Naselle Comets fly past Pirates

POMEROY––The Naselle Comets had enough of a defensive edge and offensive fire power to hand the Pirates its first loss of the season and knock them out of further post-season action by a 72-42 margin in the second round of the B1 8-Man football playoffs here Saturday.

Naselle outscored the Pirates three touchdowns to two in both the second and third quarters then tacked on three more scores in the fourth stanza to put an exclamation point on a game where the Pirates' usual weapons either misfired or were well defended. A few sure-fire Trent Gwinn to Trevin Kimble throws went uncaught, a 67-yard Gwinn touchdown was called back and Pirate defensive breakdowns turned scoring opportunities into breaks for the opponent.

Pirate senior quarterback Gwinn rushed for 349 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 46-yard touchdown pass from Sidney Bales, accounting for all of Pomeroy's points save the final touchdown, a punt return by Trevin Kimble after time expired. Gwinn connected nine of 21 passes for 101 yards.

Naselle's Joey Strange to Jason Harmon combination caught the Pirates flat footed. Harman rushed for two touchdowns and caught Strange passes four times while Strange rushed for two scores.

"Pomeroy's season comes to an end with a 30-point loss to a very good Naselle team," Head Coach Kyle Kimble said. "I'm sad to see our seniors end their careers on this one. They've really had a positive impact on our program and we're glad we got to ride this 10-1 season with them."

Comet Coach Kevin McNulty made the strategic choice to defer the opening kickoff to receive the ball in the third quarter, the Pirates starting up business on their own 37. A couple of short runs by Bales and Gwinn stopped for a loss brought up fourth-and-11. Gwinn's throw to Bales was complete but shy of the first down.

The Comets established their running credibility with a 25-yard left sweep by Kolten Lindstrom and were first and ten on the Pirate 13-yard line when Richie Vecchio stopped Jacob Lindstrom on fourth and three.

Starting from their five yard line, Gwinn broke right and jumped a would-be tackler for a 20-yard advance. He threw to Colton Slaybaugh and missed, but the Comets roughed the passer for 15 yards and first down.

Gwinn rushed 15 yards for another first down into Comet territory, and added another 13 yards to the Naselle 32. On second and eight, Gwinn fired at Trevin Kimble, incomplete. Naselle stopped Gwinn on third down and a screen pass to Bales on fourth and 10 was well defended.

Jacob Lindstrom's throw to Kolten Lindstrom in the flat was caught but fumbled and recovered by Vecchio.

Gwinn gave Kimble another shot in traffic, but the pass fell incomplete. A Pomeroy false start made it second and 15, and Gwinn hit Slaybaugh for an 18-yard gain to the Comet 11. Gwinn rumbled in for the game's first score, ran the PAT and a Pomeroy 8-0 lead.

The Pirates' onside kick was covered by Craig Reitz at the 50. The Comets gained 25 yards on a Ja. Lindstrom to Harman pass, then Ja. Lindstrom tossed to Ko. Lindstrom was helped by a Pirate pass interference call. Harman ran seven yards for the TD and an 8-8 tie with 1:39 to go.

Naselle's onside kick was recovered with the Pirate coaching staff questioning whether it went ten yards. Starting the second period, Joe Strange was goal-zone bent when Brodie Magill got a shoestring tackle to save the touchdown. Strange fumbled the ball and Braedyn White recovered on the Pirate two.

Gwinn ran the Buccaneers out of trouble with a 13-yard scramble. He busted another 11 yards for another Pirate first down and then got into the open for a 74-yard touchdown sprint. The point-after pass was missed but Pomeroy lead 14-8.

After the cat-and-mouse of onside kicks, Kimble booted the kickoff over the Comets' heads and into the end zone, setting them up on their 20.

The Pirates defended the first two plays, but then Joe Strange broke free for a 50-yard gain, the touchdown saved by Ollie Severs. A play later, Harman finished the last 25 yards for six, and ran the PAT for a 16-14 Naselle lead.

Walker Flynn ran back the kick to the 38, and after a Pirate false-start penalty, Gwinn picked his way through the defense to the end zone, called back by Buc face mask penalty. First and 39 on their own 14, Gwinn hit Bales on second down for a 22-yard gain, 14 yards short of first down.

Gwinn's fourth-down pass to Severs was incomplete and an unsportsmanlike conduct flag after the play reeled Naselle back to their 36. Joey Strange ran a 25-yard gain, tackled by Gwinn, but a block-in-the-back penalty negated it. Next play, Joey Strange hit Harman in the flat and he had clear sailing up the sideline and now Naselle had a one-touchdown lead.

Magill's kick return set up a three-play, 42-yard drive by Gwinn for six, punctuated by a 22-yard run involving sleight-of-hand by Gwinn. Due to two failed PAT tries, the Comets were in command, 24-20.

Naselle's on-side kick went 10 yards, was covered by Naselle and got a ten-yard boost on a Pirate penalty. Kolten Lindstrom rushed nine yards before Severs took him down, the Pirates were nicked with another penalty and then Joey Strange tossed to Harman for a touchdown with :43 remaining in the half.

Severs covered Naselle's onside kick as the Bucs hustled to tack on one more score before halftime. Gwinn pushed up the middle for four yards, threw to Kimble for a first down in Comet territory at the 38. Naselle's defense had receivers covered and Gwinn was thrown for a loss by Stephens with :24 on the clock. Gwinn ran the ball back to the original line of scrimmage but was tackled and time ran out, the Pirates trailing 32-20 at half time.

Naselle didn't waste any time, Joey Strange throwing to Harman, who was a step ahead of Pirate defenders, for a 65-yard touchdown to grow the lead to 40-20.

Pomeroy didn't waste time, either. On second and five from the Naselle 41, Gwinn broke several tackles to score just 11 seconds later.

With a comfortable margin, Naselle's Joey Strange found a hole up the middle for a 62-yard score.

The Pirates had to go to the air to mount a comeback, but the Comets were ready. A screen pass to Slaybaugh netted minus five and another to Bales had no gain. Gwinn was in the pocket and threw, but Stephens knocked it down. A fourth-and-fifteen throw to Severs was incomplete.

Naselle's first play was a keeper by Joey Strange, 40 yards for another touchdown, then again, the Comets squelched Pomeroy's offense, giving ground begrudgingly to their 26 yard line. There a penalty on the Pomeroy bench set the advance back and Gwinn throws to usual targets Slaybaugh and Kimble were incomplete.

The Comets took over on downs and Kolten Lindstrom rushed 45 yards up the middle to the Pirate 15 before Gwinn caught him and saved the touchdown. Naselle was milking the play clock and gave up the ball on downs thanks to Trace Roberts blocking a pass and Brodie Magill defending Stephens on fourth down.

On second and ten from the 23, Gwinn cut right and outsprinted defenders for another touchdown. Gwinn's PAT run made it 52-36 with the fourth quarter remaining.

A comeback wasn't in the cards. On fourth and nine, Joey Strange changed it up and hit Craig Reitz for a 47-yard score, with a point after and a 60-36 lead.

But the Pirates fumbled and Naselle recovered, and six plays later, Harman caught another Joey Strange pass for a 66-36 lead.

The Pirates were at midfield, Gwinn getting four- and five-yard gains when a pass attempt was snagged by Reitz and run back for a touchdown and a 72-36 lead with 7:51 remaining.

Pomeroy's final drive was a combination of passes and runs, with Gwinn rushing for first down, but an illegal helmet contact penalty pushing them back to the 50. Gwinn rushed to nearly what would've been first down on the previous play and then he connected with Roberts for a 20-yard pass to the Comet 14.

Kimble was tackled for a loss, his helmet coming off in the process. Gwinn punched it to the six for fourth-and-two with 2:26 on the clock, but Braedon Fruh's carry was caught in the backfield and the Comets took over on downs at the 10.

The Comets milked the play clock and ran short gains as time ticked down on the Pirate season. With :07 and counting, Naselle punted and the ball rolled dead at the 43 with the horn sounding. Naselle began celebrating and Kimble snatched up the ball and jogged into the end zone for the final touchdown of the year.

Naselle 72, Pomeroy 42 (11-20)

Pom 8 12 16 6-42

Nas 8 24 20 20-72

Pom-Gwinn 11 yd run. Gwinn run

Nas-Harman 7 yd run. Harman pass from J. Lindstrom.

Pom-Gwinn 74 yd run. Pass failed

Nas-Harman 25 yd run. Harman run

Nas-Harman 66 yd pass from Jo. Strange. Harman pass from Strange

Pom-Gwinn 24 yd run. Run failed

Nas-Harman 25 yd pass from Jo. Strange. Strange run

Nas-Harman 65 yd pass from Jo. Strange. K. Lindstrom pass from Strange

Pom-Gwinn 46 yd pass from Bales. Gwinn run

Nas-Jo. Strange 62 yd run. Run failed

Nas-Jo. Strange 40 yd run. Pass failed

Pom-Gwinn 77 yd run. Gwinn run

Nas-Stephens 47 yd pass from Jo. Strange. Stephens pass from J. Lindstrom

Nas-Harman 5 yd pass from Jo. Strange. Pass failed

Nas-Reitz 49 yd interception return. Pass failed

Pom-Kimble 43 yd punt return

Statistics

Pom Nas

Total offense

492 640

Passing

127 249

Rushing

365 391

Receiving (Att/Avg)

10/12.7 9/27.7

Penalties/Yds

11/110 13/100

Turnovers Fumbles/lost

1/1 2/2

Interceptions thrown

1 0

First Downs

19 21

Rushing-Pomeroy: Gwinn 21/349 yds, Kimble 3/18 yds, Flynn 1/18, Magill 1/11, Slaybaugh 3/7, Bales 4/5, Fruh 1/0. Naselle: Joe Strange 13/201, Ko. Lindstrom 16/94, Ja. Harman 8/80, Ja. Strange 2/10, Ja. Lindstrom 3/6.

Passing-Pomeroy: Gwinn 9-21-101 yds, Bales 1-1-46 yds, 1 TD. Naselle: Joe Strange 6-9-206 yds, Ja. Lindstrom 3-4-43 yds, Harman 0-1-0.

Receiving-Pomeroy: Bales 6-55, Gwinn 1-46, 1 TD, Kimble 1-13, Slaybaugh 2-13. Naselle: Harman 7-190 4 TD, Reitz 1-46 1, Ko. Lindstrom 1-13.

Tackles-Pomeroy: Severs 7.5, 7 solo; Roberts 5.5, 3 solo; Gwinn 4.5, 4 solo; Vecchio 4, 3 solo; Kimble 4 solo; Bales 3 solo; Slaybaugh 3, 2 solo; White 2 solo, Magill 2 solo, Steele 1 solo, Flynn 1 assist. Naselle: Joe Strange 7 solo, Ko. Lindstrom 6 solo, Toftemark 5 solo, Reitz 5 solo, Jack Strange 4 solo, Wilson 2 solo, Thorsen 1 solo.