Newman locks in after halftime to pull away from Riverdale in 35-7 win

STERLING – For the first time since 2017, the Newman Central Catholic football team can call itself outright conference champions in the Three Rivers Rock Division.

The Comets (6-1, 5-0 TRAC Rock) pulled away after halftime in a 35-7 win over Riverdale on Friday night at Prescott Memorial Field. The Rams (3-4, 2-3) kept things close in the first half before Newman’s defense clamped down and its running game took control.

Newman senior Brady Williamson had the game’s first touchdown run and recovered a fumbled punt later in the game. He was one of eight Comets with carries as Newman had over 230 yards rushing.

“That’s a super big accomplishment for our whole team and we haven’t seen that in a while,” Williamson said of the conference title. “We worked for that and we deserve it.”

Williamson thought the team was playing down to Riverdale’s level in the first half. Each team traded scores in the first quarter, and Evan Bushman found John Rowzee for a 5-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter for a 13-7 Newman lead at halftime.

“I think we needed to play our level and our speed of football, our tempo of football,” he said. “In the second half, we really found that and started playing more competitively and doing our job. And doing what we normally do, and what we practice to do.”

Riverdale marched down the field after Newman scored first. A Gaege Heinsen 10-yard touchdown run and an Aiden Sensabaugh kick tied the game. The drive included a 42-yard run by Caen Beckkett on his first carry. It turned out to be the Rams’ longest play of the game and one of only seven runs more than 5 yards.

Newman coach Mike LeMay said the Rams were able to catch Newman’s defense off guard in the first half before they clamped down after the break.

“We answered the bell for the second half,” he said. “[We] played with much better effort, which we needed to do.”

Cody McBride added a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion in the third quarter, and Daniel Kelly’s 12-yard TD helped make it 28-7 along with an Ayden Gutierrez kick.

Ryan Partington had the last touchdown four minutes into the fourth quarter as Newman shut the Rams out after the first quarter.

LeMay was proud after the team got over the hump to win the conference title.

“Our kids have battled and definitely put in the work to get to that point,” he said. “We’re getting everybody’s best shot and now we’ve kind of put ourselves in the top spot, especially in conference.”

Briar Ivey led Newman with 87 yards rushing as the Comets shared the ball in the backfield.

“Our offense has really came a long way in the three years that we’ve been a staff together,” LeMay said. “Coach [Dugan] Repass is really dialing it up and taking advantage of those things, and it’s showing up.”

Newman’s Daniel Kelly heads for the end zone against Riverdale Friday, October 11, 2024, in Sterling. (Alex T. Paschal)

“We have so many options for rotations that if someone needs a breather, then we can just get another very skilled running back in there,” Williamson said, “and he can do his job and do very good.”

Williamson said stepping up the energy level after halftime helped make the difference on defense.

“We were a little flat in the first half and definitely increased [our energy] in the second [half].”

Riverdale had only five first downs as the Rams had 137 yards rushing and only completed one pass for negative yardage.

“Between myself and Coach [Andrew] Papoccia up in the locker room, we got after those guys and showed up,” LeMay said. “I think we might have held them to little to no yardage in the second half, which is what we want to do all the time.”

McBride also had an interception on defense for Newman.

Kelly agreed and said the defense was playing flat and soft in the first half.

“We just needed to be more physical,” he said. “And then in the second half, we just kind of took it to them.”

The Comets secured their sixth win and an outright conference title, but they have bigger goals.

“It’s fun to win it. We haven’t won it in a while,” Kelly said. “[But] the season’s not over yet, so it doesn’t really mean a whole lot. It’s fun that we got it. It’s a good thing that we got it, but we still need to continue to improve.”

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