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Phoenix playoff bound despite setback By TIM PYLE MERLIN - Turnovers told the tale Friday night at North Valley High. The Phoenix football team, trying to claim a share of the Skyline Conference crown by defeating the host and fourth-ranked Knights, committed five turnovers in a 38-20 loss. The Pirates, who finish the regular season 4-2 in the Skyline and 5-4 overall, lost two fumbles and tossed three interceptions. Throw in 208 yards rushing by North Valley senior tailback Colin Beard - 163 of which came in the second half - and it's evident how the Knights clinched their first outright conference title since 1992 and rumbled to a 9-0 regular-season campaign. "We had some bad breaks at the wrong times," said Phoenix head coach Gordy Crowston, whose squad had its four-game winning streak snapped but still makes the Class 3A state playoffs as the Skyline's No. 3 seed. "And they had too many weapons." Entering the fourth quarter, the Pirates were still very much alive, trailing 18-14. But Beard, running with power and speed, busted loose for three of his five rushing touchdowns to help North Valley pull away. "Colin's just a great competitor," said Knights fourth-year head coach John George, who cashed in on 10 returning starters on offense and eight on defense to earn his first Skyline championship at North Valley. "He runs hard, and the offensive line did a great job opening holes for him." The Knights get a first-round bye in the state playoffs by virtue of their Skyline crown, while Phoenix must travel to Junction City next Friday for a first-round affair. Despite three first-half turnovers, the Pirates entered the break tied at 6-6 after scoring on the last play of the half. Senior quarterback Ross Ellis rewarded Crowston's decision to eschew a field-goal attempt by finding junior receiver Brady Rhodes in the right corner of the end zone as time expired. The 7-yard touchdown made it 6-6, and it stayed that way when senior wideout Floron McGee's reverse in search of a two-point conversion was snuffed out by the North Valley defense. The Knights put their first-half points on the board at 10:58 of the second quarter, turning Beard's interception of a Ellis pass and ensuing 42-yard return into a 2-yard Beard TD jaunt. In the second half, North Valley came out with renewed vigor in its running game. With the first possession of the third quarter, the Knights marched 63 yards in seven plays. Beard's 3-yard, tackle-breaking display of determination capped the drive and gave him 51 yards rushing during the series. Sophomore Martin Gonzalez set up Phoenix's answering score by picking off a pass from North Valley junior quarterback Tim Cunha and returning it to the Knights' 25-yard line. Three plays later, Pirates senior tailback Eric Kessler bowled his way 8 yards into the end zone. Kessler added a conversion run to hand Phoenix a 14-12 edge. North Valley, trailing for just the second time this season, responded in style. On the ensuing kickoff, sophomore Allen Beck fielded and returned 20 yards before pitching to senior speedster Cole Parmelee who cruised 55 more yards down the right sideline and into the end zone. The play covered 75 yards in all to put the Knights back up, 18-14. "That's the first time we've run the option on a kickoff return," said Parmelee, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound wide receiver/defensive back. "We just knew what we had to get done." Phoenix appeared on the verge of striking right back, but sophomore fullback Jimi Lockheed was stripped on a carry up the gut, and North Valley recovered on its own 30. "The kickoff return and that fumble right after it - you put those two together, and that's tough to recover from," Crowston said. The score remained 18-14 until Beard finished a three-play, 42-yard drive by going 15 yards for the score at 6:55 of the fourth. The series began after senior defensive back Ken Hiler intercepted Ellis. The Pirates failed on fourth down from their own 18 on their next drive, and Beard immediately sprinted to his fourth TD from 18 yards out. After Phoenix completed its scoring with a 1-yard Kessler plunge to top a five-play, 40-yard march, Beard added a 13-yard TD run for the final margin. "We just told 'em we needed to do the things that got us here, and that's play defense, tackle and run the ball," said George of the halftime speech delivered to his Knights. Phoenix .....................................................0 6 8
6 - 20 N - Beard 2 run (kick missed). Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail tpyle@mailtribune.com |
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