COLONY The Nick McAnulty era got off to a great start on Friday night as the first-year head coach led the Crest Lancers to a 52-42 home win over the Hartford Jaguars.
Crest was winless in 2018 and snapped a 12-game losing streak with the victory.
Some players had tears streaming down their faces as they exited the locker room following the game.
I was excited and didnt know what to expect. We got down 14-0 early. We talked about how the scoreboard doesnt matter yet, we have plenty of time. Before the game we talked about how we are a family and we have each others backs and we can fight through this, McAnulty said. We have to take it one quarter at a time and not look too far down the road. Just go one play and one series at a time.
Crest got itself in a jam early. A quick 14-yard touchdown run by quarterback Ali Smith and a 30-yard score on a fumble recovery by lineman Aiden Goodman put the Jaguars up 14-0 late in the first quarter.
But CHS quarterback Jacquez Coleman put the Lancers on the board with a 48-yard scoring run to make it 14-6 late in the first.
Coleman added another touchdown run with 10:19 left in the second quarter to knot it up at 14.
Then things got a little crazy, as the teams combined for 3 TDs in the final 1:34 of the first half.
Coleman threw a screen pass to Caleb Nolan, who took it 20 yards, setting up a 15-yard scoring toss to Zack Beckmon. Tyson Hermreck scored the 2-point conversion to put the Lancers up 22-14 with 1:23 remaining.
Hartford answered back with a 50-yard scoring strike from Smith to Shayden Sull just 17 seconds later to knot it up a 22.
Crest struck back with a halfback pass from Hermreck to Stratton McGhee resulting in a touchdown to send the Lancers into the break with a 28-22 lead.
We had success with that play earlier in the game. We just ran the same play again, McAnulty said.
The second half was marred with turnovers, big penalties and a faulty scoreboard.
Hartford managed to tie the game early in the third quarter, when Sull scored on a 22-yard run.
Crest took the ensuing possession deep into Hartford territory, but had holding, a false start and an illegal block end the drive.
