Ground game, defense pace New Kent in 16-0 shutout

New Kent running back Kevin Karaffa fends off the tackling attempt by Grafton linebacker Zachary Lechthaler.

Alan Chamberlain photos

Behind a bruising running game that kept the ball out of the hands of the opposition, New Kent’s host Trojans earned their second football win of the season, blanking Grafton’s Clippers 16-0.

The hosts capitalized behind an offensive line that opened holes for two running backs to eclipse 100 yards in the Sept. 27 contest that evened their record at 2-2. Mikel Chalmers ran 26 times for 124 yards while Kevin Karaffa added 129 on 19 totes.

Then after a statistically even first half (New Kent held a 145-133 edge in total yards), the Trojan defense saw to it that the Clippers posed no threat in the second half. The visitors managed only a single first down and 38 yards after the break.

“In high school football, if you can do it, you do it until they stop you,” said winning coach Dan Rounds, pointing to his team’s rushing attack.

“We executed with very few mistakes, played good defense, and we shut them out. That’s all you can ask for,” he said.

New Kent asserted its dominance and took the lead for good on a 19-play, 98-yard second quarter scoring drive that consumed almost eight minutes. En route, the Trojans converted a pair of fourth down and two situations while overcoming a loss on a quarterback sack and a touchdown pass nullified by a holding penalty. The climax came on Luke Mechling’s 23-yard TD strike to leaping wide receiver Trent Orie in the end zone.

“I didn’t expect to have a 98-yard drive and take it right down the field, but we’ve been preaching detail and execution since summer,” Rounds said. “Our coaches bust their butts and our guys go out of their way to make sure where they are and what they do is just right.

“It helps the defense if you can control the ball,” he added. “We like to mix in play action, but [Grafton] did some things to take that away.”

No matter. The hosts took the second half kickoff and used 13 plays plus a Clipper personal foul call to reach the red zone from where Sawyer Rountree booted a 31-yard field goal to extend New Kent’s lead to 9-0.

Mistakes have plagued the Trojans in recent losses, but tonight the role of being error-prone fell to the Clippers. After Rountree’s placement, a 55-yard kickoff return deep into New Kent territory appeared to have the visitors poised to get back in the game, but another personal foul wiped out the play. In the fourth quarter, Orie’s interception ended another Clipper series.

Earlier in the game, the visitors had fumbled away the opening kickoff. And a botched snap resulted in a 16-yard first quarter loss, stalling a drive that had reached the New Kent 28 yard line.

Orie’s interception, meanwhile, set up New Kent’s final TD, a 10-yard Karaffa scamper that put the game out of reach with 3:11 to play.

“We aim to execute,” said Rounds. “We’ve been working on details and it’s starting to pay off a little bit.”

Grafton————- 0 0 0 0 —— 0
New Kent———- 0 6 3 7 —— 16
2nd Quarter
NK (:35)- Orie 23 yard pass from Mechling (kick fail) 6-0
3rd Quarter
NK (5:42)- Rountree 31 yard field goal (9-0)
4th Quarter
NK (3:11)- Karaffa 10 yard run (Rountree kick) 16-0

Rushing (attempts/yards)
Grafton- Moore 11/43, Smith 5/35, Noel 2/9, Jackson 1/-16.
NK- Chalmers 26/124, Karaffa 19/129, Mechling 6/13.
Passing (completions/attempts/yards)
Grafton- Jackson 8/23/92, 1 Int.; Hiser 1/1/7.
NK- Mechling 2/12/27, 1 TD.
Receiving (receptions/yards)
Grafton- Noel 4/55, Batte 4/38, Mitchell 1/6.
NK- Orie 1/23, Karaffa 1/4.
Interceptions
NK- Orie.
Fumble recoveries
NK- Vines.
Quarterback sacks
Grafton- Hurst.

New Kent wide receiver Trent Orie leaps higher than Grafton defender David Dobbins to haul in a touchdown pass for the Trojans’ first score.