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BURBANK – The Newport Grizzlies football team led at the end of the first quarter in its game against Columbia Burbank Friday. Newport led at the half. Newport led at the end of the third quarter.
It was a back-and-forth game, Newport coach Mark Duxbury says. The fourth quarter was key to Columbia Burbank getting a 59-46 win.
“We controlled the clock with our run game, possessing the ball 32:56 minutes compared to 15:34, and we led most of the game,” he says. “Our inexperience showed up on defense and we gave up some big plays.”
Columbia tied the game midway through the fourth quarter and recovered an on-side kick, turning it into a touchdown, going up 49-42.
“We scored on our next possession and tied the game at 49-49,” Duxbury says. Damien Hamburg intercepted a Columbia pass on their next possession.
When Newport got the ball back, Brody Driver broke a 58-yard touchdown run that was called back for a holding penalty that Duxbury didn’t see, even on the film.
That put Newport in a fourth down.
“I opted to go for it on fourth down with a fake punt to try and keep the ball out of Columbia Burbank’s hands, since we were having difficulties defending the pass,” Duxbury says. “Columbia stopped us short of the first down. Columbia scored six plays later to make it 56-49, only leaving us with just over a minute left to play.”
Newport rushed for 328 yards in the game and gained 133 yards by passing.
That was about the opposite of Columbia Burbank, which had 356 passing yards and 149 yards on the ground.
Driver and Kirkwood each broke 100 yards rushing, Driver with 161 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries and Kirkwood with 109 yards and four touchdowns on 22 carries. Brad Martin carried six times for 36 yards. Kutter Driver had 17 yards on three carries and Preston Wacenske had five yards on one carry.
Kirkwood completed seven of 12 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns.
“We finally got the passing game back on track this week,” Duxbury says. Austin Owen caught a pass for a 32-yard touchdown and Brody Driver caught three passes for 35 yards and a touchdown.
Columbia Burbank was a non-league game.
“Our league has 11 teams in it and four playoff berths,” Duxbury says. The league was split into first tier (seven teams) and second Tier (four teams). The first tier has first, second and third place teams with automatic state playoff berths. Newport plays in the first tier.
The first tier fourth place team will have a crossover game with the first-place team of the second tier. The winner will get the fourth playoff berth.
“We have to win our last two league games to place fourth and qualify for the crossover game,” he says.
Newport (1-3, 3-4) is home Friday against Reardan (0-5, 2-5) for Senior Night. The game starts at 7 p.m.
