Niles gets 2nd, downs Rayen

The Red Dragons jumped out to 17-0 half time lead and coasted to a 24-6 win.
By JAMIE TRINA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
NILES -- A chilled, moonlit night that brought coats and hats out of the closet also brought out yellow penalty flags from the pockets of the referees.
Friday at Bo Rein Stadium, the Rayen and Niles High football teams combined for 24 penalties that amounted to 180 yards.
Niles came out victorious, 24-6, improving to a 2-1 record while Rayen slipped to 1-2.
"(I am) disgusted on the penalties," Rayen coach Brian Shaner said. "Every time we did something good, we would get two penalties."
Niles coach Phil Annerella shared in the misery.
"I'm not pleased to say the least," Annerella said. "There was no jumping up and down by me after this game."
Things began on a positive side for Niles with the first play of the game. On the opening kickoff, Niles came out in a huddle, and remained in it for an onside kick. The Red Dragons recovered on their own 40-yard line.
"They were fairly far off the ball," Annerella said. "We had practiced that earlier, and planned on using it somewhere down the road. We had the opportunity to do it."
Scored off recovery
Niles capitalized on the recovery by riding the back of senior running back Eric Kelley. Kelley accounted for 30 yards on five carries and a touchdown.
After a Tigers' fumble in their own end zone resulted in a safety, Niles struck one more time before half.
Lefty quarterback Bobby Smith rolled out right and found a wide-open Kelley in the right hand corner of the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown pass and catch for a 17-0 lead.
Smith's second touchdown pass was the last score of the game for Niles. It came when he connected with Matt McGuire on a quick slant from seven yards out with 53 seconds left in the third quarter.
Big game for Kelley
Kelley finished the night with 128 yards of total offense and two touchdowns.
"[Kelley] is very, very consistent on both sides of the ball," Annerella said. "He knocked down some balls defensively, and he ran hard. [He's[ just as consistent of a performer as we have."
Kelley's 128 total yards was 107 yards more than Rayen's entire offense posted over the course of the game.
"Defense we had a lot of heart, but again, the offense was just flat," Shaner said.
Rayen's only score was when senior Mike Triplett shot out of a cluster of red and white jerseys, and took off down the left sideline for an 85-yard kickoff return.
"I give all of the credit in the world to Rayen, who didn't quit playing," Annerella said. "They kept coming at us hard the whole game."