Comets break Mustangs

Big offensive plays and clutch defensive stops lead Charles City in 21-0 win over Independence

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

INDEPENDENCE — It’s been a long year for the Independence football team.

But while hosting Charles City for their homecoming game on Friday, the Mustangs were particularly stubborn as they clung to a scoreless tie all the way to halftime.

It was the second half where the ‘Stangs were finally broken by the Comets, who came with a 21-0 road victory.

Charles City quarterback Drew Mitchell hooked up with receiver Malik Knighten on two big TD pass plays — one for 61 yards to open the scoring, and the latter for 72 yards to close it — as the Comets improved to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in Class 3A-3 District play.

Comet senior Jaden Foster also scored on a 26-yard run.

Knighten and Foster also spoiled Mustang drives with defensive plays in the secondary.

On a fourth-and-4 snap with the Mustangs within Red Zone and trying to get back in the game early in the fourth quarter after spotting the Comets a 14-0 lead, Knighten knocked away a Jake Crawford pass intended for Mustang receiver Tyler Reeder in the end zone.

With 2:28 remaining in regulation and Independence driving down the field with a remote chance for a comeback, Foster intercepted a Crawford pass which appeared to seal the victory.

But Independence (0-5, 0-2 in district) wasn’t giving up yet. After using their last timeout to stop the clock at 1:52 with the Comets facing a third-and-8 at their own 18, there was a good chance for the Mustangs to get the ball back.

They did, but it was after Mitchell freed up a single-covered Knighten along the sideline with a play-action fake and hit in stride for the Comets’ second 80-yard-plus scoring pass play in as many weeks.

Mitchell had his best night of the year statistically passing the ball as he completed 7 of 16 attempts for 168 yards.

Comet senior running back Zion Jordan had a breakout game with a career-high 115 yards on 20 carries.

After a sluggish first half, the Comets came out firing in the second as Mitchell connected with Tre Walker in the middle of the field at mid-field for an 18-yard gain — Walker paid the price as he took a big hit while hanging onto the ball. But two plays later, the Comets were flagged for a block in the back and were facing a third-and-17 from their own 39.

That’s when Mitchell and Knighten struck for the first time.

On the ensuing kickoff, junior Derek Milligan — to paraphrase Willie Keeler — “kicked it where they ain’t” as the ball landed at around the 25 yard line untouched with none of the Mustangs feeling the immediate need to secure it like it was a “poisoned punt”. That allowed Tyreque Baker to swoop in and recover it for the Comets.

The next play, Foster scored on an end-around.

When the Mustangs finally did secure a possession in the second half, they went to the “Wildcat” formation which produced moderate success. Taking direct snaps, sophomore Ethan Holt managed to accumulate yardage on the ground moving Independence into Comet territory.

But when facing a third-and-short play, Comet junior Josh Halligan was able to stick Holt for loss before Comet junior Tony Knecht corralled Crawford short of the sticks on a quarterback keeper allowing Charles City to take over on downs.

Knecht had six solo tackles. Foster led the Comets with eight solo tackles.

Charles City will hold a homecoming game of its own next Friday when it hosts Vinton-Shellsburg.

Not only did Charles City come home with a win, they returned with 140 cases of water and cleaning supplies Independence helped collect from donations during the game to help those most stricken by the city’s flood.

CHARLES CITY 21, INDEPENDENCE 0

Scoring By Quarters

Charles City 0 0 14 7 — 21

Independence 0 0 0 0 — 0

Scoring Summary

CC — Malik Knighten 61 pass from Drew Mitchell (Derek Milligan kick) 7-0, 9:30 3rd.

CC — Jaden Foster 26 run (Milligan kick) 14-0, 8:03 3rd.

CC — Knighten 72 pass from Mitchell (Milligan kick) 21-0, 1:41 4th

PASSING — CC — Drew Mitchell 7-12-1 168 2 TDs; IND — Jake Crawford 5-13-1 88.

RECEIVING — CC — Malik Knighten 3-130 2 TDs, Tre Walker 2-23, Jaden Foster 2-15; IND — Mason Wood 2-36, Zach Snyder 1-20, Jacob Schwarting 1-18, Noah Gall 1-14.

RUSHING — CC — Zion Jordan 20-115, Jaden Foster 5-65, Dylan Koresh 10-41, Tyreque Baker 4-4; IND — Ethan Holt 21-83, Mason Wood 8-28, Seth House 2-5.