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10/15/05

Big plays rescue Copley


Towns' interception, Carter's TD key win

By Todd Worly

Special to the Beacon Journal

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COPLEY - Copley turned to its star for the decisive play to beat Suburban League rival Revere 23-20 Friday night.

With Revere leading 20-16 and attempting to run out the clock with less than three minutes left, Copley senior linebacker Nick Towns came up with his second interception of the game, this one giving the Indians the ball at their 45-yard line.

``We just keep coming back and showing people that we're no joke,'' Towns said. ``I just did what I could do to help our team. I saw the ball in the air and just went and got it.''

Copley (6-2, 3-2) wisely relied on senior running back Delone Carter from that point. Carter took a handoff on the next play and dazzled the home crowd with a run that won't soon be forgotten.

Carter seemingly made the entire Minutemen defense miss in the backfield, eventually breaking free down the right sideline for a 41-yard run down to the 14-yard line with just two minutes left.

As was the trend all night, the Revere defense was stout, forcing a fourth-and-3 from the 6. But a Revere player jumped offside, and Carter leaped over the top two plays later from the 1 to account for the winning margin with just 57 seconds left.

Revere failed to attain a first down on its final drive.

``They sent everyone after me the whole game, so I knew I had to make someone miss,'' Carter said. ``Nick had a big interception, and that gave me the fuel I needed to get it done.''

``Delone never gives up,'' Towns said. ``He's the number one back in the state, and he always plays like it's his last game.''

Until Towns' interception, Revere (4-4, 3-2) appeared to have the game put away, thanks to a remarkable all-around game by senior running back/defensive back/returner Tom Romito. Senior receiver Derek Muffley snagged Romito's halfback pass and took it 43 yards for a touchdown to put Revere ahead 20-16 with 8:09 left.

Revere largely dominated the first half, but junior wide receiver/free safety David Arnold kept the Indians in it with two spectacular plays of his own.
On Revere's second play of the game, Arnold picked off a pass and returned it 77 yards to give Copley a 7-0 lead.

Romito, who also tallied a fourth-quarter interception, capped a 58-yard drive with a 1-yard plunge to even the score. The Minutemen then delivered another big play, as senior quarterback Corey Kurtz found senior receiver Dan Zarkovacki streaking down the sideline for a picturesque 52-yard touchdown pass with just 0.6 seconds remaining in the first half.

Arnold struck again for the Indians early in the second half. Senior quarterback Jason Borchik hit Arnold on a post for a 74-yard touchdown pass.
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