By Lee McManus
Correspondent
The Catawba Ridge Copperheads shrugged off a slow start to power their way back over the Blythewood Bengals.
The Copperheads dropped back to 4A this season and the Bengals, a member of Region 4-4A, looked to offer a good opening opponent for Catawba Ridge. Catawba Ridge’s defense kept them in the game until the offense found its rhythm. The Copperheads shutout the Bengals after the first quarter, pulling away for a 24-6 win.
Catawba Ridge head coach Zac Lendyak praised his defense.
“I think they like being on the field,” he said. “What Coach (Chris) Rust and his defensive staff does with guys like Tyler Gindoff, and Damian Ashcroft and some of our defensive linemen, we just knew those guys were going to give us a chance offensively.”
Blythewood stayed on the Copperheads side of the field most of the first quarter, but could not capitalize except for one drive. Blythewood quarter James Veasey found running back Landyn Strong on a wheel route from the 10 to put the Bengals up 6-0.
Blythewood’s lead stayed at just one score because of a stout Copperhead defense. Catawba Ridge held the Bengals on fourth and four from the Copperheads 16, breaking up Veasey’s pass. The Catawba Ridge defense held Blythewood to just 84 net yards in the first.
For most of the first half the Copperheads struggled even more on offense. The Bengals held Catawba Ridge without a first down until less than three and a half minutes were left in the first half.
Aided by two personal foul penalties they finally moved the ball down to Blythewood’s 20. Copperheads quarterback Will Gambrill capped off the 76-yard drive when he found Lucas McCauley in the near corner of the end zone. The 20-yard score put Catawba Ridge up 7-6 at the half.
Catawba Ridge led despite just 55 yards of net offense and four first downs in the first half. Their defense allowed them to overcome two interceptions as well.
A wild exchange of turnovers enabled them to erase a third interception by Gambrill. Chisolm picked off his second pass and returned it into Copperhead territory, but he fumbled. Nate Odell recovered, and on the next play Catawba Ridge extended its lead. Gambrill found McCauley again, this time down the far side for a 54-yard strike to make it 14-6.
Shortly afterwards the Copperheads defense forced another turnover. A personal foul penalty backed up the Bengals to their own 13. Veasey was sacked, fumbled, and Tyler Gindoff recovered the ball in the end zone for Catawba Ridge.
Josh Crick capped the scoring after a Copperhead drive stalled at the Bengals 31. His 41-yard field goal with 9:10 to play put the game out of reach for Blythewood.
The Bengals managed just two first downs after halftime. The Copperhead defense held strong against the run, limiting Blythewood to 31 carries for 75 rushing yards.
Next week Catawba Ridge travels across town to take on the Fort Mill Yellow Jackets.
“When you’re playing a cross-town rival like that you probably don’t need a lot of pump speeches or motivational stuff,” Lendyak said. “That place will be packed… the town of Fort Mill has three great football teams, and it’s fun when we compete with each other.”
