By Brian Wilmer
Special to Fort Mill Prep Sports
CHESTER – Catawba Ridge head coach Zac Lendyak warned his team at the half about avoiding complacency with a halftime lead. His team listened.
Catawba Ridge quarterback CJ Couch threw for three first-half touchdowns, including two to Braylen Burgis, and the Copperheads withstood a tough Chester Cyclone squad to win on the road, 21-14.
“I told the guys at halftime that any team that’s coached by Victor Floyd is going to fight for 48 minutes,” Lendyak said. “I’m proud of how we played and finding a way to win against a good, quality team.”
Couch hit Burgis for a 25-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in the first quarter to put Catawba Ridge up 7-0.
Catawba Ridge extended their lead not too far into the second quarter as the two Copperheads connected again from 5-yards out on a pass and catch with 10:22 left in the first half.
Chester scored with less than four minutes left in the second quarter go make a game of it and converted the 2-point attempt with 3:51 left in the half.
Following that score, Catawba Ridge punched one in before the half after an interception by Ian Babcock. The Copperheads needed just one play for Couch to hook up with Preston Cooper for a 37-yard touchdown pass with 1:09 left in the half.
Catawba Ridge went into the half lead 21-8.
The Cyclones held the ball for nearly 10 minutes in the third quarter, going on to score after a Copperhead fumble. Catawba Ridge stiffened from there, though, and kept the Cyclones at bay.
Chester was able to score to make a game of it with 1:45 left in the third quarter to make it 21-14, but the Copperheads defense would hold them for the remaining nearly 14 minutes in the game.
Couch threw for nearly 230 yards. Alex Johnson hauled in two fumble recoveries, while Babcock and Nolan Jones recorded interceptions in the game as Chester turned the ball over four times in the game.
Catawba Ridge improved to 2-1 on the season and returns home to battle Spring Valley next Friday, Sept. 13 in a 7:30 contest.
