Ryfle Gold took a snap from the center, ran a few steps back, then launched the ball down the middle to junior receiver Cade Cometti who ran it in for a 50yard touchdown.

Using a swinging gate play, sophomore Tristan Trevathan, going in motion, took a direct pitch from the center and broke a couple of tackles to run it in for the two-point conversion.

The score remained knotted at 8 going into halftime.

Second half

Marietta received the ball to begin the second half and drove the field -- aided by a pass interference call against Coalgate -- and scored another touchdown and two-point conversion to make it 16-8.

The Indians’ next possession ended with a punt, and Tristan Trevathan had a nice return to the Coalgate 32-yard line.

On first and 10, Cade Cometti took a direct snap, rolled to the outside and outran several Marietta defenders for a huge 68-yard touchdown run.

A batted pass on the two-point conversion attempt left the score at 16-14, Marietta.

Marietta’s next possession ended with a punt, then the Wildcats drove the field for another touchdown to take the lead, 20-16.

The drive started with 7:16 left in the third quarter at their own 15-yard line.

A big pass went incomplete on first down, but then sophomore Zeke Marlow caught a pass for about 13 yards.

Senior Jody Trevathan also gained 13 yards, on a rushing play.

However, Jody Trevathan was stuffed behind the line by the Marietta defense on the next place for a two-yard loss. And the second down play was an incomplete pass.

But on third and 12, Gold launched a big pass to Comittee who caught it and was taken down at the Marietta 30-yard line. Jody Trevathan gained seven yards on a handoff, then nine more on another handoff to the Indians’ 14yard line. Under pressure, Gold threw an incomplete pass on first down. Jody Trevathan then gained five yards on a strong five-yard run. Cade Cometti took a direct snap and stiff-armed a defender just enough to get into the corner of the endzone for the touchdown. A successful two-point conversion put the Wild cats up, 22-16.

However, the Indians scored a touchdown on another big play, a 75-yard rush -- to tie the score at 22. The two-point conversion was successful, however, to make it 24-22, Marietta.

Disaster struck on Coalgate’s next possession when Marietta picked up a Coalgate fumble at midfield and started driving and threatening to score.

At Coalgate’s 35-yard line, however, the Marietta quarterback threw the ball to the outside, but his defender had slanted inside for a broken play. An observant Tristan Trevathan ran to the ball, caught it, then ran through the Marietta defense for a pick 6 to make it 28-24, Wildcats.

A pass interference call against the Indians on the twopoint conversion attempt put the Wildcats at the one-yard line.

However, Marietta’s defense held and stopped the rushing attempt, leaving the score at 28-24, Coalgate.

On Marietta’s next possession, another big play led to the Marietta rusher rumbling 54 yards to the Coalgate 11-yard line before Cade Cometti chased down the rusher to tackle him at the 11 and save the touchdown.

However, the Indians fumbled the ball deep in Coalgate territory and senior Isaiah Rodriguez recovered the ball at the 10-yard line. Coalgate couldn’t convert, however, and was forced to punt.

And yet another big play spelled disaster, when, on their ensuing possession, an Indians rusher ran the ball untouched for 40 yards and a touchdown to put Marietta up 30-28. The Wildcats defense held the Indians on the two-point con- version attempt, however.

On their next possession, deep in their own territory, the Wildcats received a holding penalty in their own endzone, so a safety was called to make it 32-28, Marietta. Coalgate attempted an onsides kick, but it was unsuccessful. The Indians then retained possession of the ball to run out the clock. The Wildcats, 0-4/01, will host the Kingston Indians, 1-3/1-0, Friday at Donald Mike Mayer Field. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

Game statistics

Coalgate had 268 total yards -- 158 yards rushing and 110 yards passing.

Passing

Ryfle Gold completed eight of 18 passes for 158 yards, one touchdown and had one interception.

Receiving

Tison Franklin caught three passes for 24 yards; Zeke Marlow caught one pass for 13 yards; and Buster Ratcliff caught one pass for 10 yards.

Rushing

Cade Cometti rushed eight times for 63 yards, two touchdowns and had two fumbles; while Jody Trevathan rushed 14 times for 47 yards.

Defense Tackles Jody Trevathan made nine solo tackles and two assisted tackles, while Tison Franklin made nine solos and one assist. Others with solo and assisted tackles were Cade Cometti, 6-1; Caleb Perry, 5-0; Landon Hopkins, 5-1; Bryson Stowe, 4-1; Tristan Trevathan, 3-0; Rowdy Hemphill, 2-1; Zeke Marlow, 1-1; Buster Ratcliff, 1-1; Damien Martinez, 1-1; Kyler Woods, 1-0; Chet Barnett, 1-0; Mark Reed, 1-0; Isaiah Rodriguez, 1-0.

Standout plays

Tristan Trevathan intercepted a pass for a touchdown and Isaiah Rodriguez recovered one fumble.