Pilgrims continue winning ways
Sophopmore quarterback leads New Plymouth to victory
Sunday, September 21, 2008 12:39 AM PDT
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| Larry Hurrle | Argus observer
Payette’s Phillip Kowalski finds a hole in the New Plymouth defense during a non-conference game Friday in Payette. Payette led for most of the game, only to watch the Pilgrims drive late in the game for the go-ahead and eventual winning score. New Plymouth won the game 14-10. |
Payette—New Plymouth quarterback Brady Harris was having one of those days, where early on, little went right.
Harris threw four interceptions, was sacked once and was flushed out of the pocket on several occasions.
However, when his team needed him the most, the sophomore led his team to a game-winning, 14-play, 76-yard drive, capped by a 1-yard play-action touchdown pass to Kyle King with 14 seconds left in the Pilgrims’ 14-10 come-from-behind win over Payette, Friday at Harmon Killebrew Field in Payette.
On the drive, Harris completed 5-of-8 passes for 55 yards, scrambled three times for 11 yards and converted 4-of-4 on third down conversions.
“It was a great drive. Porter (Offensive coordinator, Porter Lacey) did a great job calling plays,” New Plymouth coach Bicker Therien said. “I just can’t say enough about Brady. Also, the offensive line, a rag-tag outfit, they gave him the time he needed.”
With the Pilgrims faced with a third-and-two from midfield, Harris went back to pass and received pressure from both ends, before finding an open lane in the middle for a 7-yard run and a new set of downs.
Three plays later, New Plymouth had a third-and-eight from the Payette 41-yard line, when Harris fired a frozen rope to tight end Seth Bodas for 29 yards and a first down.
With 1:19 left in the game, the Pilgrims were looking up at a third-and-10 with the ball resting at the 14-yard line.
Harris hooked up with King on a 10-yard slant pass for a first down on Payette’s 4-yard line.
On first down, a run up the middle by Justin Peterson was bottled up, and on second and goal, Payette was called for an encroachment penalty, which put the ball on the 2-yard line.
Harris attempted a quarterback sneak but could not break the goal line and got down to the one yard line with 20 seconds left in the contest.
On third-and-goal, Pilgrim offensive coordinator Lacey called for a 92-scat. Harris took the snap, faked the handoff to Peterson and lobbed a pass to King for the score.
“I was just thinking, get the ball down field,” Harris said. “The line did an awesome job on that drive, in the whole game. After throwing those interceptions, my teammates told me they believed in me and I just had to keep my composure. This was a great game, and can be something we look back at, as the game where we turned the corner.”
Harris went 15-of-29 for 165 yards and his main target was Bodas, who had six catches for 94 yards.
For Payette coach Troy Gleave, he saw Friday’s homecoming loss as a missed opportunity.
Payette caused six fumbles, did not recover any, had two penalties negate first downs and had a holding penalty wipe away a touchdown pass.
In the second half, Payette had three drives deep into Pilgrim territory, and had one loss of downs, one interception in the end zone and a drive end at the 9-yard line, only to settle for a field goal.
“We didn’t do what we needed to do to win the game,” Gleave said. “We would drive down the field and instead of getting touchdowns we would get penalties. We forced six fumbles and recovered not one. We have to learn how to eliminate those mistakes if we expect to win.”
Garrett Grotheer went 10-of-17 for 132 yards and two interceptions and his leading target was Travis Blackwell, who had five catches for 94 yards.
Payette tallied 168 yards on the ground and were led by Damian Reynolds, who rushed 16 times for 105 yards.
With the win, New Plymouth improved to 3-0, while Payette fell to 2-2 on the year.
The Pilgrims will take on Cole Valley Friday and Payette will travel to Weiser to open Snake River Valley Conference play.
