By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports Report
WAVERLY — Sophomore quarterback Cooper Chrystie made quite a debut, running for three TDs, and throwing for two more to lead Waverly to a 36-23 win over Section IX's Port Jervis here Saturday evening in non-league football action at Memorial Stadium.
Chrystie, listed at 5-11 and 145 pounds, carried the ball 33 times for 221 yards, and also threw for 83 yards and two TDs.
The Wolverines amassed 346 yards in total offense, including 283 rushing yards.
"It was it was pretty ugly," said longtime Waverly coach Jason Miller. "We had to go to a very basic plan.
"I'm really proud of Cooper (Chrystie) because he didn't do that at Norwich, said Miller. "He was not a runner. We were afraid of him getting outside, but between the tackles, that was not his game. So now, that's another weapon, right?
Cooper Chrystie completed 4 of 14 passes, but was victimized by three drops.
"I thought the line did a great job protecting, there was no pressure when he did throw," said Miller.
Cooper Chrystie's twin brother, Carter, had all four receptions for 83 yards and two TDs. Carter Chrystie had been out since breaking his arm at the New York State 7-v-7 championships in July.
"He made a huge impact on the game on two days of practice," added Miller. "He's only going to get better as he gets in shape."
The Wolverines have now won seven season-openers in a row. Their last loss was in 2018 to Livonia.
"I fully want to give credit to our strengthening and conditioning coordinator, Eric Ryck," said Miller.
"We bust our tails in the summer, like no one else, and that is the difference.
Senior Matthias Welles had tackles-for-losses on Port Jervis' first two offensive plays, and a third-and-14 pass fell incomplete.
Waverly took over following the punt at Port Jervis 46, and quickly moved inside the Red Raider 5 on runs of 7 and 20 yards by Cooper Chrystie, and 13 yards by senior Ben Shaw.
Two plays later, however, a miscommunication in the backfield resulted in a fumble, and Port Jervis pounced on the loose ball at their 5.
After an 8-yard run by Prosper Babalola moved the ball to the 13, Amato Natale turned a bubble screen into an 87-yard TD to give the Red Raiders a 7-0 lead with 7:35 remaining in the first quarter.
The Wolverines answered with a seven-play, 66-yard scoring drive to tie the game.
The big play on the drive was a 35-yard run by Carter Christie on a jet sweep. Cooper Chrystie capped the drive with a 10-yard run on fourth-and-seven, and then a 16-yard TD run with 3:25 left in the opening stanza.
Junior Jesse Lantz's first career PAT made it 7-7.
Port Jervis turned the ball over on downs at its 45 on the ensuing possession, but Waverly punted after a three-and-out, giving the Red Raiders the ball at their own 18.
The Red Raiders had four plays of 14 yards or more, and moved the ball to the Waverly 22, but Wolverine senior Chase Wheeler ended the threat with an interception.
Waverly moved the ball into Port Jervis territory, thanks to 50 yards on five carries by Cooper Chrystie, but it was a pass interference penalty that moved the ball to the Red Raider 12 with 6 seconds left in the half.
Lantz then converted a 29-yard field goal — the first of his career — with 2 seconds remaining to send the Wolverines into the halftime locker room with a 10-7 lead.
On the third play of the second half, Carter Christie hauled down a long ball over two Port Jervis defenders, who collided, and raced into the end zone for a 69-yard TD to give the Wolverines a 16-7 lead with 10:29
The Red Raiders answered quickly, scoring two TDs in less than four minutes to take a 23-16 lead.
Natale returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards for Port Jervis' first TD of the second half, and Babalola tacked on the conversion run to close the gap to 16-15.
After a Waverly punt, the Red Raiders scored on a three-play, 68-yard drive to take the lead.
Natale set up the score, turning a short swing pass into a 65-yard gain to the Waverly 5. Two plays later, Babalola scored on a 2-yard run. Natale tacked on the conversion to put the Red Raiders up 23-16.
Waverly had an answer of its own, driving 71 yards on 13 plays to close the gap to one point.
Cooper Chrystie had runs of 16 and 13 yards on the drive, as well as a 7-yard pass to Carter Chrystie. The Chrystie brothers hooked up on a 9-yard TD pass with 31 seconds remaining in the third quarter to trim the deficit to 23-22.
A pair of holding calls against put Port Jervis in a third-and-long hole, and sophomore Axel Murray picked off a pass at the Waverly 31.
The Wolverines couldn't take advantage, and punted the ball away, but two plays later senior Thomas Hammond hauled in a deflected pass for an interception to give the Wolverines the ball at the Port Jervis 41.
Cooper Chrystie ripped off runs of 14 and 9 yards to move the ball to the Red Raider 18. Three plays later, he gained six yards on fourth-and-1 to the 12.
Three plays later, Cooper Chrystie scored on a 6-yard run, then tacked on the conversion run to give the Wolverines a 30-23 lead with 3:03 remaining.
On the first play following the ensuing kickoff, Murray registered his second interception of the game, and returned in 35 yards to the Port Jervis 5.
Cooper Chrystie's 5-yard TD run on the next play extended the lead to 36-23 with 2:41 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Port Jervis didn't go quietly, though, as Ashton Mack completed four consecutive passes, the last one a 20-yard pass to Natale, who was stopped at the Waverly 1 as time expired.
The Red Raiders had 389 yards in total offense, including 283 through the air.
Port Jervis started Mason Lisberg completed 9 of 18 passes for 192 yards and one TD, but was intercepted four times.
Mack completed all five of his passes for 91 yards.
Natale had seven receptions for 208 yards and one TD, and also rushed eight times for 34 yards.
Babalola led Port Jervis' ground game with 51 yards and one TD on eight carries.
Waverly returns to action Friday night at Maine-Endwell.
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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly's Cooper Chrystie. IN TOP PHOTO: Waverly's Carter Chrystie. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
