CLARKS SUMMIT - It's becoming old hat for Nathan Hollander.
Bobble the kickoff. Pick it up. Run for a touchdown.
For the second week in a row, Abington Heights' kick return man covered the distance and the Comets had little trouble with Williamsport, subduing the Millionaires, 42-7, on Saturday.
Hollander didn't field the kickoff cleanly, then scooped it up and dashed 88 yards untouched. He returned a kick 93 yards last week against Dallas.
"Everyone is talking about the first play of the game being the most important play of the game," Hollander said. "I'm just grateful for the blocking up front. That was the biggest part of the play.
"I (bobbled) it last week, too, and this week. I think it gives the line time to figure out who they're blocking and there was a big hole in the middle to plow through."
It was the start of a solid overall performance for the Comets (3-0), whose starters accounted for 328 yards of offense and 16 first downs in the first half, scored on six of seven possessions and averaged a gaudy 14 yards per snap in the opening quarter.
"I thought we had all three phases of the game and we executed fairly well," Abington Heights coach Joe Repshis said. "We still have some work to do, but I saw a lot of great things in all three phases as well as the effort and enthusiasm.
"We emphasize special teams like we do offense and defense. Start the game with a kick return, I think that gave us a lot of momentum for the rest of the game."
For Williamsport (0-3), it was a continuation of a script that head coach Kevin Choate is trying to rewrite.
"We've been doing that all year long, sort of shooting ourselves in the foot," Choate said. "We get some good things going and we decide to lay the ball on the ground or throw an interception. That's what young kids do."
Williamsport fumbled five times, losing three, and couldn't get much going against a sturdy Comets defense.
"Abington Heights is a solidly coached team, their kids work very hard," Choate said. "It's a good football team."
Versatile, too.
Quinn Karam scored on a 3-yard drive to make it 14-0 on the second possession, and Simon Williams recovered a Williamsport fumble two plays later at the Milionaires 32.
Comets quarterback Dante Pasqualichio went up top on the next play, hitting J.C. Show in stride for a 21-0 lead with 3:41 left in the first.
Karam finished with 84 yards on 10 carries, helping to set up another score after Sean Rock's 17-yard dash to the right corner upped the lead to 28-0 on the first play of the second quarter.
Williams was on the receiving end of a 13-yard scoring strike from Pasqualichio to make it 35-0 with 5:28 remaining, and Show sneaked into the end zone on the final play of the first half. Ryan Patrick's sixth extra point made it 42-0.
Highlights for Williamsport were limited to the second half against Comets' reserves. Running back Devin Miller finished with 109 yards on 17 carries, and freshman backup quarterback Christian Diggs threw a 12-yard touchdown to Tyler Gardner with 4:49 left in the game.
