Second half mistakes sink Comets against North Tama

After scoring the first touchdown of the contest and trailing just 8-7 heading into the locker room at home, the BCLUW football team felt confident about its chances of improving to 2-0 for the first time since 2014 against North Tama. But a second half chock full of miscues and big special teams plays for the Redhawks erased those hopes quickly as the Comets fell 36-14 in their final non-district game on Friday night in Conrad.
           
“They made plays, and we didn’t. It’s that simple,” BCLUW coach Anthony Jahr said. “We were in this game really until that last score.”
           
North Tama (1-1) seemed poised to take an early lead late in the first quarter on the strength of running back Tyler Morrison, who finished with a game-high 92 yards rushing. Morrison, however, fumbled the ball just yards from the goal line, and BCLUW’s Troy Dolphin emerged from the heap with possession, shifting the momentum at a crucial juncture.
           
BCLUW (1-1) was unable to go the full 99 yards down the field, but after forcing a Redhawk three and out, defensive lineman Ben Paper busted through and blocked a punt to set his team up with just 30 yards to gain for a score. Two plays later, Jack Garber found a hole on an option pitch to the right from quarterback Brad Barkema, and just like that, the Comets led 7-0 with 7:18 to play in the first half. 
 
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