By Fred Kroner
Oakwood’s Comets were not able to hold onto a first-quarter lead on Friday (Oct. 6) and dropped a 37-20 Vermilion Valley Conference football decision at home to Iroquois West.
Jackson Dudley connected with Chase Harrison on a 51-yard scoring pass to start the game’s scoring after 2 minutes and 15 seconds of action.
“We scored early on a short pass, and Chase took it to the end zone,” Oakwood coach Cameron Lee said. “It was going to plan at that point.”
With three seconds left in the opening period, Cameron Black scored on a 3-yard run. The second of Jacob Pricer’s two conversion kicks gave the Comets a 14-7 lead after the first 12 minutes.
The teams went into the locker room at halftime all knotted up, 14-14.
“In the first half, it was great to see the defense play the way we knew they were capable,” Lee said.
The first Iroquois West score was courtesy of an interception return. The Raiders’ final TD was also on a pick-six.
An interception by Oakwood’s Sam Woodard ended the first IW drive, and then the Comets forced the visitors to punt on their next three offensive possessions.
“That’s what we’ve been looking for,” Lee said.
Iroquois West scored one TD each in the second and third quarters and carried a 21-14 lead into the last quarter.
The Raiders expanded their cushion to 28-14 and then to 30-14 on a safety before Dudley hooked up with Harrison on a 31-yard scoring strike with 3:54 remaining.
“Slowly, but surely, the wheels started to fall off,” Lee said. “They won, and executed in little areas that go unnoticed.
“It was a matter of a team that knew what it took to beat us. Make ‘em go 80 yards and see if they will make mistakes.”
The Comets didn’t successfully sustain enough of their long drives to pull out a win. Two lost fumbles led directly to TDs by the Raiders.
“We shot ourselves in the foot,” Lee said. “It was the most frustrating game in my limited (two-year) experience. They were better prepared than we were and that’s on me.”
Dudley completed 10 of 27 passes for 181 yards. He went over the 1,000-yard mark for the season and has 1,028 passing yards entering the Week 8 game.
Chase Harrison hauled in five passes for 141 yards. Alec Harrison had three receptions for 26 yards.
Black finished with a team-high 53 yards rushing on 14 attempts and has gained 877 yards on the ground for the season. He also caught two passes.
Oakwood (4-3) will play its Senior Night game on Friday (Oct. 13) against Salt Fork (5-2).
The Comets need one more win to become playoff-eligible.
The Vermilion Valley Conference game is one where the records of the teams don’t mean a lot.
“When Oakwood and Salt Fork get together, you never know what will happen,” Lee said.
Oakwood’s six seniors are Harley Grimm, Alec Harrison, Zeke Smith, Talan Vogel, Brayden Williams and Keevyn Wilson. Grimm is the Comets’ tackling leader for the season.
