Early hiccup doesn’t faze Tigers
Ty Storey’s first pass Saturday night ended up in the wrong hands. Few others did. Storey, Charleston’s junior quarterback who has committed to play at the University of Arkansas, left his first pass short and it ended up being intercepted by Glen Rose’s Blake Nesbitt along the sideline.
Storey went to the sideline and told Coach Greg Kendrick that the blame fell on him, then was nearly perfect over the next 14 minutes as he led Charleston past Glen Rose 42-19 in the Class 3A state title game at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
“You just got to come back out and keep slinging it,” Storey said. “That’s all you can do.”
The way Storey responded over Charleston’s next five possessions helped the Tigers take the momentum rather than letting the interception give it to the Beavers.
Storey ended each of Charleston’s next five drives with touchdown passes to stake Charleston to a 35-0 lead as he completed 9 of 12 passes for 235 yards over the 14-minute stretch. He threw two touchdown passes to Taylor King, two to Austin Pittman and another to Colton Ward that covered 70 yards and gave Charleston a 35-0 lead on the way to the Tigers’ fourth state championship since 2005.
Kendrick said there was no long discussion with Storey following the interception. He said Storey told him it was “my fault” and that the Tigers were “going to get after it.” He finished the night completing 18 of 31 passes for 378 yards and tied a state championship game record with 6 touchdown passes.
“We’re a big-play offense, and it all starts with Ty,” Kendrick said. “He threw as good as he has all year. In big games, he’s done a phenomenal job.”
Storey used just about everything in Charleston’s passing game.
Storey’s first touchdown came when he scrambled from the pocket and dumped a short pass to King, who scored from 14 yards out.
On the next drive, Charleston set up a screen for Pittman so the 6-0, 200-pound running back could rumble down the sideline for a 55yard score. Two drives later, Storey found Pittman for another screen, this one from 16 yards out, that made it 28-0.
Pittman caught 6 passes for 128 yards, most of which came on screen plays as Charleston tried to counter Glen Rose’s strategy that was aimed at taking away the deep passes.
“When we looked to the screens they were open,” Pittman said. “That was one of our biggest weapons.”
Pittman said Glen Rose eventually adjusted to take away the screens, and when they did Storey found Ward streaking down the right sideline for a 70-yard catch for his longest play of the night.
“We just got in a groove there as an offense,” Storey said. “My line was giving me time, and my receivers were giving me great catches. I mean, they’re the reason we’re here.”
Kendrick wasn’t surprised by Storey’s performance. Storey was the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s co-Sophomore Offensive Player of the Year in 2012 and finished this season with 4,230 yards passing and 52 touchdowns.
That resume was part of the reason Kendrick wasn’t worried about the early interception.
“We preach to our kids there’s going to be ups and downs, and it’s a lot like life, this game,” Kendrick said. “He handled that down. He’s a phenomenal competitor.”