Late surge pushes Perry past Hennessey
Finishing was the difference between Hennessey celebrating the first win of the season and still searching for that elusive victory.
Perry erased a two-touchdown deficit in the final six minutes of regulation, then scored the only points in the overtime victory to sneak out a 2014 home win last Friday night over the Eagles.
Hennessey managed to score twice in the second half to take a 14-0 lead, one it kept until Perry finally got on the board with 5:50 to go in regulation.
“We played well for three-and-a-half quarters, but didn’t finish well and it cost us,” said Hennesesy head coach Mark Cox.
Kept out of the end zone for the game’s first 42 minutes, Perry’s Jaxson Cunningham threw three TD passes to close out the game.
The first two were to Whelan Carson in regulation, the second one coming from 10 yards out with 3:16 to play.
Matthew Larkin made the all-important extra- point to tie the game and soon the teams were in overtime.
Once there, Perry got the ball back and - despite a penalty - the Maroons needed just two plays to score as Cunningham found Larkin from 8 yards out.
This time the extra-point was no good, meaning seven points from Hennessey could win the game.
It never materialized. Hennessey was quickly penalized five yards and the offense stalled out from there.
The game ended with an incomplete pass on fourth down.
“We stopped tackling well, our pass coverage got very shaky and we stopped executing on offense,” Cox said. “So, we didn’t do what we needed to do in order to win the game, and Perry did, so they got the victory.”
The loss dropped Hennessey to 0-5 on the season and 0-2 in District 2A-1 games.
Despite not being able to score in the first half, Hennessey still found some offensive production, though almost exclusively through the air.
“We had our most productive night of the season in the passing game by far,” Cox noted.
Gunnar Holder completed 22 of 45 passes for 228 yards.
Kevin Trillo and Weston Smith each hauled in 10 passes. Trillo’s covered 114 yards and Smith’s another 81.
Both caught a touchdown pass.
Smith put Hennessey on the board at 7:02 of the third quarter with a 2-yard TD reception.
Trillo’s 6-yard TD with 9:56 to go in the fourth made it a two-score game.
“We’re definitely getting better executing our passing game, but need to improve in the run game,” Cox said.
The team mustered only 44 yards on 25 carries. Jessin Hardin led the way with 30 yards on his eight attempts.
Once Perry cut its deficit to one score, Hennessey gave the Maroons hope.
“We had a drive with a couple of negative plays that pinned us back against our own goal line,” Cox said.
The result was a punt from the end zone, giving Perry a short 39-yard field to cover to tie the game.
Mistakes in those situations, Cox said, are part of a learning process for his team.
“We’ve been talking a lot since the game with our guys about learning how to win by making yourselves do the things it takes to win,” he said.
Hennessey managed to hold Perry to minus-4 rushing yards on 10 carries, though Cunningham did throw for 82 yards.
The Eagle defense was led by Caron Riddle’s nine stops.