Cole Camp quarterback Grant Rodriguez only threw 2 TD passes on Friday at Russellville in Class 1 District 2 play.
With the game tied at 22 all in the fourth quarter, Rodriguez dropped back to the 25 and hit Blake Abey at the 49. The receiver tucked the ball away and raced to the house for a 72-yard touchdown. Rodriguez crossed the goal line for the 2-point conversion to give previous winless Cole Camp the sweet 30-22 victory.
With the win, a joyful Bluebirds head coach Kevin Shearer commented, "It was a total team victory."
Rodriguez, short in stature but long on heart, scored in the first from 23 yards out. He bulled his way in for the two pointer and made it 8-0.
In the second frame, Rodriguez plunged his way in for a 4-yard touchdown run. He also managed to score the 2-point conversion and to make it 16-0.
The host Indians put together a drive that took them to the 4 yard line. They scored from there to make 16-8 at the half after converting a successful 2-point attempt.
Smelling victory, Cole Camp scored again as Rodriguez became a one man wrecking crew rumbling in from 21 yards out. The two pointer failed but that made the scoreboard read 22-8, in favor of the visitors.
The Indians score from the 21 but failed on the 2-point conversion as it was 22-14 after three.
In the fourth, Russellville tied the game at 22 on a 9-yard run and the two pointer with two minutes and change to go.
Memories of blowing the lead at Midway two weeks ago in the fourth quarter began to surface in the minds of Bluebirds fans . . .
Then came the heroics of Rodriguez and Abey. The defense held and the Bluebirds, now 1-9, had their first victory of the season and avoided the frustration of a winless season. Russellville ended their season at 3-7.
Rodriguez finished the night with 32 rushes for 250 yards on the ground and completed 2 passes on 2 attempts for 87 yards. Kolton Phillips carried the ball 4 times for 21 rushing yards.
Cole Camp will travel to Westran on Friday. Westran, who received a bye last week, lost their first two games of the season but came back strong, winning out to finish with a 7-2 overall record.
