CV holds off Ephrata in Novak's farewell game
- 01 November 2008
Pride.It is one of the seven deadly sins, but when you're a winless football team, playing the last game of the season, sometimes pride is all you have left.
Sometimes, in the case of CV, there's a little more on the line.
Playing the last game of Gerard Novak's coaching career -- for now -- the Buckskins put together just enough offense and just enough defense to hold off Ephrata, 26-21 [boxscore], Friday night at Ephrata's War Memorial Field.
CV's Kevin Kelley rushed for two touchdowns, caught a pass for a third, and topped the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career, accomplishing the fete on the last play of the game.
Afterward, the junior running back emotionally described what this win meant.
"Coach Novak is a great guy. You know, I live with him. This is the best thing that ever happened to me. I don't know where I'd be right now if I wasn't with him."
Still, Novak didn't want any win-one-for-the-Gipper sentiment.
"All anybody ever talks about is you're 0-and-whatever," he told his team in the pregame. "This is a new beginning for you, a great opportunity.
"The kids wanted to win the game for me. I told them, 'Win it for you. the game is about you.' They went out and played inspired football."
"It was (for) the seniors," said Kelley, who shook off the effects of a shoulder separation, suffered last week, to have a big game.
"We had to do it for the seniors. We did it as a team. There's no individuals, man."
The Mountaineers (0-7 league, 0-10 overall) put up 446 yards total offense, possessed the ball for over 29 minutes and scored three fourth-quarter touchdowns to make a game of it.
"Our kids never quit," said Mounts' coach Jim Vieland. "It just would've been nice to get win."
But they were hurt by three turnovers -- and a CV turnover they couldn't nail down -- as well as coming away empty at the CV 10, 4 and 5.
"We had three chances to win this game and we didn't do it," said Vieland. "It's kind of the way the year's going for us."
Following a scoreless first quarter, CV (1-6, 1-9) got on the board, cashing an interception by Colin Plank, setting up Stefan Sensenig's 35-yard pass from Adam Heiselman.
After stopping George Murray inches short of the first down at the CV 41, the Bucks took four plays to find the end zone with Kelley taking a screen pass and weaving 47 yards for the score.
On the play just before the score, Heiselman threw into triple coverage looking for Sensenig.
The ball was tipped, coming down into Tim McQuate's hands, but he couldn't control and the ball fell incomplete.
After the score, Ephrata drove to the CV 10, but Plank tipped Lance Kopp's pass to Jared Martin, who fell into the endzone for a touchback.
The third quarter was scoreless, but not without its moments. Ephrata drove to the CV 4 before offensive lineman Chazz Storm, taking a panicked pitch from Kopp on fourth down, was dropped for a 13-yard loss.
The Mounts got the ball back on a fumble and took three plays to finally score on Jordan Yarbrough's 14-yard slant from Kopp (16-33-2, 227 yards).
Kelly's 61-yard kickoff return set up his 17-yard TD on the next possession.
Ephrata was stopped on fourth-and-goal at the 4, but, after a CV punt, drove 60 yards in eight plays with Greg Forstater pulling in an 18-yard TD in the left corner.
Forstater, who caught 10 balls for 150 yards last week, drew double coverage most of the night and caught only three for 54 yards and the score.
After Kelley (24-156 rushing) covered the ensuing onsides kick, he scored on a 9-yard run.
The run left him six yards short of the 1,000-yard mark and, with 50 seconds left in the game, it appeared he would fall short.
Ephrata put together a quick drive with Zach Sandoe pulling in Kopp's 19-yard TD pass with 15 seconds left.
Once more Kelley covered the onsides kick and, after a CV timeout, took an off-tackle run 41 yards down the left sideline, giving him the milestone.
We here at www.ephratamounts.com are proud sponsors of the Dodgeball for Diabetes tournament.