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By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
The Conner Closers did it again.
The Conner football team should consider changing its nickname after closing out a game with a big defensive stop in the fourth quarter for the third consecutive week.
On Friday, Conner junior defensive back Brian Manning intercepted a pass in the end zone with 2:01 left to play to clinch a 21-17 win over Newport Central Catholic at Newport Stadium. In their two previous games, the Cougars stopped two-point conversion runs in the fourth quarter and came away with one-point victories over Scott and Dixie Heights.
There’s been a lot of tense moments on the sideline for Conner coach Dave Trosper over the last three weeks, but he’s happy with the end result.
“Coach keeps telling us we’re giving him grey hairs, and we probably are,” said Conner senior quarterback Kyler Padgett. “It’s fun keeping it close, but one time I’d like to win by 50 (points) so we’re not all antsy on the sideline on fourth-and-goal plays. It’s fun to be in that moment, but it’s still scary at the same time.”
NewCath had the ball at the 7-yard line on its fourth-and-goal play in the final minutes of Friday’s game. After faking a handoff, senior quarterback Patrick Henschen rolled out to the right and threw the ball toward two of his teammates running along the back of the end zone. But Manning picked off what could have been the Thoroughbreds’ game-winning touchdown pass.
“It’s what it all comes down to, just being clutch in clutch moments,” Manning said. “We were playing man (coverage) and I was watching my dude. When I saw (the quarterback) throw it, I just went and got it.”
That was one of three interceptions the Cougars had in the game. The Conner defense also stopped NewCath on a fourth-down play at the 24-yard line early in the third quarter to deny the home team another scoring opportunity. The Thoroughbreds ended up with a 402-271 advantage in total yardage, but they had a hard time finishing drives in the end zone.
“I give it all to our defense,” said Conner senior wide receiver Joseph Warwick. “They helped us out tremendously. It was just a great team win.”
The Cougars did all of their scoring in the first half. Padgett got the team’s first touchdown on a 1-yard run in the first quarter and threw TD passes to Warwick and Tanner Nyers in the second quarter.
NewCath’s first-half scoring plays were a 4-yard touchdown run by senior tailback Jacob Smith and a 45-yard field goal by Ryan Hans that set a new team record. The field goal came in the final seconds of the second quarter and cut Conner’s halftime lead to 21-10.
NewCath dominated the second half with its running game. That’s when Smith and senior halfback John Harris picked up most of their team’s 280 rushing yards. But the Thoroughbreds’ only touchdown in the second half came on a 31-yard run by Harris early in the fourth quarter that made the score 21-17.
NewCath got the ball back with 5:41 left on the clock and moved it steadily down the field on runs by Smith and Harris until the fourth-down pass play that was intercepted by Manning.
“The thing I like is when the game is close we expect to win,” said coach Trosper. “We expect to make the big plays now because we’ve done it three weeks in a row, and that is something with kids that’s a huge bonus.”
Smith finished with 156 rushing yards on 27 carries and Harris picked up 112 on eight carries for NewCath. The offensive leader for Conner was Padgett, who completed 11 of 18 passes for 134 yards and rushed for 57 yards on 23 carries. Conner senior Isaiah Ebarb had 107 all-purpose yards with 47 on returns, 39 rushing and 21 receiving.
CONNER 7 14 0 0 — 21
NEWCATH 0 10 0 7 — 17
C – Padgett 1 run (Eberhard kick)
NC – Smith 4 run (Hans kick)
C – Neyers 5 pass from Padgett (Eberhard kick)
C – Warwick 17 pass from Padgett (Eberhard kick)
NC – Hans 45 FG
NC – Harris 31 run (Hans kick)
RECORDS: Conner 4-1, NewCath 2-4.