KARNS CITY 28, HICKORY 25, OT

Sept. 8, 2006

KARNS CITY – Trailing 25-7 late in the third quarter, Karns City rallied for a 28-25 overtime win over visiting Hickory Friday night in Karns City.

The Gremlins capped the comeback with a 35-yard Matt McConnell in overtime, and the Karns City defense did the rest stopping the Hornets on three straight plays from the 1-yard line in overtime to preserve the victory.

The goal-line stand was most improbable considering Hickory running back Rashad Campbell, who had all three carries from the one, ran for 235 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries in the game including 25 carries for 227 yards in regulation. He had run for 9 yards on Hickory’s first play in overtime, but Karns City’s defense stiffened to keep him out of the end zone when it counted the most.

Karns City’s comeback started with a 24-yard McConnell field goal with 55 seconds left in the third quarter and continued with touchdowns runs by Roy Beham (5 yards) and Markus LaVan (3 yards) in the fourth quarter. Beham also had a crucial 2-point conversion run following the LaVan touchdown with 6:51 left in regulation.

Hickory had two apparent go-ahead touchdowns after LaVan’s score called back because of penalties.

Quarterback Nick Erdesky had scrambled for a 42-yard score but the play was called back on an illegal block.

Then on Hickory’s next possession, Erdesky threw a 35-yard touchdown pass but it came back on an offensive pass interference call.

The game wasn’t all good news for Karns City. The Butler Eagle is reporting that sophomore center Earl Everetts left the game with an apparent fractured leg.

Campbell gave Hickory a 6-0 lead late in the first quarter on a 5-yard run before Karns City took a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter on a 10-yard pass from Matt Endlish to Josh Callender.

But scoring runs of 22 and 20 runs by Campbell in the second quarter made it 19-7 Hornets at halftime.

Hickory appeared to put the game away midway through the third quarter when Ross Voisey caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from Nick Erdesky to put the Hornets ahead by 18.

Thanks in large part to Campbell, Hickory outgained Karns City 354-203.

Endlish was 10-for-21 for 110 yards, a touchdown and an interception for Karns City with Callender catching two passes for 37 yards and a score and James Smith getting two catches for 21 yards.

Stephen Conto ran five times for 39 yards, while Beham had 10 carries for 22 yards.

Karns City 28, Hickory 25 (OT)

Hickory 6 13 6 0 0—25

Karns City 0 7 3 15 3—28

H KC

First Downs 12 12

Rushes-Yards 44-289 40-93

Passing Yards 65 110

Passes: Comp-Att-Int 3-8-1 10-21-1

Total Yards 354 203

Fumbles/Lost 1-1 4-2

Penalties-Yards 10-100 8-65

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

H — Rashad Campbell 5 run (kick failed), :32

Second Quarter

KC— Josh Callander 10 pass from Matt Endlish (Matt McConnell kick), 10:12

H — Campbell 22 run (run failed), 7:56

H — Campbell 20 run (Ross Voisey kick), 3:51

Third Quarter

H — Voisey 44 pass from Nick Erdesky (kick failed), 6:55

KC — McConnell 24 field goal, :55

Fourth Quarter

KC — Roy Beham 5 run (McConnell kick), 10:03

KC— Markus LaVan 3 run (Beham run), 6:51

Overtime

KC— McConnell 35 field goal

Individual Stats

Rushing: Hickory, Rashad Campbell 29-235, Nick Erdesky 10-36, Josh Peagler 5-18. Karns City, Roy Beham 10-22, Joe Everetts 5-17, Stephen Conto 5-39, Markus LaVan 7-5, Chris Reeves 4-18, Anthony Stimac 1-10, Matt Endlish 8-(-18).

Passing: Hickory, Nick Erdesky 3-8-65-1. Karns City, Matt Endlish 10-21-110-1.

Receiving: Hickory, Ross Voisey 1-44, Rashad Campbell 2-21. Karns City, Chris Reeves 1-7, James Smith 2-21, Roy Beham 2-1, Josh Callender 2-37, Cameron Turner 1-9, Markus LaVan 1-16, Stephon Conto 1-19.