Cougars stun Corning with late-game effort

Friday night provided an exciting preview to the upcoming football season, as the Cougars defeated county rival Corning 14-13 in a preseason exhibition game.

Though the game won't appear on any official records, both teams brought their all in the contest, with pride being winner's reward.

Rector came away with the win in dramatic fashion, as senior tailback Seth Parsley dove in for the two-point conversion with under a minute left to play to put the Cougars ahead. Parsley shook a defender with a juke from three yards out, then broke a tackle and dove into the end zone for the win.

Rector clawed back into the contest with a one yard quarterback keeper by sophomore quarterback Dustin Sparks with 53 seconds left on the clock.

Corning looked to make a miraculous drive late, but junior Brian Cooper was able to get to the Bobcats' quarterback, applying defensive pressure which led to a fumble. Cooper secured the loose ball, as the clock wound out to end the game.

"We came out and played lights out," Cougar coach Bob Alberson said. "That's a big win for us. It gives us a lot of momentum going into the season. It's also good for us mentally. It shows that we believe in ourselves. We're not unsure of ourselves when we step on the field."

Alberson noted his team's hard-nosed style as having a key role in the win.

"We're a physical ballclub. They (Corning) weren't expecting us to be that physical. That's just how we play. We may not have a lot of players, but I'd go into battle with those we've got."

Alberson praised the efforts of his entire team, but also noted the individual performances of Parsley, Clinton Haley, Rodney Hall and Sparks.

"Seth Parsley is the heart and soul of this team. I can't say enough about what he means to us."

Hall was a last minute change to running back, a position he hasn't played.

"For Rodney Hall to never have played running back, he sure came out and acted like it was second nature.

"Clinton Haley plays hard and really leads us on defense. He's the kind of guy you love having out there on the field.

"I thought Dustin Sparks really handled himself well out there. As a sophomore quarterback, there's a lot of pressure on him, but he did a really good job for us."

Rector set the tone of the game, scoring on their opening drive. The Cougars put together a 15-play drive that went 80 yards. Parsley broke free on a 23 yard run down the home sideline to score the first points with 3:22 left in the first quarter. The try for two came up short, leaving Rector ahead 6-0.

Corning answered with a lengthy drive, yielding six points on a three yard carry with 15 seconds gone by in the second quarter. The extra point sailed true, as the Bobcats took the lead.

That lead would grow with 1:09 left in the first half, as Corning scored through air from 23 yards out to fully swing momentum in their favor. This time, the PAT sailed wide left, setting the stage for the game's dramatic finish.

Rector will open the regular season at home, as they host Manila beginning at 7 p.m. Friday night.