Knights Compete Well in Knights-Turpin FAVC Rivalry Game
Game Stats: Game Summary | Team Stats |Individual Stats | Defensive Stats | Play-by-Play
Coach Olds Corner: Making Memories
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NewsPaper Coverage: Pulse-Journal Cincinnati Enquirer
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It was a traditional Kings – Turpin rivalry game that came down to the final minute before the outcome was determined. While it wasn’t a beautiful night for football, it was a great night to watch the Knights play football. Throw out the records, the State AP Ratings, the City Rankings and settle in for a hard fought football game by two balanced teams.
The Knights coaching staff delivered another outstanding game plan. The special teams held Turpin deep in their own teritory the entire night. The defense played a stellar game against the top offensive team in the conference creating game changing turnovers, delivering 3 and out on 6 of 11 Turpin posessions and holding Turpin to their lowest offensive total yards of the season at 257 (half of their output vs. Walnut Hills the week before). The offense delivered big plays taking the lead into the locker room at half-time 7-0 and making an exciting final run at the endzone on the last possession. Knights fans left soaked but exteremely proud of the team in a very close 14-7 loss to the #2 team in the State AP Writers poll, and #1 team in the City coaches poll. Read all the recap later this weekend from Varsity game analysts Mike Koerbel and Sam Esler.
WKNG Radio Higlights: Miss a Game, Miss alot – WKNG Highlights
Game Recap:
Homecoming versus arch rival Turpin fell on a night when the weather was as nasty as the rivalry.
Turpin took the opening kickoff and could not move the ball against a fired up Knights’ defense and were forced to punt the ball away.
Kings moved the ball for a couple of first downs but the drive stalled and the Knights punted the ball back to the Spartans.
As the rain fell harder Turpin started to move the ball deep into Knights’ territory threatening to put the first points of the game on the board. Blake Bates put an end to the Spartans’ threat by jumping the route to pick off Turpins pass and returned it 72 yards to the Turpin 20 yard line.
With the crowd fired up the Knights moved the ball down to the Spartans’ 1 yard line despite several ill timed penalties. Kings was knocking at the Spartans goal line just as the 1st period ended. A score was not meant to be as the snap was fumbled and the Spartans recovered on their own 2 yard line.
As the rain continued to fall the defenses flexed their muscles, resulting in punts on the next 3 possessions.
The Knights took over on their own 15 yard line where Jonny Brewster hit a wide open Jamire Westbrook coming out of the backfield for an 85 yard touchdown pass which sent the Kings crowd into frenzy. With the Evan Berg extra point the Knights were out in front 7-0 against the #1 ranked team in the city.
As hard as both offenses tried to move the ball in the rain, both defenses stood tall for the rest of the half sending the teams into their respective locker rooms with the Knights leading 7-0.
The Knights received the ball to start the 2nd half. Kings was unable to move the ball effectively and was forced to punt. The Spartans tried to block the Zach Hilderbrand punt but ran into him giving the Knights new life. Kings was unable to capitalize on the opportunity and were again forced to punt the ball away.
The Spartans took their first possession of the second half and proceeded to generate 3 first downs and move the ball out of the shadow of their own end zone. Lightening struck as the Turpin quarterback rolled to his left and broke 3 Knights’ tackles and rambled 61 yards to knot the score at 7-7.
The Knights took the ball on their own 41 yard line after a Westbrook 33 yard return. The Spartans defense came up large forcing a Knight turnover on the Kings 28 yard line setting up the Spartans with a very short field. The Spartans wasted little time and struck in 4 plays to begin the 4th quarter giving them their first lead of the night at 14-7.
With the rain still coming down both defenses again flexed their muscles and each team was forced to punt 2 more times. This left the Knights with the ball for 1 last drive to try to even the score with only 3:33 left on the clock.
The Knights started their final drive on their own 17 yard line. The drive was extended due to a Spartan roughing the passer penalty. Brewster hit Westbrook with an 11 yard pass to give the Knights another first down. Brewster then hit Justin Crull with a 26 yard bomb to set up the Knights deep in Spartan territory. With only 1:10 left on the clock the Knights valiant drive ended on an incomplete pass forcing them to turn the ball over on downs.
The Spartans took 2 knees and escaped the castle with a hard fought 14-7 victory. Every Turpin player knew that they had a scare put into them by the well prepared and fired up Kings team.
Offensive Stats:
Jonny Brewster 10-22 passing for 158 yards and 1 TD
Jamire Westbrook 54 yards on 14 carries
Jonny Brewster 19 yards on 8 carries
Jamire Westbrook 103 yards on 4 receptions
Justin Crull 39 yards on 3 receptions
Defensive Stats:
Drew Esler 8 tackles
Sean Horan 7 tackles
Blake Bates 1 interception