Johnie Logue
Sports Reporter
On paper, it looked like Cole Camp and Crest Ridge (with Chilhowee) were pretty evenly matched going into their Friday night varsity football contest at Crest Ridge. That observation looked true during the first half as it was 16-16 at the break.
Crest Ridge was introduced to Reid Harrison early on as the fleet-footed senior raced 74 yards for a first quarter touchdown. Grady Strathman rambled in for the two point conversion and it was 8-0.
Crest Ridge returned the favor on a 71 yard romp. They ran in for the two and tied it at 8-8.
Harrison would put Cole Camp ahead again in the first with a 34 yard blast and made good on the two and it was 16-8 after one.
Crest Ridge scored in the second quarter and it was knotted up at 16 going into intermission.
Crest Ridge owned the second half, scoring 21 in the third and 13 more in the fourth.
Harrison was injured in second quarter and sat out the rest of the game. The injury is thought to be a sprain.
Asked about the second half, Bluebirds head coach Kevin Shearer said, "We lost confidence without Reid. We moved the ball but couldn't finish. We had too many dropped or inaccurate passes."
Harrison finished with 6 carries for 127 yards rushing and was 1 for 7 in the air. Matthew Bright was 2 for 37 receiving and Dalton Brandt was 1 for 9.
Strathman was 17 for 52 and 1 for 4. Grant Rodriguez rushed 13 times for 44 yards and Kolton Phillips was 1 for 11.
Gentry Dieckman was 5 for 19 passing for 67 yards and had 4 interceptions.
Rodriguez had 11 tackles.
It's hard to believe we are seven games into the season come next Friday but here we are. Cole Camp travels to Lincoln for the Battle of the Birds, round three. Lincoln beat them twice last season.
Asked about the Lincoln game, Coach Shearer said, "Always a fun game, throw records out the door."
Lincoln at 1-4, and Cole Camp at 2-4 is not where either team wanted to be at this juncture of the season.
Lincoln is shorthanded and beat up although they had the week off. Cole Camp is the slight favorite because of numbers and it should be a competitive first half. Lincoln wears down in the second half. Cole Camp has faltered some too in the late going.
Both quarterbacks can throw the football. Dieckman hasn't reached his stride just yet but he will sooner or later and as Mr. T used to say, 'I pity the fool' when he does.
The Sandman, sophomore Riley Sanders, has five Lincoln receivers who can catch the ball. A healthy Harrison could be the difference for the Bluebirds. We will see.
Cole Camp was moved up to Class 2 and could possibly play Warsaw in districts down the line. Several things would have to happen between now and then.
Lane Johnson will have all the action of the Lincoln vs. Cole Camp matchup with the Spooky Bear Sports Network.
