ST. HELENA — Miscommunication on the snap count cost the Kelseyville Knights a chance to beat the St. Helena Saints, 21-18 winners in a North Central League I interlock varsity football game on Friday night in St. Helena.
Kelseyville had a fourth-and-goal from the St. Helena 4-yard line in the final two minutes but came up short on a running play that the Saints” defense stuffed.
“They made a great stand,” Kelseyville coach Thad Owens said of the Saints. “St. Helena played a tough game.”
While the Knights fell to 0-3, Owen said his club took a major step toward becoming competitive, something they were not in 50-0 and 50-12 losses in the first two weeks of the season.
“We took a huge step in the right direction,” Owens said. “We showed everybody that we can play football.”
Penalties and turnovers once again took their toll on the Knights, according to Owens.
“I was happy with everything, but mental mistakes and turnovers hurt us again,” he said. “We made four or five penalties at the wrong times and had two or three (lost) fumbles that didn”t help.
“But it”s coming together, I can feel it,” Owens said.
One thing that came together for the Knights was their running game. Josh Huston carried the ball 38 times for 187 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown run, and Mike Duman, who opened the season as the Knights” quarterback, picked up 132 yards on 13 carries as a running back, including a 7-yard TD run.
Quarterback Justin Lilly completed three of eight passes for 63 yards and scored the Knights” other touchdown on a 4-yard run.
St. Helena led 14-12 at halftime and 21-18 after three quarters.
It was the first win of the season for new St. Helena coach Dave Collinsworth.
