NCL I interlock battle goes down to the wire at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco
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SAN FRANCISCO >> The Stuart Hall Knights are the “real deal.”
So says Kelseyville High School varsity football head coach Logan Barrick after watching his own Knights continually fight off Stuart Hall comeback bids Saturday night in a 43-33 victory that doubles not only as Kelseyville’s first win of the season, but also as Barrick’s first career victory.
The Knights are for real, too, after rushing for almost 400 yards behind a physical offensive line that was one of the big differences in the game.
“Our line was great last night,” Barrick said. “Elijah (Watkins) made great calls and adjustments up front and (John) Carr was moving people around.”
And then there was senior running back Bryce Keener, who carried the ball 23 times, gained 224 yards, scored two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Case Pivniska added 77 yards on 12 carries, including a 24-yard touchdown, while Brayton Thomas finished with 60 yards on three carries but also had two catches for 48 yards and two touchdowns.
“Bryce had a great game and Brayton was super clutch for us,” Barrick said. “Our backs did the job.”
Jayden Fabisch rushed for a pair of two-point conversions while quarterback Kimo Brown sealed the victory with a 1-yard touchdown run with seconds remaining in the game. He also went 3-for-4 passing for 49 yards and the two touchdowns to Thomas, including one on a fourth-and-six play in the third quarter, a 41-yard connection, that pushed Kelseyville’s lead to 30-19.
The Knights had as much as a 37-19 lead with 7:03 remaining when Stuart Hall (1-1) and its high-powered passing game pushed the ball down the field and scored, closing to 37-27 after adding the two-point conversion. Stuart Hall then recovered an onside kick and scored again, cutting Kelseyville’s lead to 37-33 with four minutes remaining.
Kelseyville used up nearly all of the clock on its final possession, grinding out first downs before Brown snuck the ball over the goal line with 34 seconds to go.
While the Knights allowed their San Francisco opponents 33 points, Barrick said his defense played remarkably well, led by Gordon Astrup (three sacks) and Andrew Souza (two sacks), but especially cornerback Carson Stone, who had his hands full all night with an elite Stuart Hall receiving corps.
“No. 2 (senior Jake Oenning) is an absolute stud,” Barrick said. “He’s one of the best receivers I’ve seen. They had other guys making plays as well, some great over-the-shoulder catches and one-hand catches. Their quarterback is a shifty dude who makes guys miss.”
Through it all, Stone played outstanding pass defense, according to Barrick.
“In our first two games he’s allowed one reception against the guys he’s been covering,” Barrick said.
Stuart Hall played a combination of eight-man and 11-man football last season before joining the NCL I this season. The league’s newcomer is going to give its opponents plenty of trouble, according to Barrick.
“They’re legit,” Barrick said. “They’re for real.”
Kelseyville led 8-7 after one quarter and 16-7 at halftime while playing at venerable Kezar Stadium, a former home of the San Francisco 49ers though the facility has undergone plenty of changes since then.
“It’s probably one of the nicest places I’ve ever played,” Barrick said.
Stuart Hall was the consummate host, too, providing Kelseyville players with 10 pizzas following the game.
“They are a class act,” Barrick said.
The Knights came out of the game injury free and should be at full strength when they host Middletown on Friday.
GAME NOTES: Astrup and Fabisch led the Knights with eight total tackles apiece followed by Pivniska and JD Smart with six each and Hughie O’Boyle with five … Kezar Stadium is a natural grass field, and a beautiful one … Windy conditions, which is just part of San Francisco living, influenced a number of Kelseyville players to tell Barrick to just keep running the ball and forget the pass given the success they were having moving the ball on the ground against the Stuart Hall defense. “They were that confident,” Barrick said … Kelseyville is the favorite to win the NCL I North this season while Middletown, Stuart Hall and St. Helena figure to be the top dogs in the South, so Friday’s Kelseyville-Middletown matchup has plenty of significance. These teams could end up meeting again down the road … Kelseyville’s JVs fell 28-0 to Paradise on Friday in Paradise … Stuart Hall plays Friday night in Upper Lake. Because Stuart Hall has no junior varsity team, the Clear Lake JVs (3-0) take on the Upper Lake JVs (2-0) prior to the Stuart Hall-Upper Lake varsity contest. Upper Lake will honor the two newest members to its athletic Hall of Fame between games as Marci Psalmonds (Class of 1989) and Dennis Wilson (Class of 1968) are honored.
