The Tyler Consolidated Silver Knights ended the 2012 season in a big way, with a big win over the play-off bound Bishops of Bishop Donahue 40-26, on Friday at home. It was the fourth win for the Knights who finished up their season on a high note for the eight seniors on the team.

“We wanted to send the seniors out with a win,” said head coach Rob Caldwell. “I was glad we were able to do that. The whole team has worked hard, practiced hard, and come together to make the last half of the season a good one.”

Though the Bishops were first on the scoreboard with six points early in the first quarter, the Silver Knights soon took control of the football with about five minutes to go. Senior Levi Henderson scored on a 20 yard pass from Hunter LeMasters for the first home score of the evening, followed by a Drew Casey kick. As the seconds ticked off the clock to end the first period, Silver Knight Alex Doak sped his way 18 yards in to the end zone for the second home town TD. The extra point kick failed, but Consolidated still held the lead, 13-6.

The Bishops failed to be quelled though, and scored on a nine yard pass to come within a point of the Black. But the second quarter was all Doak as he scored twice in the last three minutes, once on a 14 yard pass and again on a seven yard pass from quarterback LeMasters, to give Consolidated the lead, 26-12, at the half.

Mere seconds into the third period of play, Doak decided he was not finished for the evening, and returned a kick 78 yards for a Knight score, followed by a Drew Casey extra point kick.

Donahue scored twice more in the game, but it was to-little-too-late as the Knights had the game well in hand including a five yard run from Skyler Leasure, capped off by a Casey kick, to ice the cake and take the win, 40-26.

“It was a good game for us,” Caldwell said. “The kids were excited and enthusiastic, that made a big difference. It’s nice when the sidelines get into the game like they did on Friday, it adds to the momentum of the game. It was also good to have everybody back and everybody healthy. We haven’t had a whole lot of that this year.”

LeMasters completed 12 of 20 passes for the Knights for 229 yards and threw three touchdown passes.

In the rushing department, the Knight quarterback ran the ball three times for 25 yards; Alex Doak had four carries for 19 yards and returned a kick-off; Jacob Highley, rushed 15 times for 55 yards; and Skyler Leasure scored a TD on a carry.

Doak led all receivers for the Silver in the contest with 145 yards on six catches, two touchdowns; Levi Henderson had three catches for 66 yards and one touchdown; and Swen Scheidemantel had two catches for 14 yards.

Defensively, Highley had 10 solo tackles and six assists in the game and caused a fumble; Henderson had five solo tackles and six assists; LeMasters, six solos, three assists and recovered a fumble; Scheidemantel, five solo tackles, three assists and a quarterback sack; Chris Ice had three solo tackles and two assists; Jordan Baker, two solo tackles, two assists, caused a fumble and recovered a fumble; Cole Kocher had two solo tackles, two assists and an interception on defense; and Jay Early, Troy Watson, Ryley Warner, and Nick Anderson each were credited with two solo tackles and an assist in the game.

While the Knights did get the win and were able to end their season on a positive note, the evening was melancholy for all involved, knowing that it was the last game for the seniors as well as head coach Rob Caldwell, whose resignation became official on Monday.

“This is a great group of kids,” Caldwell said. “They’re like my family, all of them. I love these kids like my very own.”

And with that said, the 2012 football season ends for the Silver Knights.