KARNS CITY 26, KEYSTONE 21

Sept. 22, 2006

KEYSTONE – Karns City rallied from a 21-14 deficit heading to the fourth quarter to get a 26-21 win over Keystone in a key KSAC game Friday night in Knox.

Matt Endlish’s 11-yard touchdown run with 3:53 left gave the Gremlins the lead for good.

Roy Beham set up Endlish’s go-ahead score with a sack followed by a blocked punt deep in Keystone territory.

With Keystone leading 21-20, Beham blind-sided Panther quarterback Ben Black for a five-yard loss on the third down. He then blocked his second punt of the game, and Karns City recovered at the Keystone 14-yard line.

After the block, the Gremlins (4-0 overall, 2-0 KSAC) moved to the Keystone 6-yard line and were facing a third-and-short before being whistled for a false start.

It didn’t matter.

On the next play, Endlish faked an option toss and ran up the middle for the 11-yard score.

Keystone (2-2, 2-2) had one last chance after Ryan Wedekind blocked a punt late giving Keystone the ball on its own 42-yard line with 2:24 remaining.

A screen pass to Alex Rowan moved the ball to the Karns City 37, but Keystone was unable to get another first down and turned the ball over on downs.

Keystone trailed 14-7 at the half but took the 21-14 lead thanks to a 78-yard touchdown pass from Black to Mike Switzer and 1-yard Black run.

Endlish got Karns City to within a point with 7:04 left when he hit Matt McConnell with a 23-yard scoring pass. But Derek Swartfager blocked the extra point to temporarily preserve the lead for the Panthers.

Defense played a big role in Karns City’s comeback. They held Keystone to two yards of offense and one first down in the final 12 minutes while recording three of the Gremlins four sacks in the fourth quarter.

The Gremlins run defense was tough all night limiting Keystone to 14 yards rushing on 24 carries. Keystone came into the game averaging 135.7 yards per game on the ground, but Karns City limited the Panthers to minus-2 yards rushing in the first half.

After a scoreless first quarter, Karns City took a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard run by Joey Everett with 5:51 left in the first half.

But Rowan returned to ensuing kickoff 53 yards setting up a 37-yard scoring pass from Black to Mike Switzer that tied the game at 7-7 with 4:48 left in the half.

Karns City took the 14-7 halftime lead on a 38-yard run by Beham with 1:10 to go before halftime. The Gremlins also had a 43-yard touchdown run by Josh Callender in the second quarter called back by a holding penalty.

Karns City outgained Keystone 304 to 218 but had nine penalties for 81 yards while also turning the ball over three times.

Endlish finished the night 10 of 17 passing for 90 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Beham ran 19 times for 122 yards and the score.

Black was 8 of 21 passing for 204 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Switzer had four grabs for 115 yards and two scores, while Rowan had two catches for 66 yards.

Swartfager ran 15 times for 33 yards and had two catches for 23 yards while also interception a pass on defense.

Karns City 0-14-0-12 – 26

Keystone 0-7-14-0 – 21

KC – Joey Everetts 1-yard run (Matt McConnell kick), 5:51

KY – Ben Black 37-yard pass to Mike Switzer (Chris Orvis kick), 4:48

KC – Roy Beham 38-yard run (Matt McConnell kick), 1:10

KY – Black to Mike Switzer 78-yard pass (Orvis kick), 11:03

KY – Black 1-yard run (Orvis kick), 9:28

KC – Matt Endlish 23-yard pass to Matt McConnell (kick blocked by Derek Swartfager), 7:04

KC –Endlish 11-yard run (pass failed), 3:53

First Downs: 10; 9

Rushes-Yards: 45-169; 24-14

Passing Yards: 135; 204

Comp-Att-Int: 11-17-2; 8-21-1

Total Yards: 304; 218

Penalties-Yards: 9-81; 6-45

Punts-Avg: 4-42.2; 8-26.2

Fumbles-Lost: 2-1; 1-0

Passing – Karns City: Matt Endlish 10-for-17, 90 yards, TD, 2 INT; Anthony Stimac 1-for-1, 45 yards. Keystone: Ben Black 8-for-21, 204 yards, 2 TD, INT.

Rushing – Karns City: Roy Beham 19-122; Endlish 6-23; Joey Everetts 7-12; Markus LaVan 2-12; Brett Green 3-9; Ben Pyle 1-1; Josh Callender 2-0; Stephon Conto 2(-4); Team 3(-6). Keystone: Derek Swartfager 15-33; Tyler Jack 1-10; Alex Rowan 2(-2); Black 6(-21); Team 1(-6).

Receiving – Karns City: Callender 1-45; Mike McConnell 1-30; Matt McConnell 1-23; Beham 4-22; Conto 3-14; Cameron Turner 1-1. Keystone: Mike Switzer 4-115; Rowan 2-66; Swartfager 2-23.

Interceptions – Karns City: Mike McConnell. Keystone: Swartfager; Luca Montana.

Sacks: Karns City: Beham; Everetts; Turner; Justin Switzer (0.5); Nick Sypulski (0.5). Keystone: Blake Cataldo.