ALLEMAN — North Polk celebrated their homecoming at Perry’s expense Friday, racing to a 39-0 halftime lead and allowing points only on the final play of the game for a 39-6 victory.
The win was the first of the season for the Comets (1-3) and dropped the Bluejays to 0-4 overall. Both teams will now join the rest of the state in beginning district play this week, with Perry visiting DC-G (3-1).
Perry exhibited none of the energy shown in a 34-23 loss to Nevada Sept. 13 and were flat from the opening possessions. North Polk methodically drove the field for two quick touchdowns, with Logan Engebretson scoring on a 21-yard run at the 9:29 mark and Jacob Blomquist on a five-yard plunge with 5:20 left in the first quarter.
The Perry offense went nowhere, with the hosts cashing in in the final minute of the frame when Engebreston stepped off right tackle and ran untouched into the corner of the end zone for an 18-0 Comet lead.
Both team made minor headway in the second frame, with a lost fumble from Perry setting up a 28-yard TD pass from Bryce Aspengren to Sal Capaldo. The PAT kick was good, moving the score to 25-0.
An interception and 30-yard run back but the Comets in good position moments later, with Thomas Jones pulling over from three yards away, the PAT kick setting the score at 32-0.
Perry was called for a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike penalty on the touchdown — the Jays were guilty of a total of four 15-yard infractions in the game — creating the quite unusual situation of the Comets kicking off from the Perry 30-yard line.
The hosts opted for a squib kick, which Jacob Nelson recovered for Perry on the 16. The offense stalled, and North Polk capitalized on their next play from scrimmage when Engebretson broke several tackles on a 20-yard scoring run for a 39-0 advantage at the half.
A continuous clock sped the game through the second half. North Polk played a wide array of reserves, but Perry has few, if any, reserves capable of handling varsity action and so continued with the shortened roster on the field on both sides of the ball.
Nelson made a twisting, diving interception on the Perry 48. The starting QB was lifted for Jeremiah Baker, a sophomore making his debut.
Baker missed his first pass and the Jays lost ground back to their own 44. With time running away the team hurried to the line, with Baker finding Ever Tobar open downfield. Tobar was about to be brought down at the 31, but lateraled the ball to a waiting Byron Melendrez, who slipped the grasp of the last defender and raced into the end zone to erase the goose egg on the scoreboard. The extra point was not attempted.
Wilber Ramirez rushed for 57 yards on 22 rushes, often having to make his way through numerous defenders. Kate Dougan carried the ball three times for 47 yards on sweeps, with Nelson adding nine yards on six carries while punter Cori Alamina twice took off on fakes, gaining 20 yards and a first down on his first try and being stopped short on a gain of three yards on the second. Melendrez had 31 yards and a touchdown.
Nelson was 4-of-16 through the air for 22 total yards. He was intercepted twice. Tobar had four total catches for an unofficial 40 yards, with Dougan snaring a pass for seven yards.
Engebretson ran 18 times for 157 yards and three TDs, with Blomquist (3-17, 1 TD), Jones (4-12, 1 TD), Cale Engebretson (4-3) and Javier Franco (1, minus-2) helping the hosts rush for 187 yards and five scores on 30 attempts.
Aspengren was 4-of-10 for 94 yards and a score, with Austin Parkins 0-for-2 with an interception. Capaldo caught three passes for 72 yards and a TD, with Ryan Fausch grabbing one aerial for 22 yards.
Perry opens Class 3A District 2 play Friday at DC-G. The Mustangs opened their season with a 14-0 loss to Pella but has since topped Norwalk (27-21), Ballard (7-0) and Glenwood (28-9). DC-G rallied late for a 14-13 win at Dewey Field last year, their only victory of 2018.
