Go-Hawks defeat Comets, 31-7, in regular-season finale

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — They weren’t playing for a playoff berth. That opportunity was long gone.

Instead, the Charles City Comets played for pride as well as for some other things when they hosted the postseason-bound and Class 3A No. 7-ranked Waverly-Shell Rock Go-Hawks on Friday night.

“We played for each other … we played for the players … for us,” Charles City senior Sam Niichel said after leaving his emotions on the field in the wake of his final prep football game of his life.

“And ‘FTC’,” Niichel continued. “Just put that down … ‘FTC’. No explanation. People will know what I’m talking about.”

Though the game was for them, many Charles City residents weren’t giving the home boys much of a chance against a Go-Hawk team that had only lost one game this season — and that being a tight contest against No. 3-ranked Xavier that would end up determining the Class 3A-District 3 champion.

But playing their most inspired game of the season, especially on the defensive side of the ball and along the line of scrimmage, the Comets held the Go-Hawks to just 3 points — a 45-yard field goal by Brandon Hinders (his longest of the season) for most of the first half while staying close with the score at 3-0.

But with less than two minutes remaining until halftime, the Go-Hawks scored 14 quick points with a Jack Seward 56-yard punt return followed by the first of two 4-yard TD runs by Gabriel Santoiemma that capped a short-field drive set up by a Charles City turnover.

The Comets remained inspired in the second half and suddenly put themselves within striking distance when quarterback Mike Cranshaw connected with fellow senior Tre Walker for a 32-yard scoring pass play in the third quarter.

But the Go-Hawks added two TDs in the fourth quarter — a 1-yard run by Go-Hawk QB Luke Velky and Santoiemma for the 31-7 final.

“We played well … especially in the first half,” Charles City coach Darren Bohlen said. “The first half was probably the best half of football we played all year.

“You always get up for a game against Waverly, but if we played all year like we played today, things may have been a little different this season.”

The Comets came into the season with low numbers, which got lower when injuries began to take out key players throughout the season.

“It gave some of our younger players a chance to play varsity,” Bohlen said. “For those guys, it’s going to come down to how much work they put into the offseason.”

Comet senior Tyreque Baker, who also played his final high school game, led all rushers with 45 yards.

Cranshaw, who returned to the lineup after a foot injury sidelined him the week before, competed 4 of 7 passes for 60 yards and a TD.

Charles City sophomore Elliott Sinnwell, who almost broke the opening the kickoff for a score, compiled 108 yards on four KO returns.

Velky completed 13 of 19 passes for 167 yards for the Go-Hawks. Seward accounted for more than half of that passing yardage on five catches

For Charles City, the loss ended its season at 2-7 overall and 1-6 in Class 3A-District 3 play.

For Waverly-Shell Rock, its season is not over as — with a 8-1 overall record and 6-1 mark in district play — it earned an postseason berth and will travel to face West Delaware on Oct. 27 in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs.

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK 31, CHARLES CITY 7

Scoring By Quarters

WAVERLY-SHELL ROCK 0 17 0 14 — 31

CHARLES CITY 0 0 7 0 — 7

Scoring Summary

WSR — Brandon Hinders 45-yard field goal 3-0, 11:57 2nd

WSR — Jack Seward 56-yard punt return (Hinders PAT kick) 10-0, 1:40 2nd

WSR — Gabriel Santoemma 4-yard run (Hinders PAT kick) 17-0, :00 2nd

CC — Tre Walker 32-yard pass from Mike Cranshaw (Derek Milligan PAT kick) 17-7, 7:36 3rd

WSR — Luke Velky 1-yard run (PAT kick failed) 23-7, 11:02 4th

WSR — Santoemma 4-yard run (Hinders run) 31-7, 2:20 4th