Newport’s Tristan Metcalf slips a tackle by Pleasant Hill’s Ryan Eccles as Chris Barth, left, avoids a penalty for an illegal block and Kenny Mertens looks to get up field. (Photo by Jake Schubert)

Case, Dunmore lead late charge in muddy gridiron battle



Most of Newport’s white jerseys were caked with mud at the conclusion of the team’s first round OSAA playoff game at Pleasant Hill on Friday, which is probably just how the team felt after the game that ended their season.

Newport found its offensive rhythm a little too late, falling to the Billies, 26-13.

The Cubs fell behind 20-0 after Derek Smith’s 1-yard quarterback sneak with 10:32 left in the third quarter. Newport rallied behind junior Casee Case - their third quarterback of the game - who connected with Oshay Dunmore, the Cubs’ starting QB in the contest, for two touchdown passes. But it was a case of too little, too late.

Tristan Metcalf also took some snaps.

“Oshay had practiced all week and had played the game before (at Taft), so when we went out to play, he was our starter and did fine,” Newport Coach Kurt Hargett said. “At halftime we felt like we weren’t producing enough offensively, so we wanted to try Tristan. There was no ability to cut in that stuff (field conditions), so he was having to go straight ahead. They were good up front and we weren’t making anything, so then we went to Casee to throw the ball.”

Case finished the game 10-of-19 for 175 yards, with two touchdowns, and one interception. Dunmore caught five passes for 111 yards, and completed 4-of-8 passes for 54 yards.

Hargett said Case had experienced pains in his knee, which concerned them, but “he seemed to be doing fine. We needed him to throw the ball because we were behind, and he said he could do it. He threw the ball well.”

On the interception, Case was looking for a “go” route from his receiver, but his target ran a post. Hargett called it a miscommunication.

Case’s first touchdown was a 59-yarder on a “go” route to Dunmore along the Pleasant Hill sideline with 5:10 remaining in the third quarter. The quarterback hit his receiver in stride, and Dunmore did the rest of the work, outrunning the Billies defense.

“That was a nice ball,” Hargett said. “He put it right on the money.”

Case and Dunmore hooked up again for a 15-yard score with 5:32 to play in the fourth, closing the gap to 20-13.

A pair of key plays helped set up the score. Facing fourth-and-seven at their own 43-yard line, Newport faked the punt, and Metcalf hit Zak Bremner for a 13-yard gain on a drag route across the middle.

Hargett said the fake punt has been in all season. “Tristan can throw the ball really well. At times he’s really accurate. He threw a great strike and Bremner has great hands.”

Later in the drive, Newport faced a fourth-and-three at the Pleasant Hill 37. The Cubs called a pass play, but Case read run on the play, and picked up 4 yards. Four plays later, Newport was in the end zone.

The Cubs needed a defensive stop, and nearly had it at midfield after three plays, but Smith found an open receiver near the Billies sideline for a 9-yard gain on third-and-eight. From the Cubs’ sideline, the ball appeared to hit the muddy turf first and short-hop into the receiver’s arms, but officials ruled it complete.

Pleasant Hill converted on third-and-10 later in the drive with a screen pass from Smith to Jacob Andress for a 15-yard gain, and on third-and-five at the Newport 30-yard line, Smith hit James Gaughan for 24 yards. Four plays later, Andress scored from 3 yards out with 17.7 seconds remaining in the game.

According to statistics provided by Newport, Smith ran 32 times for 99 yards, and completed 17-of-19 passes for 146 yards.

“We knew what they were going to do. They didn’t pull anything out that we weren’t prepared for. We knew what was going to happen, we just didn’t defend it well enough to stop them,” Hargett said. “A lot of things we had defended well schematically, it was there and execution-wise, sometimes we just got out-manned.

“That night they played better than we did, took care of the ball better than we did, and they won the game.”

Hargett waxed sentimental about the end of the season. “The sad part for me is that we don’t get to be together anymore. I’ll still see them everyday (around school and in class), but it’s fun being out there with them. They’re a really enjoyable group and that’s the sad part for us, is it’s over. It’s rough when it ends.”

Overall, Hargett was happy with the way the team progressed throughout the season, especially the offensive line: seniors Zak Camp, Dylan Ferguson, and Dallas Kay, as well as juniors Aaron Laverdure, Joey Jacques, Dominic Barbers, and Erik Negrete.

“I thought our kids did a really good job of becoming pretty formidable,” Hargett said. “The kids were mature about their roles and what they were doing.”

The coach also said there were some players who were ineligible all season, but stuck with the team despite not being able to play on Friday nights.

Injuries played a role, especially at the quarterback slot.

“A healthy Casee Case would have been an absolute awesome thing for us this year,” Hargett said. “He did everything he could to stay on the field. His knee would bother him and he was getting treatment all year long. It was hard sometimes to feel real confident week-to-week that he was going to be there, but when Case’s on the field, he gives you 100 percent and he gives you everything he’s got.”







Jake Schubert is the sports reporter for the News-Times. He can be reached at 265-8571 ext. 221, or sports@newportnewstimes.com.



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