By Zach Alvira
Head of Content
Riley Hunt was patient all game.
The Casteel tight end knew his number would be called at some point during the Colts’ Friday night tilt against Perry. Little did he know it would come during perhaps the most pivotal moment of the game.
He lined up on the right side of the formation and ran across the formation, coming free from his defender in the process. He hollered at quarterback Paul Palmer, who was rolling left to escape pressure. Finally, Palmer found him.
The 3-yard connection between Palmer and Hunt was the first and only target of the game for the tight end. But he hauled it in, securing Casteel’s 40-37 win over Perry that took four overtime periods to conclude.
“It was unbelievable,” Hunt said. “I couldn’t really think, I was just doing my job. As soon as I got called in, I was ready. I was ready the whole game to go out there and make a play.”
The game was as back-and-forth as they come, even if it didn’t always involve scoring.
Perry struck first in the first quarter. Sophomore quarterback Kael Snyder led the Pumas on a long drive, churning time off the clock in the process. He was poised in the pocket on pass plays and used his legs to extend plays.
He relied on his legs the final 13 yards of the drive, in which he escaped pressure from the backside and found a seam for the first touchdown of the game.
The Puma defense came up with a stop after the offense put points on the board. It appeared that was their chance to begin pulling away from Casteel early, but Casteel defensive back Aftyn Cantrell had other plans. He jumped a short pass from Snyder intended for senior wideout Hayden Moon, taking it the distance to put Casteel on the board.
“Our defense balled out,” said Palmer, who finished 21-of-32 for 220 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. “Obviously it looks like they let up a ton of points, but that was all in overtime. Our defense, that was probably the best game they played. They helped us do enough to win.”
Neither team could find any offense the remainder of the first half. Drive after drive the two teams either punted, turned the ball over on downs or, in the case of Casteel, in the form of an interception.
The second half, however, is where the real fun began.
LJ Walker opened the third quarter with a kick return for a touchdown. Casteel answered with a 37-yard pass from Palmer to Mason Lewis, who made a spectacular catch off the tip from the Perry defender.
A muffed punt allowed Perry to take the lead yet again behind the legs of Snyder. Casteel answered yet again early in the fourth quarter. On fourth down, Palmer connected with Nathan McConnell on a short pass, but the senior broke a tackle and found a seam to score from 50 yards out.
“It takes discipline to be able to do these things,” Casteel coach Bobby Newcombe said of his team’s ability to answer Perry’s scores. “There’s a set of values we hold very strong in our program. We want those values to be reflected out here on the football field. Win or lose, I felt like they reflected those values we’re trying to teach them.”
The two remained deadlocked nearing the end of the fourth quarter. Both teams had chance to set themselves up for a potential game-winning field goal, but Casteel never got close enough and Perry’s 52-yard try fell short by a yard.
The fireworks continued in the first overtime period. Palmer connected with Merrik Kubacki for the Colts first touchdown of the extra time. Snyder and Perry answered with a pass to Moon. Three field goals from Perry and two from Casteel later saw the Colts with yet another opportunity to win the game with a touchdown.
Palmer looked for Lewis, but the pass was broken up. However, a pass interference was called. That gave Casteel a fresh set of downs from the 5-yard line. The Colts only needed 2 as Palmer found Hunt for the game-winner.
“Hats off to Perry. It’s a battle, it’s a rivalry,” Newcombe said. “It’s a fun battle. For it to go four overtimes, it’s incredible. It’s an incredible game for the fans and the community. We’re just happy to come out on top of it.”
The win for Casteel was personal. The Colts felt overlooked, undervalued and like they were painted as the doormats of the Premier Region this season. They lost two games that were easily in reach to Mountain Pointe and Queen Creek and struggled at times against Mesa. Yet, they were confident heading into the matchup against Perry.
Newcombe didn’t imagine it would take four overtimes to accomplish his team’s goal of starting region play on a high note, but he had confidence in his players they would get the job done – even if it did involve ample amounts of stress throughout.
The win gives the Colts momentum, something they need heading into a gauntlet of games that involves Chandler, Hamilton and Basha before wrapping up the season against Corona del Sol. But just as they were against Perry, the Colts are confident.
Winning a four-overtime grudge match will do that for a team.
“We finally have the motivation and courage, really, to go onto these next games,” Hunt said. “Our team’s energy has picked up so much. I feel like that really helps our team.”
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