Bobcats reign over Comets, 45-22

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — You have to give credit to the sparse contingent of fans who were willing to show up for the Comets’ home Northeast Iowa Conference football game against Benton on Friday night despite a steady and wind-swept rainfall with little chance of letup on the Doppler radar horizon.

You also have to give credit to them for sticking around after two long lightning delays.

But when it was finally deemed safe enough for the players to return to the field and for the fans to return to the stands, it was the Bobcats who struck like repeated bolts as they scored 38 unanswered points to bust open what was a close game through the first 14 minutes of play before the first delay.

Charles City was able to cap the scoring with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but it was far too little too late as the Comets fell to the Bobcats, 45-22.

The impact of the wet conditions were immediate, resulting in the first score of the game.

While trying to corral a snap that sailed over his head, Comet quarterback Mike Cranshaw couldn’t control a wet ball on slippery grass as it trickled into the end zone where Jacob Stocker finally pounced on it for a Bobcat touchdown.

Early in the second quarter, Cranshaw hit Tre Walker on a slant pattern which resulted in a 66-yard catch-and-run TD, but the Comets missed the ensuing extra point allowing Benton to hold onto a 7-6 lead.

With 9:59 left in the second quarter, a flash of lightning appeared in the distance prompting a mandatory 30-minute delay that was prolonged to nearly 90 minutes with subsequent flashes.

Ironically, during the delay period the conditions were at their driest. After play resumed, the rain returned with intermittent showers.

That’s also when the Bobcats poured it on.

Matthew Davis scored on a 48-yard TD run to extend the lead several minutes after the restart. On Benton’s next two possessions, senior quarterback Spencer Touro scored on a 4-yard keeper before connecting with Ryan Nolan on a 59-yard TD pass play with 18 seconds left in the half.

The Bobcats weren’t done yet in the half as they recovered the ensuing onside kick, then got another play with no time left on the clock after the Comets were whistled for pass interference.

That allowed Bobcat placekicker Vance Bartelt — who would end up 6 of 6 in PAT kicks — to attempt and make a 35-yard field goal to give Benton a 31-6 a halftime lead.

After Benton scored two more TDs in the third quarter — a 3-yard run by Davis; who would end up with 195 yards rushing; and a 35-yard Touro to Nolan pass play — it extended the score to 45-6 while initiating a running clock.

Needing to score a bunch fast with little time to spare, the Comets somehow managed to score three touchdowns on one possession — unfortunately, though, only one of them counted.

The first was a would-be 55-yard TD screen pass to Tyreque Baker, who found a lane down the left sideline all the way to the end zone. However, it was ruled that he stepped out at the 15, though it didn’t appear so from the home bleacher overhead vantage.

Charles City’s sideline also disagreed with the call and the remonstrance resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty.

Comets scored another would-be touchdown on the next snap with a 30-yard run by Dylan Koresh, but an illegal block penalty nullified that play.

Eventually, the Comets did reach paydirt on Cranshaw’s 11-yard keeper.

With 55 seconds remaining in regulation, Cranshaw’s younger brother — sophomore Marcus Cranshaw — scored on an 8-yard QB keeper.

Then in one of the more exciting 2-point plays you’ll see in prep football, Marcus Cranshaw did his best Russell Wilson impersonation as he spun away from several would-be tacklers in the backfield before reversing the field and finding Toby McGovern in the end zone.

Elliott Sinwell, another talented Charles City sophomore, led the Comet rushers with 75 yards on 10 carries as well as recording a team-high six solo tackles on defense.

Juniors Alec Elsbernd and Ryan Zuspan each had quarterback sacks for the Comets.

Charles City (2-5, 1-4 in NEIC) will travel to Decorah this coming Friday the 13th for their final road game before finishing the season at home against Waverly-Shell Rock on Oct. 20.

Benton (4-3, 2-3) will host Independence next Friday.

BENTON 45, CHARLES CITY 22

Scoring by Quarters

BENTON 7 24 14 0 — 45

CHARLES CITY 0 6 0 16 — 22

Scoring Summary

B — Jacob Stocker fumble recovery in end zone (Vance Bartelt PAT kick) 7-0, 9:05 1st

CC — Tre Walker 66-yard pass from Mike Cranshaw (PAT pass failed) 7-6, 11:30 2nd

B — Matthew Davis 48-yard run (Bartelt PAT kick) 14-6, 7:16 2nd

B — Spencer Touro 4-yard run (Bartelt PAT kick) 21-6, 3:52 2nd

B — Riley Nolan 59-yard pass from Touro (Bartelt PAT kick) 28-6, :18 2nd

B — Bartelt 35-yard field goal, 31-6, :00 2nd

B — Davis 3-yard run (Bartelt PAT kick) 38-6, 6:52 3rd

B — Nolan 35-yard pass from Touro (Bartelt PAT kick) 45-6, 2:15 3rd

CC — Mike Cranshaw 11-yard run (Mike Cranshaw PAT run) 45-14, 11:14 4th

CC — Marcus Cranshaw 8-yard run (Toby McGovern PAT pass from Marcus Cranshaw) 45-22, :55 4th