Comets Get 1st Win of Season

(Most of the Article is from Joel Schreiner, LNP Correspondent)

This week High School Football comes on a Saturday.  The game was to be held Friday night but due to a wet field McCaskey postponed the game to held Saturday evening. This came to a surprise to the both teams as many players and families had originally planned to attend the Penn State game that evening.  But the players dedication showed through as the team was committed to play Saturday night.  (Special thanks to the cheerleaders and fans who still came out to in our team.)

Waiting the extra day was well worth the wait.  The Comets won 28 to 14 with a long awaited win.  "This is huge to finally get a win,"  Penn Manor coach John Brubaker said.  "I'm happy for our kids."

Gale threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another while Josh Gibson had a receiving and rushing TD as the Comets scored all of their points in the first half.  "Tha was picture perfect," said Gale, who finished with 128 yards passing and 40 yards rushing.  "We ran everything right, read everything right , and came out with tenacity."  Gale got it rolling in the first quarter when he broke free for a 47-yard touchdown scamper, capping a drive that started at the Comets' 20, but eventually went backward to their own 6.  "In the beginning of the season, we always put our heads down when we got down,"  Gale said. "Tonight, we got up and we just kept going."

After the PM defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing possession for McCaskey, Gale quickly extended the lead to 14-0 when he hooked up with Kyle Murr on the second play for a 56-yard touchdown pass.  Penn Manor's Josh Gibson picked off McCaskey's Isaish Thomas tow plays later and the Comet offense was back in business at the Tornado 19.  Gibson (13 carries, 119 yards) was rewarded with a carry on the first play of the drive and he went 81 years for a TD and a 21-0 Comet.  "When your up 21-0 in the first half, there's nothing like it," Gale said. "It just sets the tone."

The 21 points in the games first half were one more then the Comets scored through their five games combined.  They finished with 374 total yards against McCaskey after totaling only 694 in their five first games.  "We've been pretty deficient on offense for quit some time now, " Brubaker said. "it was about time. I think it's been there, it just hasn't produced. Tonight, it just produced."

Gale and Co. took a three TD lead into the break after QB hit Gibson for a 22 year touchdown pass with 25 seconds left in the half.  "There's nothing like it," Gale said. "Winning on a Saturday night, I don't care if it's not Friday night lights. A win is a win and I love it."

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