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Craig rumbles to first football victory

BELOIT — Winning might not be everything, but when you are

0-3 and desperate for a victory in an eight-game regular football season a win is oh, so sweet.

Craig High was all smiles Friday night after defeating Beloit Memorial, 47-28, in a Big Eight game between two teams looking its first victory of the season.

Craig is 1-3 and Beloit is

0-4.

“It’s always good to get a win,” Craig coach Ben McCormick said. “There is nothing better than winning on a Friday night underneath the lights. I think our guys had fun tonight.’’

Junior running back Tevon Hall had a blast, gaining 118 yards on 10 carries and scoring on TD runs of 29 and 49 yards. Michael Whittaker joined the fun, adding 105 yards on seven carries, including touchdown runs of 10 and 64 yards.

“It was a great game,” Hall said. “If we can come out and execute like we did tonight, we can have a positive season.’’

After ill-timed penalties thwarted several promising scoring drives early in the second quarter, Craig quarterback Tom Gabower hooked up with Darian Sharifi on a 37-yard touchdown pass with 8:55 to play and Craig held a 20-0 lead at the half.

Gabower returned as the Cougars’ starting QB after missing two games with a shoulder injury.

“I’m just happy to be back,” Gabower said. “It’s no fun sitting on the sidelines, and I want to get back in the game with the team.’’

Gabower said the Cougars’ victory is important.

“It’s a good boost in our team morale,” Gabower said. “We’ve got to keep the momentum going now.’’

McCormick said Gabower had to shake some rust, but was ready to go.

“Tom’s a competitor, and he’s in great shape,” McCormick said. “I think being out for nearly three games, you are always going to have a little bit of rust, but I think he is only going to get better the more reps he gets.’’

Craig ran the score to 34-0 in the third on Hall’s 49-yard run and a 16-yard TD pass from Gabower to Sharifi.

The Cougars cleared the bench in the fourth quarter and the game got wild with Beloit scoring four TDs and Craig adding two scores on quarterback Andy Miller’s 4-yard run set up by a 48-yard completion to Alex Rohr, and Whittaker’s 64-yard gallop.

Finally off the schneid, McCormick thinks the Cougars can move forward effectively.

“We have four to go, we’re halfway through the season,” McCormick said. “We set goals in the beginning of the season and those goals are still attainable.’’

CRAIG 47, BELOIT 28

Janesville Craig 14 6 14 13—47

Beloit Memorial 0 0 0 28—28

Scoring summary: JC—Michael Whittaker, 10 run (Monica Speth kick); Trevon Hall, 29 run (Speth kick); JC—Darian Sharifi 37 pass from Tom Gabower (kick failed); JC—Hall, 49 run (Speth kick); JC—Sharifi, 16 pass from Gabower (Speth kick)’; BM—Montrel Davis, 18 run (kick failed); BM—Dylan Carlye, 30 pass from Denzel Barnes (Morris pass from Barnes); JC—Andy Miller, 4 run (Speth kick); BM—Carlye, 71 pass from Barnes (Caryle pass from Barnes); JC—Whittaker, 64 run (kick failed); BM—Barnes, 57 run (run failed).

Statistics: First downs—Craig 14, Beloit 14. Yards rushing—Craig 31-291, Beloit 41-246. Passes—Craig 10-5-1, 124, Beloit 25-15-1 Yards passing—Craig 124, Beloit 201. Fumbles—Craig 3-1, Beloit 2-0. Penalties—Craig 7-45, Beloit 8-62.