Genoa stays perfect in win over Redskins

Genoa's Derek Allgier races toward the end zone on an 18-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Josh Bryer. The Comets won their 32nd consecutive regular-season game.

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Genoa's Derek Allgier races toward the end zone on an 18-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Josh Bryer. The Comets won their 32nd consecutive regular-season game.

GENOA - It was a matchup of unbeatens but Genoa proved to be too much for Port Clinton, rolling to a 51-0 victory Friday night.

The Comets (3-0), who raised their regular-season winning streak to 32 games, built a 30-0 lead over the Redskins by halftime.

"I thought both teams played really hard, but we practice a lot and it really showed tonight," Genoa quarterback Josh Bryer said. "We just came out and did what we have to do and that's what happens when we do."

Bryer directed the Comets on three scoring drives in the opening quarter, including a 10-play, 80-yard drive he finished off by connecting with Derek Allgier on an 18-yard touchdown completion for a 6-0 lead with 4:25 left in the first quarter.

Allgier pulled in an out pass from Bryer and raced past a Redskins defender for the first score of the night.

"It was a great catch and I have to give him credit because he caught the ball and just ran," Bryer said.

Genoa's Matt Murphy pulls away from Port Clinton's Chase Minnear as Murphy returned thesecond-half kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown in Friday night's game

The scoring drive was set up by an interception by Genoa defensive back Brandon Roberts in the Comets end zone that thwarted Port Clinton's opening drive.

The defensive stop seemed to wake up the Comets.

"It couldn't have been a better drive for them to start the game," said Genoa coach Mike Vicars. "Really they had us off balance and they have some really good skill athletes and the quarterback throws a great ball. We weren't getting good enough pressure on him [Redskins quarterback Derek Colston], but when the field reduced and we were able to squeeze them, [Roberts] made a great play."

The Comets' next opportunity to score came only moments later after the Redskins fumbled away their next possession deep in their own territory.

Tyler Pickard made it 13-0 when he rumbled his way through the Redskins defense for a 20-yard touchdown with 4:08 remaining in the first quarter.

"We played with a lot of heart and showed a lot of emotion tonight," Pickard said.

Roberts made it 21-0 by scampering on a 55-yard touchdown run with just under two minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

The Redskins (2-1) found themselves entering the second quarter facing a 21-point deficit.

Their situation didn't improve in the second quarter.

Colston was tackled in the end zone by Comets Devin Sibby and Roberts for a safety to give Genoa a 23-0 lead with just over six minutes left in the first half.

Matt Murphy added to Genoa's scoring outburst a few seconds later by taking the kickoff and racing 84 yards for a touchdown to make it 30-0.

"We had good balance and I thought we threw the football well to keep them off balance a little bit," Vicars said.

The Comets closed out the first half with a goal line stand in the final seconds of the second quarter.

Many of the Comets starters stood on the sidelines in the second half watching the backups finish out the contest by putting 21 points on the scoreboard while keeping the Redskins out of the end zone.

"You still have to come out and play your game in the second half because it's still not over because you still have 24 minutes left," Bryer said.

Contact Donald Emmons at:

demmons@theblade.com

or 419-724-6302.