STERLING – Mike Papoccia could see his Newman Comets heading down a slippery slope midway through the second quarter of Saturday’s game against Spring Valley Hall.

A string of mistakes had opened the door for the winless Red Devils to pull within a touchdown of the undefeated Comets. Even worse, Hall had the ball again after forcing a 3-and-out.

The Comets needed a hero, and they got one in the form of defensive back Ryan Schaab, who stepped in front of a receiver to make a diving interception. The play turned the tide permanently, in what turned into a 49-14 rout for Newman (7-0, 7-0 Big Rivers).