By Lee McManus
Correspondent
They fired off fireworks after every Catawba Ridge touchdown, but in their game against the York Cougars, the Copperheads offense supplied plenty of their own.
Catawba Ridge quarterback Will Gambrill threw four touchdown passes, and Boston Halpin rushed for three scores in the Copperheads 50-26 win on Friday, Oct. 2. The Copperheads are now 3-3 on the season and 1-1 in Region 3-4A.
Just 59 seconds into the game Halpin plunged into the end zone from the one to give Catawba Ridge the lead. Calvin Rocheleau returned the opening kickoff 34 yards and then hauled in a 55-yard pass to set up the score. Colten McCauley hit Rocheleau on wide receiver option pass to set up Catawba Ridge at the one.
Gambrill’s first of two touchdown passes to McCauley extended the lead to 13. McCauley took the wide receiver screen and raced up the near sideline 79 yards into the end zone.
York’s Caleb Sanders turned a bad snap into the first of his three rushing touchdowns on the night. He took the wildcat snap and raced down the middle of the field 72 yards to bring the Cougars to within six points.
Catawba Ridge’s only sustained drive pushed the lead back to 13. Halpin broke up the middle from the 13 to make the score 20-7 in the Copperheads favor.
York fought to overcome penalties all night. A 29-yard touchdown pass after a personal foul cut the lead back to six. Tamir Thrower went up between two defenders and hauled in quarterback Ryan Brochu’s pass.
Catawba Ridge extended their lead just one play later. Nate O’Dell hauled in Gambrill’s pass, broke a tackle, and raced to pay dirt for the 66-yard score.
McCauley intercepted Brochu on York’s next possession. Just before half Gambrill connected with him again, this time from seven yards. The Copperheads led 33-14 at the half.
Catawba Ridge put the game away, scoring 17 fourth quarter points. Halpin’s one yard dive and a two-point to Rocheleau from Gambrill brought the lead to 21. Alex Johnson then sacked Brochu in the end zone.
Gambrill capped off his big night on the ensuing drive. He found Brady Pezold for a three-yard touchdown, making Gambrill 16-of-25 for 304 and four touchdowns on the night.
Unlike the Cougars, Catawba Ridge used several big plays to overcome their 10 penalties for 119 yards. Rocheleau and McCauley both finished with over 100 yards receiving. Rocheleau had four catches for 116 yards, McCauley while caught five passes for 139 yards and two scores.
Catawba Ridge head coach Zac Lendyak discussed his team’s offensive execution.
“We put a lot of work in during the bye week,” he said. “To have two weeks to prepare for a game is a big advantage. Pretty much all the stuff we wanted to do we were able to do tonight, which is great to see.”
On October 9 Catawba Ridge faces crosstown rival the Nation Ford Falcons at home.
“We’re excited to see NaFo (Nation Ford),” Lendyak added. “Any time we get one of the other Fort Mill schools here we expect a big crowd.”
