Comets fall one play shy of shocking upset

Stillman Valley 21, Newman 20

STERLING – The Newman Central Catholic football team threw a scare into mighty Stillman Valley on Saturday, but the Comets fell one yard short of a state-shaking upset.

The Cardinals stopped Newman sophomore Tim Wilson's two-point conversion run for the win with 4 seconds to play, preserving a 21-20 win in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A playoffs.

The Comets (8-4) pulled within a point on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Jack Hanlon to Stephen Wilson, the second time the pair hooked up for a score in the game.

Stillman Valley (12-0) advances to next week's semifinals, where the Cardinals will play another undefeated team, either Illini West or Wilmington.

Newman took a 6-0 lead five minutes into the game, when Carlos Salazar blocked a Cardinals punt, which Joe Blessman returned 5 yards for a touchdown. Tim Wilson was stopped on the two-point run.

Stillman went ahead 8-6 midway through the second quarter on Nate Bond's 2-yard run and Adam Cox's two-point run.

Hanlon threw his first TD pass to Stephen Wilson, a 24-yarder, with 3:12 left in the third quarter. Halfback Austin Blessman completed an option pass to Zac Gassman for two points and a 14-8 lead.

The Cardinals tied the score on a 65-yard pass from Dane Green to Matt Arnold with 2 minutes left in the third. Stillman's PAT snap sailed over the holder's head, preserving the 14-14 tie.

Stillman forged ahead 21-14 after a long drive was finished by Shawn Cox's 1-yard run and Ryan Prusator's extra point with 6:23 to play in the fourth.

First quarter

N – Joe Blessman 5 blocked punt return (run failed) 7:00

Second quarter

SV – Nate Bond 2 run (Adam Cox run) 5:42

Third quarter

N – Stephen Wilson 24 pass from Jack Hanlon (Zac Gassman pass from Austin Hubbard) 3:12

SV – Matt Arnold 65 pass from Dane Green (bad PAT snap) 1:56

Fourth quarter

SV – Shawn Cox 1 run (Ryan Prusator kick) 6:23

N – S.Wilson 22 pass from Hanlon (run failed) 0:04