Published: October 06, 2007 12:23 am            

Kats are champs once again

Wildkats win classic over Berries; secure share of NCC title

Click here to see a photo gallery of the Kokomo-Logan game.



One might think a four-touchdown performance would be cause for a little celebration — perhaps even relaxation for most players.

Not for Kokomo’s Justin Patterson, who still needed one play to seal the deal.

With Logansport threatening to tie the game or take the lead in the final two minutes here Friday night at Walter Cross Field, Patterson stepped in front of Jacob Weinstein at the Wildkats’ 37 yard line and his first interception of the season, secured the Wildkats’ biggest victory in 11 years.



It was Kokomo 36, Logansport 29 in a classic North Central Conference championship game. The Wildkats (7-1) are league champs for the 13th time in school history — the first time since 1996. They can win the title outright Friday by closing the regular season with a win at Marion.

“[The Berries] had completed that pass about three times in front of me,” Patterson said, “and my coach was ripping me about it. But on [the interception], I saw them look my way and I just knew it was coming again. I knew I had it.”

Perhaps the Berries should have known not to test Patterson. He had already hammered them to the tune of touchdown runs of 3, 4 and 30 yards — along with a sizzling 94-yard kickoff return.



“This was one we wanted bad after [Logansport] ran the score up on us last year,” he said. “We all wanted this one bad.”

Not all “championship” games live up to their billing. This one did. It was not only a hugely important game for both teams — the loss cost the Berries a piece of the NCC title — but it was played at a championship level.

“It was two teams playing smash mouth football,” Colby said, noting a combined 518 rushing yards. “We knew Logansport was good, but they were even better than I thought. It was a really hard-fought game.

“This was just a very satisfying win. I’m happy for the kids, the program and the school. We all should be really proud of these kids, they represented our school awfully well.”



The game was knotted at 14 late in the first half and what happened with the clock at all zeroes nearly turned this game in Logansport’s direction.

Behind the ever-accurate arm of quarterback Sam Starbuck, the Berries (6-2, 4-2) moved down field in the closing seconds. With the ball at Kokomo’s 35 yards line and just :07 left, Starbuck hit Weinstein over the middle for a shocking score.

The situation got even worse on the PAT. A high snap forced Starbuck to scramble and he somehow got off a pass into the end zone where David Hayden made the grab.

The disheartening eight-point flurry and 22-14 deficit could have flattened teams with lesser character, according to Colby.

“The kids were down at halftime and I let them sulk for about a minute,” Colby said. “Then I told them to quit feeling sorry for themselves, that championship teams overcome adversity.”

That was exactly what they did.



Kokomo had first possession in the second half and responded with a 7-play, 65-yard scoring drive, punctuated by runs of 19 and 25 yards by Brandon Shelton and Patterson. A play-action pass on the PAT from Taylor Carpenter to Julian Bellamy got the two points back, leaving the scored tied at 22.

Logansport showed it wasn’t about to back down. Sensing the urgency to score, the Berries roared back with a 12-play, 72-yard drive of their own — one where they twice converted fourth down plays, one of six yards, one of seven. Matt McIntire rolled in for the final five yards, putting the Berries up 29-22 late in the third.

Kokomo’s usually conservative running game took a back seat in the next drive. Patterson threw a halfback pass to Bellamy for 15 yards, then Carpenter hit the big tight end for another 17 over the middle. From there, the ground game took over and with an extra push from Shelton, Carpenter got over the goal line from a yard out to tie the score at 29 early in the fourth.

The Kats regained possession with 5:45 remaining and set sail for the winning TD. The sophomore Shelton rambled for 25 yards, then two more times for 13. That left it up to Patterson, who dashed the final 20 yards for the winning TD with 4:11 showing.

Following the score, Logansport moved to the Kats’ 37 before Patterson’s interception ended the discussion with 1:31 remaining.

Heroes were everywhere in this one for a Wildkat team that didn’t fumble once, had just a single turnover and only two penalties.

Carpenter ran the offense like a veteran and Bellamy had a career-receiving night with three grabs for 50 yards. The offensive line blocked like warriors and after some halftime adjustments, the defense played well against a potent Logan offense. Shelton and Patterson combined for 209 rushing yards and Alston Andrews and Curt Hutchins had season high tackle totals of 18 and 15.

Call it a championship performance all the way around.

        

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