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Red Devils romp in Sunset Conference opener
By John Gunther, Sports Editor
Saturday, September 22, 2007 | 1 comment(s)
COQUILLE — Coquille’s hopes to contend for a playoff spot in the new-look Sunset Conference got a big boost Friday, when the Red Devils opened league play by drilling Reedpsort 36-8.
Coquille got its offense into high gear and took advantage of Reedsport’s mistakes to pull away for the easy victory.
The win left the Red Devils feeling a lot better than last week, when they were steam-rolled by Illinois Valley in a nonleague contest.
“It feels real good,” said Coquille’s Buddy Parlier, who had two scoring runs and threw for another touchdown on a halfback pass. “We played together as a team more than last week.”
Coquille limited its mistakes, won the turnover battle and had a dominant defensive performance in the second half.
“We really stepped up and started to play together (in the second half),” said Colton Holmes, who had two interceptions for the Red Devils. “We were having fun out there. We’ve definitely improved.”
Coquille never trailed in the game, taking advantage of multiple opportunities in both halves.
The tone was set on the opening kickoff, which Tim Davis returned 58 yards to Reedsport’s 11-yard line.
Coquille didn’t score on that possession, but quickly got a turnover when Robert Stuberg stripped the ball from Reedsport workhorse Ryan Smith.
Reedsport’s defense again held, but Coquille forced a punt and the snap was bobbled, with Reedsport’s punter tackled at the Braves’ 22. This time the Red Devils capitalized, with Parlier scoring the first touchdown on a 4-yard run. Quarterback Heston Altenbach hit Davis with a conversion pass to put the Red Devils up 8-0.
The Red Devils again quickly forced a punt, and this time drove 67 yards in eight plays, including a 19-yard completion from Altenbach to speedy Justin Lessley on an inside screen pass on third down and runs of 18 yards by Altenbach, 13 by Parlier and 12 by Davis. Parlier scored on the first play of the second quarter, taking a handoff to the right side and then cutting back across the middle into the end zone. Zac Smith’s conversion run made it 16-0.
Reedsport got on the board midway through the second quarter when Adam Chase completed a 11-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown scamper on a quarterback keeper. Ryan Smith pulled Reedsport within a score by getting across the line on the conversion.
But Coquille used trickery to quickly answer the touchdown. Parlier took a handoff from Altenbach and then hit Lessley streaking down the right sideline for a 67-yard scoring strike, which gave the Red Devils a 22-8 halftime advantage.
Chase suffered a slight concussion on the final play of the first half and Reedsport had to turn to backup David King and the Braves never got flowing on offense in the second half.
Coquille stopped the first drive on downs, and Reedsport never got a first down the rest of the way.
“We made our mistakes in the first half,” said Coquille coach John Breuer. “We sat down at halftime and talked about what we needed to do. We stopped that first drive in the second half and that changed momentum.”
Coquille scored on its first drive of the half when Altenbach leaned across the line one play after connecting with James Baldridge on a 28-yard pass to Reedsport’s 1-yard line.
After the teams traded punts, Holmes had his second interception of the game to set the Red Devils up at Reedsport’s 39.
Altenbach hit Holmes for a 28-yard gain and Davis finished the drive with a 1-yard plunge.
Altenbach was steady in the second half after a slow start, finishing the game 8-for-17 for 157 yards.
“He’s building every time and getting better,” Breuer said.
Meanwhile, Coquille limited the Braves to 88 yards rushing and 31 passing. Smith rushed for 97 yards on 19 carries for the Braves.
Reedsport had its fifth turnover when freshman Rex Dixon recovered a fumble — Davis also had a fumble recovery late in the opening half — and Coquille ran out the clock.
On the sideline, the players drenched Breuer with a bucket of ice water as the clock ticked down, not a normal celebration for a first win of the league season. But Coquille’s players were thrilled to start with a victory before facing newcomer Cascade Christian in Central Point next Saturday.
“It definitely rejuves our team spirit,” said Holmes. “It gets us ready for next week.”
Breuer felt good about the win.
“This was a good win for us to get us started for the rest of the season,” Breuer said. “It’s a tough road from here if you don’t win this game.”
That’s what Reedsport faces if the Braves hope to challenge for a playoff spot.
He said Coquille capitalized on his team’s mistakes, and that the Braves didn’t perform on defense.
“They did exactly what I thought they would,” he said, referring to several of Coquille’s big plays. “Everything they did, we practiced on defense and we just didn’t execute.”
The Braves also had too many penalties, he said, referring to 10 flags for 85 yards.
On the positive side, he liked his team’s effort.
“The kids did play hard to the end.”
The Braves were hurt by the injuries. In addition to Adam Chase, they lost Marco Santana and Travis Leach, who suffered a leg injury that probably will end his season.
“Reedsport’s not a bad team,” Breuer said. “They’re kind of like us. They don’t have a lot of depth.”
Coquille got its offense into high gear and took advantage of Reedsport’s mistakes to pull away for the easy victory.
The win left the Red Devils feeling a lot better than last week, when they were steam-rolled by Illinois Valley in a nonleague contest.
“It feels real good,” said Coquille’s Buddy Parlier, who had two scoring runs and threw for another touchdown on a halfback pass. “We played together as a team more than last week.”
Coquille limited its mistakes, won the turnover battle and had a dominant defensive performance in the second half.
“We really stepped up and started to play together (in the second half),” said Colton Holmes, who had two interceptions for the Red Devils. “We were having fun out there. We’ve definitely improved.”
Coquille never trailed in the game, taking advantage of multiple opportunities in both halves.
The tone was set on the opening kickoff, which Tim Davis returned 58 yards to Reedsport’s 11-yard line.
Coquille didn’t score on that possession, but quickly got a turnover when Robert Stuberg stripped the ball from Reedsport workhorse Ryan Smith.
Reedsport’s defense again held, but Coquille forced a punt and the snap was bobbled, with Reedsport’s punter tackled at the Braves’ 22. This time the Red Devils capitalized, with Parlier scoring the first touchdown on a 4-yard run. Quarterback Heston Altenbach hit Davis with a conversion pass to put the Red Devils up 8-0.
The Red Devils again quickly forced a punt, and this time drove 67 yards in eight plays, including a 19-yard completion from Altenbach to speedy Justin Lessley on an inside screen pass on third down and runs of 18 yards by Altenbach, 13 by Parlier and 12 by Davis. Parlier scored on the first play of the second quarter, taking a handoff to the right side and then cutting back across the middle into the end zone. Zac Smith’s conversion run made it 16-0.
Reedsport got on the board midway through the second quarter when Adam Chase completed a 11-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown scamper on a quarterback keeper. Ryan Smith pulled Reedsport within a score by getting across the line on the conversion.
But Coquille used trickery to quickly answer the touchdown. Parlier took a handoff from Altenbach and then hit Lessley streaking down the right sideline for a 67-yard scoring strike, which gave the Red Devils a 22-8 halftime advantage.
Chase suffered a slight concussion on the final play of the first half and Reedsport had to turn to backup David King and the Braves never got flowing on offense in the second half.
Coquille stopped the first drive on downs, and Reedsport never got a first down the rest of the way.
“We made our mistakes in the first half,” said Coquille coach John Breuer. “We sat down at halftime and talked about what we needed to do. We stopped that first drive in the second half and that changed momentum.”
Coquille scored on its first drive of the half when Altenbach leaned across the line one play after connecting with James Baldridge on a 28-yard pass to Reedsport’s 1-yard line.
After the teams traded punts, Holmes had his second interception of the game to set the Red Devils up at Reedsport’s 39.
Altenbach hit Holmes for a 28-yard gain and Davis finished the drive with a 1-yard plunge.
Altenbach was steady in the second half after a slow start, finishing the game 8-for-17 for 157 yards.
“He’s building every time and getting better,” Breuer said.
Meanwhile, Coquille limited the Braves to 88 yards rushing and 31 passing. Smith rushed for 97 yards on 19 carries for the Braves.
Reedsport had its fifth turnover when freshman Rex Dixon recovered a fumble — Davis also had a fumble recovery late in the opening half — and Coquille ran out the clock.
On the sideline, the players drenched Breuer with a bucket of ice water as the clock ticked down, not a normal celebration for a first win of the league season. But Coquille’s players were thrilled to start with a victory before facing newcomer Cascade Christian in Central Point next Saturday.
“It definitely rejuves our team spirit,” said Holmes. “It gets us ready for next week.”
Breuer felt good about the win.
“This was a good win for us to get us started for the rest of the season,” Breuer said. “It’s a tough road from here if you don’t win this game.”
That’s what Reedsport faces if the Braves hope to challenge for a playoff spot.
He said Coquille capitalized on his team’s mistakes, and that the Braves didn’t perform on defense.
“They did exactly what I thought they would,” he said, referring to several of Coquille’s big plays. “Everything they did, we practiced on defense and we just didn’t execute.”
The Braves also had too many penalties, he said, referring to 10 flags for 85 yards.
On the positive side, he liked his team’s effort.
“The kids did play hard to the end.”
The Braves were hurt by the injuries. In addition to Adam Chase, they lost Marco Santana and Travis Leach, who suffered a leg injury that probably will end his season.
“Reedsport’s not a bad team,” Breuer said. “They’re kind of like us. They don’t have a lot of depth.”
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