The Craig County football team fell to 2-1 with a 20-17 loss to Montcalm High in West Virginia last Friday night. It was a disappointing loss for the Rockets, who were looking to go 3-0 for the first time since the 2010 season.
“A 20-17 loss was not the expected outcome,” said Craig coach Jim Fisher. “Montcalm had not looked great on film. They lost a close game in a week one upset, then they won big the next week but didn’t play with a lot of energy. I think our kids and coaches, including me, were not expecting them to play as hard or as well as they did Friday. They shocked us somewhat.”
The Rockets did not play up to the level they did in an opening week win over Bland County. The Rockets were coming off an open week after accepting a forfeit win over Auburn, who failed to field a team.
“We didn’t play our best offensively,” said Fisher. “We missed a lot of assignments and much of that was not Montcalm but it was just us attempting to block the wrong guy. When you don’t block your assignment there are defenders in your backfield and nothing works. Our offensive woes kept the defense on the field way too much but they played pretty well except for a couple of blown assignments in the secondary. The defensive effort allowed us to stay in the ballgame.”
Montcalm took the opening possession into the red zone but Craig’s defense held and the Rockets took over on downs. Three plays later the Rockets were forced to punt and Craig’s new rugby style punt scheme, with Carter Calfee punting, gets a green light to runif he thinks he can make the first down marker. It didn’t work well the first time as he chose to run and Craig did not get the first down, setting up Montcalm for their first score.
The Generals chose to kick to Calfee and he made them pay as he returned the kickoff 85 yards for a TD. Isaac Lucas converted the PAT and the Rockets took a 7-6 lead, and that’s how it stood at the half.
The Rockets moved the ball on their opening drive of the second half and had a first and goal at the four, but a holding call backed them up 10 yards and Craig ended up having to settle for a Lucas field goal and a 10-6 lead.
Montcalm then had a golden chance to score after a 66 yard gain gave them a first down inside of the Craig five. The Generals may have scored but the
Montcalm receiver took time to taunt Calfee, who tried to make a TD saving tackle but missed. That allowed Craig senior Jaycob Wolfe to make the TD saving tackle inside the five and Craig held on first and second down before the Montcalm quarterback took a big hit and the ball popped out. Senior cornerback Blake Wright grabbed the fumble out of the air and returned it 99 yards for a Rocket TD. Another Lucas kick and Craig held a 17-6 lead.
The Generals scored next on a screen pass to close the gap to 17-12, as Craig’s defense stopped the two-point conversion try. Montcalm then attempted an onside kick and what looked like a Craig recovery turned out to be Montcalm’s ball.
“We knew they would predominately use an onside kick if they scored,” said Fisher. “We had our hands team on the field every kickoff. I was shocked when they kicked it deep to Calfee. We teach our players to lay out and protect the player getting the ball during an onside kick but we didn’t do it. You have to do all the little things right to win the tight games. We didn’t protect Dreydin Smith and the Montcalm player jumped on him and took the ball away.
“None of that should have mattered as Montcalm had jumped offside but that flag was one of many that did not get thrown. That onside kick mess really flipped the field position for the rest of the game. We were always deep in our own territory and the yellow was flying. There was at least one flag thrown every Craig possession the rest of the game.”
After a couple more Craig punts and defensive stands by the Rocket defense it all came down to a fourth down run to decide the game. An egregious spot gave Montcalm the life they needed.
“The ref on our side told Coach Dowdy it was a bull—- spot but that he couldn’t overturn it because it wasn’t his call,” said Fisher. ”Film clearly showed the kids knee on the ground as his torso was stood up, but the line judge on the Montcalm side ended up giving him where he fell and extended the ball. At first, he marked it right but he must have changed his mind before he got out there because he kept walking in the direction of our goal line. I had already called for our ‘Heavy Package’ to run out the clock because I saw the initial spot.”
Montcalm scored on the next play and Craig surrendered the lead they had held since the first quarter. The Rockets then failed to answer.
“We tried to throw the ball to get into field goal range,” said Fisher. “On our first two pass plays there was obvious pass interference but no flags. On the first play, receiver Tristan Dooley was thrown to the ground while the ball was in the air. On the second play, Dooley was open deep and Wolfe made, maybe, the throw of his life. It was in the air a long time and the Montcalm defender had to faceguard him because he was so out of position. Face guarding is legal in high
school football but running into the receiver before the ball gets there is not. Again, no flag!”
Unfortunately, Wolfe was knocked out of the game on that play. Freshman quarterback Bradyn Dunbar had to step in to try and save the game.
“I felt like I was throwing him into the Lion’s Den but he showed no emotion or nerves,” said Fisher. “His first attempt could have maybe been a touchdown but our receiver and the defender both stopped running. I guess they didn’t think he could throw it that far.”
The next ball was deep and playable but Montcalm made the play, intercepting the ball to basically end the game.
“Super disappointed in the results of the football game,” said Fisher. “I feel like for a large part of the game Montcalm played with more energy. I felt like the Montcalm coaches had their team better prepared than I had ours. They outplayed us in many phases of the game. It’s my job to have our team mentally prepared as well as strategically prepared and I think I was outcoached in both phases. Those missed assignments on offense are ultimately on me, too, but our defense and special teams kept us in the ballgame and we should have won.”
Fisher was not happy with the officiating from the West Virginia crew.
“In 25 years of coaching, I have seen a lot of officiating,” he said. “For the most part it’s been good, and when it wasn’t good I never considered for a second that it was an integrity issue. It was just a bad call or a missed call.
“I left Montcalm feeling like it was a horrendously poor officiating crew. Watching film I felt victimized; for my players, coaches and fans. The ticky tack calls they made on us, we did not get in return. They made some very questionable holding calls on us, and our kids would get thrown to the ground, have their jerseys pulled off their shoulder pads or spun all the way around and the same official would not call it. On their go ahead touchdown, defensive end Carter Price was absolutely mugged but no call. He would have hit the quarterback as he was throwing or have gotten a sack if he wasn’t held.”
Fisher was also disappointed by the atmosphere at the game.
“The worst part of the trip to West Virginia was how Craig County was treated by the hosts,” he said. “What had always been a very respectful game has gotten dirty with a lot of trash talking, all by one team. It started when Craig first arrived and the team was walking the field. Walking the field is a time-honored tradition. When the visitors arrive they walk the field to familiarize themselves with the ground before they play on it. Someone broadcast over the PA system that ‘I see dead people.’ I am not 100 percent who it was but it was an adult in authority.
“Football players on floats from the Homecoming Parade used expletives to Craig cheerleaders with adults on the float with them. On the field we were cursed, kicked, punched and there were several blindside hits after the play was obviously over. The referees even made a point of emphasis before the game that they would not tolerate any of that kind of behavior. I guess they just meant from us.”
Craig is considering dropping the Generals, a long-time rival, from the schedule in future years.
“I have had several calls, texts, and personal conversations with parents, former players and fans that want to see us end the series with Montcalm because of the behavior and the officiating. Craig and Montcalm have been playing off and on since the 1990’s. It has been two small schools getting a chance to play good clean football against an opponent with close to the same school enrollment. I think it’s been a great series for both teams for over 30 years and I would hate to see it go away.” said Fisher. “I’m going to talk to the head coach in a week or two to address my concerns moving forward. In West Virginia, the head coach gets to hand pick his officials. I’m going to ask that they pick some from out of his area moving forward. We are also going to talk about expectations of sportsmanship.”
Through all this the Rockets were able to keep their composure.
“After the game, during the handshake, the Montcalm players asked us to
pray with them,” said Fisher. “I was a little shocked, I’m not going to lie. I could tell that some of our kids were not in favor of the idea as they had just been cursed, kicked, punched, mocked and homered by the officiating crew. But you never pass up an opportunity to do the right thing.”
The Rockets are off this weekend, returning September 27 to host Twin Valley at Mitchell Field in New Castle.
VOLLEYBALL TEAM OPENS DISTRICT PLAY
The Craig County volleyball team will open Pioneer District play this week when the Rockets host Eastern Montgomery on Tuesday.
Craig had a non-district game at Smith Mountain Christian Academy last week and lost in four games. The Rockets got off to a good start, winning the first game 25-17, but SMLCA rallied to take the next three, 25-14, 25-15 and 25-18.
“We opened strong and just couldn’t finish,” said coach Suzanne Crawford. “We will continue to work on passing and serve receive.”
Jenna Boitnotte led the team with seven aces while adding six assists, four kills and six digs. Daileigh Donithan had 11 digs, two kills and an ace.
“It was a very impressive game played by Daileigh and Jenna,” said Crawford.
Layla Dooley had six kills, two blocks and three digs while Cheyanne Bell had two kills two blocks and an ace. Maggie Mays led the team with 11 assists and also had nine kills and a couple digs. Felicity Fisher had two aces, five digs, a kill and a block, Makenzie Lucas had a kill and a dig and Ashlyn Keen had a kill.
The Rockets are off for the rest of this week, returning to action next Tuesday, September 24, at Bath County.
