ROCHESTER — A joyful David Hay was more than happy to tell his Chatham Glenwood football team it just pulled off something no other Titans’ squad had done: win a game at Rocket Booster Stadium.
In his third season as the Glenwood starting quarterback, senior Colten Knoedler has put the Titans on his back on several occasions, courtesy of his arm. But Knoedler was the Titans’ leading rusher with 94 yards on 12 carries, one touchdown and the game-winning two-point conversion rush in overtime to give Glenwood a 43-42 Central State Eight Conference East Division win over host Rochester on Friday night.
“I enjoyed it; I haven’t run the ball in high school yet,” Knoedler said. “Being able to come out here and do that, my (offensive) line was unbelievable. I went five yards before anybody touched me.”
The Titans (4-0 overall, 2-0 CS8 East) rallied back from a pair of 14-point deficits, including Rochester’s 35-21 advantage after Rockets’ QB JP Leonard hit Tristan Stanton for a 75-yard touchdown to start the fourth quarter.
Glenwood had to overcome a lot, and not just the history at Rocket Booster Stadium. The Titans turned the ball over four times; Knoedler threw two interceptions and running back Grady Mueller lost a fumble.
But when the Titans needed some breaks of their own, the Glenwood secondary interception Rochester quarterbacks Leonard and Tanner Beal a total of three times in the second half.
“We didn’t execute at the end; that’s on us,” Rochester coach Derek Leonard said. “We’ve got to be better at the end of games. We looked young at the end and that’s on me as a head coach: I’ve got to get them playing older when it counts.”
Glenwood tied the game 21-21 two plays into the second half. Knoedler picked up 32 yards on first-and-10 from the Titans’ 24, then he found Andrew Schwartz for a 44-yard touchdown pass. Glenwood kicker Tristan Schwindt tied the game 21-21 with his point-after kick.
With Rochester (3-1 overall, 1-1 CS8 East) leading 28-21, Mueller fumbled at the RHS 22 and two plays later, Leonard found Stanton to give Rochester a two-score edge. That was the second time the Titans found themselves in such a hole. Brooks Gavin had a 45-yard interception return of Knoedler to put Rochester up 21-7 with 9 minutes, 49 seconds left in the first half.
The second half was, to that point, not going how the Titans drew it up at halftime.
“To make adjustments, be disciplined and do your job,” Glenwood’s Larry Wills said was the focus.
Glenwood’s 38 seniors on the roster didn’t waver. Glenwood senior defensive back Trystin Decatoire picked off Leonard to give the Titans the ball at their own 25 with 6:14 left. A roughing the passer call gave Glenwood a first-and-10 from the RHS 15 and three plays later, Mueller ran in for a two-yard TD before Schwindt’s PAT kick pulled Glenwood within 35-28 with 4:19 left.
“Just finding openings in the defense and making plays,” Glenwood’s Andrew Schwartz said what allowed the Titans to mount its rally. “The mindset was we just got to go out and score, no matter what the defense throws at us, we just got to score.”
A flag was thrown at the end of the touchdown run for a late hit penalty in the end zone. Rochester took the yardage on the ensuing kickoff, but Schwindt’s powerful leg still forced a touchback. On a third-and-16 from the Rochester 14, Dylan Huff got his fourth pick of the season to give the Titans the ball at the Rockets’ 46 with 3:46 to go.
The Titans converted a fourth-and-two from the 38 and at third-and-four from the 5, Knoedler scored his first rushing TD of the season and ninth in his career. Schwindt’s leg pulled Glenwood into a 35-35 tie with 1:06 to play in regulation.
“I want to give it to the (practice team) guys because they really helped us adjust to everything Rochester does,” Wills said. “That’s the best part of (Glenwood’s) team, to be honest.”
The Rockets nearly pulled out the win anyway. A 15-yard defensive pass interference put the ball at the GHS 28 and Rochester converted a third-and-five to bring up a first down on the 18, but a bad hold on a 35-yard field goal try forced OT.
In the extra period, Rochester regained a 42-35 lead when Jorey Myren got his second three-yard TD run and Carson Berberet’s PAT kick was good.
“We self-destructed,” Derek Leonard said. “They’re a great team, but Rochester beat Rochester a little bit tonight.”
The Titans, facing fourth-and-goal from the 5, scored when Huff grabbed a pass from Knoedler. Down a point, Knoedler scored the biggest regular-season points of his career with his conversion run.
“I looked at the whole offensive line and they looked at me like, ‘Hey, we’ve got you,’” Knoedler said. “They had a hole, I ran through it … and celebrated.”
Knoedler finished 25-for-45 passing with 331 yards, three TDs and two INTs. He also outgained his entire junior season (94 rushing yards compared to 73 yards a year ago). Knoedler found Wills, Schwartz and Huff for touchdown passes.
Despite being the road team, the Glenwood crowd raucously sang along with Sweet Caroline over the PA system at Rocket Booster Stadium.
“It was a very emotional game,” Knoedler said. “There were so many ups and downs for our team. We didn’t play very well, but we found a way. At the end of the day, getting the W is what matters. I’m very happy with how we kept pushing when we weren’t playing our best.”
Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.