By David Thackham
Correspondent
ROCK HILL –Catawba Ridge head football coach Zac Lendyak said his team believed they could take down Class 4A powerhouse South Pointe in their season opener Friday night.
But the Copperheads’ second-half revival was too little, too late as the Stallions won 31-14 in front of a socially-distanced crowd of about 1,000 fans at District III South Stadium in Rock Hill.
Nygel Moore and Omega Blake both ran in touchdowns, and Caleb Rayner caught a scoring pass from Blake to help South Pointe earn a 24-0 halftime lead.
Catawba Ridge quarterback Jadyn Davis threw back-to-back second-half touchdown passes to Quinten Jackson and Ben Hudgins to shave the Stallions lead to just 10 with 5:13 left in the fourth quarter. However, Blake’s final touchdown, a 24-yard scramble on the final South Pointe drive, proved too much for Catawba Ridge (0-1, 0-1 Region 3-4A) to overcome.
“The boys believed that we had a chance,” Lendyak said. “We obviously didn’t get that done. I liked what I saw from them in the second half, but we can’t play the way we did in the first half and beat anybody, let alone South Pointe. There are plenty of things we can do better.”
Catawba Ridge is entering just its second year of varsity competition and its first year in Class 4A. Last year, the Copperheads won their first two games, but ended the year on an eight-game losing skid.
It was clear that both teams were in need of competitive reps: Friday’s game was chock-full of penalties on both sides.
Still, South Pointe was able to punish Catawba Ridge’s early mistakes and capitalize for points.
Davis was picked off twice on tipped passes in the first half. South Pointe’s Isiaiah Steele snagged a pass in the air to set up Stallions’ quarterback Omega Blake to lead his team downfield and set up senior kicker Colin Karhu for an easy 24-yard field goal.
Once Davis got the ball back on the ensuing Catawba Ridge drive, Jordan Mahoney was able to pick off an errant pass on a crossing route. Five plays later, Rayner was shrugging off a defender as he completed a 28-yard touchdown that put the Stallions up 17-0 with a few minutes left in the first half.
South Pointe coach DeVonte Holloman seemed to use senior quarterbacks Omega Blake and Nebanye Moore as a dual threat, subbing them in as the play dictated.
“It was our first time, live action,” Holloman said. “We’re getting them more comfortable. Omega came in and he did what we know he can do… It was a great team win.”
Catawba Ridge’s offense seemed to finally get into a rhythm midway through the third quarter. Davis and running back Henry Bowen grinded out a 6-minute, 57-yard scoring drive that ended with Davis finding Quinten Jackson from 5-yards out. He then spotted Jacobie Henderson on the 2-point conversion to cut the South Pointe lead to 16.
The Copperheads topped that with a 63-yard, 6-minute drive to open the fourth quarter. Davis found receiver Ben Hudgins in the far-right side of the end zone on a fourth and 7 with 5:13 left to play.
However, Davis fumbled on the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt, and Catawba Ridge didn’t have a chance to threaten for the rest of the game.
Lendyak praised his freshman starter Davis, who he said has plenty of learning ahead of him.
“He’s a 15-year-old kid in his first varsity action,” Lendyak said. “Once he got his throws, he got into a rhythm, we picked up a tempo, and we did well.”
South Pointe put the score beyond doubt when Blake slipped past several Copperheads defenders in route to a 24-yard rushing touchdown, with three minutes left in the final quarter. His ability to elude tackles and pick up first downs had frustrated Catawba Ridge all night.
“I told the kids, ‘It’s a blessing to play,’” Holloman said. “Kids all over the country would kill to be in their shoes, so I don’t want them to take it for granted. I’m proud of the effort. Our coaching staff got our kids ready to play.”
Lendyak said his team needed to be more physical and get in better shape for the rest of the season ahead.
“We have high expectations in the program,” he said. “The guys feel the same way.”
Lendyak’s team is starting its 7-game 2020 season with all four of its region games in the first four weeks of the season.
Catawba Ridge will next have York in its home opener Oct. 2.
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER
SP – Nygel Moore 2-yard rushing TD, kick good by Colin Karhu, 7-0, 5:22
2nd QUARTER
SP – Karhu 24-yard field goal, 10-0, 5:20
SP – Omega Blake 28-yard TD pass to Caleb Rayner, kick good by Karhu, 17-0, 3:52
SP – Omega Blake 14-yard rushing TD, kick good by Karhu, 24-0, 6.7 seconds
3rd QUARTER
CR – Jadyn Davis 5-yard TD pass to Quinten Jackson, 2-pt conversion pass from Davis to Jacobie Henderson good, 24-8, 1:07
4TH QUARTER
CR – Davis 10-yard TD pass to Ben Hudgins, 2-pt conversion failed, 24-14, 5:13
SP – Blake 24-yard rushing TD, kick good by Karhu, 31-14, 3:06
