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Miscues cost Creek in loss

PROTECTION — Indian Creek quarterback Brennan Norris drops back to pass as offensive lineman Ian Belt makes a block during the second half Friday at Kettlewell Stadium. South Range defeated the Redskins, 41-7. (Mike Mathison)

WINTERSVILLE — Good football teams seldom need much help from the opposition.

Indian Creek learned that lesson the hard way on a cold, rainy and windy Friday night inside Kettlewell Memorial Stadium.

The Redskins lost three fumbles, were victimized by a half dozen bad snaps and surrendered a pick six in their 41-7 loss to South Range, the top-rated team in Division V, Region 17.

“We told our kids all week that South Range is a good football team — a traditionally good football team,” Creek coach Andrew Connor said after watching his squad’s seven-game winning streak come to an end. “We saw that on film. They don’t hurt themselves and we did.

“You can’t help a good football team. You can’t give them extra plays, short field and everything else like we did tonight.”

Creek, which was seventh in the Division IV, Region 15 computer standing entering the contest, falls to 7-2 while South Range improves to 8-1.

The Raiders struck first, scoring on a nine-yard pass from Aniello Buzzacco to Taymer Graham early in the opening quarter. South Range started with a short field, the touchdown march began at the Creek 35, after the snap on a punt nearly sailed over Austin Rawson’s head.

Connor’s crew responded immediately. Robert Coppa delivered a 40-yard kickoff return then senior quarterback Greg Wade sprinted 45 yards to the end zone. On his run, Wade broke at least four tackles and somehow managed to stay on his feet to complete the electrifying run.

South Range, however, proceeded to run off 14 straight points. Buzzacco capped a 52-yard drive with a 23-yard burst up the middle. Just before the first quarter expired, the junior quarterback scored from a yard out.

Buzzacco’s second TD came following a partially blocked Creek punt, giving the Raiders another short field. On the possession before the punt, Creek had back to back bad snaps, resulting in the loss of nine yards.

“We were fortunate enough to get the momentum back,” Connor stated when discussing Wade’s touchdown jaunt. “As soon as we seemed to get it back was as quick as we got rid of it.

“You talk about a team that wasn’t ready to play in that first quarter. I just apologized to them (his players), that falls on me. I don’t know, it just seemed like we weren’t focused. South Range is good. You can’t keep making a thousand mistakes against a good football team and hope something good is going to come from it.”

Another bad snap on a punting attempt put the visitors in position to score again late in the second period. The Creek defense held its ground, however, and gave its offense another opportunity. A lost fumble, however, gave the ball right back to South Range.

South Range made it 28-7 with seconds left in the half when its defense recovered a Wade fumble in the end zone. The touchdown took place on the snap after Creek’s Derrick Eakle stopped a Raider scoring drive with an interception.

In the first half, the two teams combined for 11 fumbles, Creek losing two of its six. South Range had the football six times during the first 24 minutes, five drives starting in Creek territory.

Peyton Remish started the second half scoring when he picked off an Indian Creek pass and raced 75 yards. That Redskin turnover came just two snaps after Evan Coppa recovered a South fumble and rambled 55 yards before being run down from behind.

The game’s final touchdown came on a 13-yard Remish run.

“We just made too many mistakes,” Connor stressed. “Too many things went wrong for us. I feel we could have done better than we did.”

The Raiders finished with 223 yards on the ground and 94 through the air. Senior Nathan Daniszewski paced the South Range rushing attack with 119 yards on 13 carries.

Creek could muster just 92 yards of total offense against the South Range defense, which drew praise from Connor earlier in the week and lived up to its advanced billing.

The Redskins will finish their regular season on Thursday when Edison visits Kettlewell Stadium for the annual Route 43 battle.

“We’ll find out what kind of team we have,” Connor noted. “We were knocked down here tonight and we have a short week coming up. We have to get refocused, get better and get ready.”

Creek will celebrate Senior Night prior to the start of Thursday’s game.

“I think the most important game any program plays is when the senior class plays its last home football game,” Connor said. “It’s a culmination of four years of a lot of effort and hard work. My goal is that we get refocused and send our kids off with a win.

“It’s never easy when you are playing a rivalry game, especially on a short week. We’ll come in tomorrow, look at film and go from there.”

South Range 41, Indian Creek 7

South Range             21   7   6   7   —   41

Indian Creek               7   0   0   0   —     7

SR: Graham 9 pass from Buzzacco (Taylor kick)

IC: Wade 45 run (Maiorano kick)

SR: Buzzacco 23 run (Taylor kick)

SR: Buzzacco 1 run (Taylor kick)

SR: Fumble recovery in the end zone (Taylor kick)

SR: Remish 75 interception return (kick failed)

SR: Remish 13 run (Taylor kick)

RUSHING: South Range 39-223-3 (Buzzacco 12-38-2; Daniszewski 13-119; Remish 6-36-1; Dominguez 2-(-3); Combs 1-17; Harrold 3-15; Habeth 1-(-2); Toy 1-3); Indian Creek 38-49-1 (Wade 6-46-1; Coppa 8-18; Rawson 5-(-15); Norris 11-(-22); Harton 2-2; Wukelic 6-20).

PASSING: South Range 5-10-94-1-1 (all by Buzzacco); Indian Creek 4-8-43-0-1 (Wade 1-1-6; Norris 3-7-37-0-1).

RECEIVING: South Range 5-94-1 (Graham 3-49-1; Remish 2-45); Indian Creek 4-43 (Rawson 1-14; Harton 1-10; Coppa 1-6; Wade 1-13).

FIRST DOWNS: South Range 15; Indian Creek 6.

PENALTIES-YARDS: South Range 10-85; Indian Creek 2-10.

PUNTS: South Range 2-40; Indian Creek 3-21.

FUMBLES-LOST: South Range 6-1; Indian Creek 9-3.

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