Comets fall to Gators in 3 OTs
The St Amant Gators defeated the Comets 57-54 Friday night in one of the most unusual football games ever played at Thomas Dupuy stadium. The game featured three overtimes, over 900 yards of combined total offense, 111 total points and lasted over 3 hours finishing at 10:15 p.m. In the end it was a bitter defeat for the Comets who held the lead most of regulation and twice in overtime periods but could not hang for the victory.
The game was tied 37-37 at the end of regulation. The Comets won the toss and chose to go on defense first. St Amant scored in just two plays from 10 yards out, added the PAT and led 44-37. Comet quarterback Vincent Rollo scored on the Comet first play in overtime and Ilski’s PAT tied the game at 44.
The Comets had the ball first in the second overtime and scored on a ten yard touchdown pass from Rollo to Demarcus Bernard. Ilski’s PAT put the Comets on top 51-44. St. Amant scored again on its possession and tied the game at 51.
With the game headed into the another overtime, the head referee from the New Orleans crew confused high school overtime rules with college and erroneously forced the Comets to go on offense to start the 3rd overtime. The Comets could not punch it into the endzone and had to settle for a Ilski field goal to take the lead 54-51.
The Gators took the ball and after two incomplete passes scored on a 10 yard pass to win the game 57-54.
The game started off with the Comets forcing the Gators to punt after a three and out. The Comets only took five plays to go 59 yards for a score on their first possession. Quarterback Vincent Rollo threw a 40 yard pass to wide receiver Devin Snyder who turned a juggling catch into the first score of the night. Ilski’s PAT gave the Comets the nearly lead 7-0.
St. Amant answered going 80 yards in 11 plays scoring on a 17 yard pass play from quarterback Josh Jordan to Chris West. A faulty snap and hold led to an errant extra point attempt and the Comets held a 7-6 lead at the end of the 1st quarter.
Early in the second quarter the Comets scored again on a 4 yard run by Jonathan Cancienne. The run capped a 9 play 73 yard drive. Ilski’s PAT gave the Comes 14-6 lead. The Comet defense responded forcing one of the three Gator punts on their next possession.
The Comets moved the ball to the Gators 35 yard line with a chance to add to their lead but turned the ball over on downs after a holding penalty helped to stall the drive. The Gators responded with another touchdown and successful two point conversion to tie the game at 14 with a little over 3 minutes left in the half.
There was still enough time for both teams to score before half. The Comets marched 64 yards in 7 plays with Rollo hitting tight end Donovan Duffy on a 14 yard touchdown pass. Once again the Gators answered this time scoring in
only two plays after the kickoff. Zach Matus blocked the extra point attempt giving the Comets a slim 21-20 lead at the half.
The Comets received the second half kickoff and continued the scoring with Rollo passing to Alex Marse 11 yards for the 3rd of his five touchdown passes. The scoring drive was good for 60 yards in 8 plays. A miscommunication caused an errant two point try for the Comets that failed leaving the score 27-20.
The Gators fired back going 70 yards for another touchdown in 8 plays adding the PAT to tie the game 27-27. The scoring pattern changed slightly as the Comets punted on their next possession. The Gators fumbled the ball right back to the Comets on first down as Corey Reed stripped the receiver with Luke Fissettte recovering on the St. Amant 33 yard line.
The Comets could not move the ball and Chris Ilski kicked a 47 yard field goal to put the Comets ahead 30-27 as the quarter came to a close.
Ilski’s next kickoff went out of the endzone but that did not stop the Gators from going 80 yards for their next score to take the lead for the first time in the game 34-30. The Comets turned the ball over to the Gators on their possession but the Gaotrs next drive stalled and they punted back to the Comets with 4:33 left in the game.
The Comets offense went to work driving 73 yards in 10 plays. Rollo and Marse connected for the second time in the game this time on a 3 yard pass in the corner of the endzone. Ilski’s kick was true and the Comets once again held the lead 37-34 with 1:52 left in the game.
The Gators were able to move the ball into field goal position going 63 yards in 14 plays converting twice on 3rd down and once n 4th down on the drive. C Robert kicked a 34 yard game tying field goal with only 5 second left in regulation sending the game into overtime.
Comet quarterback Vincent Rollo turned in a record setting performance in the loss completing 26 of 42 passes for 334 yards and 5 touchdowns. Rollo also scored on a 10 yard run in the first overtime.Devin Snyder had 8 catches for 158 yards and 1 touchdown while Alex Marse had 6 catches for 38 yards and two scores.