Opening "K"night success

EDITOR'S NOTE: I had written this on Saturday, but saved it in another file and forgot to post it.

 The high school football season opened on Mount Pisgah for the Columbia Crimson Tide football teamagainst their cross-river rival, Eastern York.

photos by Pat Kreider-Bach

Under the bright lights of one local television station and the illumination of the stadium lights peering off the mountain, the Tide for the second straight season beat the Golden Knights, 36-13 in the season opener before a large crowd.

On this night, the Tide unveiled its “pistol” offense, designed to spread teams out and utilize some of the top skill people in the L-L League, but in the end, it was a “turn back” to the running days of the 1960s and 70s that helped the Tide pull out the win.

Early on, the Tide and its fans got to see the full effect of the pistol attack.

After forcing the Golden Knights to a “three and out” on the first possession of the season/game, the Tide came out firing with all its pistol bullets. Tyler Harrison hit passes to Will Kreiser, Michael Burke and Seth Lefever, while on the ground, Harrison and Andrew Combs picked up big chunks of yards. An 11-play, 67-yard drive was completed when Combs rumbled in from the 5, with 5:34 left in the opening quarter.

And it didn't take too long for the Tide to go up two scores. On their next possession, the Tide on a quick pitch and catch from Harrison to Burke, covering 75 yards gave the Tide a 13-0 lead, still in the first quarter of the game.

But something happened during those first two possessions that could have a long lasting affect on the Tide's season. Harrison suffered a leg injury and was unable to push off his leg. The seriousness of the injury was not known until later, a fractured fibula, but Harrison, who completed his first six passes, continued in the game until late in the first half.

And because the Tide's pistol wasn't firing on all bullets, their offense slowed on their next two possessions, both punts. The second punt led to the Knights' first score of the as Alex Cooley sprinted 46 yards up the gut for a score. With just over six minutes left in the first half, the Tide led just 13-7.

But on the next two possessions, the two teams traded picks. Harrison was picked by Spenser Yost, while Daeshawn McIllwain picked off Chase Beaverson.

And that's when the Tide went old school, in terms of offense. Lefever, who last quarterbacked regularly as a sophomore, took over the pistol attack. Lefever's first play as quarterback ended with an 89-yard jaunt to the end zone and the Tide following a Burke to Lefever two-point conversion, led 21-7.

The third quarter was not a good one for the Tide. They went “three and out” and the Knights began a long drive at the 2. Fourteen plays later, the Knights at the Tide 41 fumbled the ball, which Kreiser pounced on. The Knights had the ball for more than 10 minutes in the quarter and had nothing to show for it.

High Tide the rolled on. Combs broke off a 40-yard run, which led to a 7-yard run to the end zone by Burke. Nine seconds into the fourth quarter, Columbia was well in front, 28-7.

But two plays later, the Knights scored on a long pass play to pull within two scores.

It was up to the Knights to stop the Tide and they couldn't. A 12-play drive ended with just the second pass of the second half as Lefever found Burke for a 12-yard score.