Moving the ball wasn’t an issue for Newman on Saturday evening.

But costly turnovers and El Paso-Gridley’s bend-but-don’t-break defense stepped up when it mattered most in a 31-0 loss in the second round of the Class 2A IHSA playoffs.

The Comets finished 8-3 as the Titans (11-0) advanced to face Farmington (11-0).

The game was tight in the first half with Newman looking to get some momentum heading into the break. But the Titans’ defense denied the Comets on fourth down at the 1-yard-line with 38 seconds until halftime.

Trailing 10-0 at halftime, things unraveled in the third quarter as EPG scored 21 points in six minutes. The deficit was too much to overcome on a rainy night on the road.

Newman lost two fumbles, had an interception and two turnovers on downs in the loss.

“I want to start off by saying I love playing with my guys,” junior Renner Rosengren said. “Just a lot of turnovers, little stuff that we could have fixed. That’s just how it goes in a game like this. The wet weather and everything, it’s just unfortunate.

“They played hard, and they’re a good team. I want to see them go far.”

EPG’s Aaden Adams had 113 yards rushing and three scores on 11 carries. QB Owen Adams hit Braden Gibson for a 69-yard TD catch and run in the third quarter to help make it 24-0.

Newman had another shot to get on the board late, but Evan Bushman’s pass to Tyson Williams was ruled short at the goal line.

“Physical from the snap to the whistle you know, these guys work really hard up front and the linebackers fill in gaps and make tackles,” Owen Adams said of EPG’s defense. “Just an all around effort.”

Juniors Matthew Blackert ran for 85 yards and Rylan Alvarado had 86 on the ground for Newman. Bushman was held to 56 yards in the air and was also sacked twice.

“We came up short and obviously it didn’t end like we wanted it to,” Bushman said. “I’m just proud of how we played and the effort we gave. Even when the score wasn’t in our favor, we never gave up. We always played with 100% effort and we played to the whistle.”

The Comets had a lot of emotion on the field after the game, sharing hugs throughout the team long after the game was over.

“As a freshman, you are a little scared to play football,” Newman’s Matthew Murray said. “I’ve known these guys my whole life ... This year I’m a junior with four seniors on the line.

“There’s no one, especially at my position, that you trust more next to you as an offensive lineman.”

Players like Bushman at QB, George Jungerman leading the defense and the seniors on the line have helped continue to set the standard for the Comets. Newman’s senior linemen include Leo Francis, Matthew Clemen, Benjamin Geske, Jerry Mulderink, Jacob Payne and Cooper Spears.

“They were great examples,” Murray said, “and better than that, they were great friends, great people. I think they had a remarkable impact on our program. It feels different now than it did my freshman year.

“I just can’t say how much of an impact these guys have had on my life and my career as a football player. No one’s challenged me more and I wouldn’t rather have anyone else next to me in the huddle.”

It was Newman coach Mike LeMay’s first group of seniors.

“They were super invested and I cant say enough about this group,” he said of this year’s Comets. “It’s going to be tough to say goodbye to those guys. It’s hard to even talk about it because they know they led it well and they showed these guys how it’s to be done, especially coming up.

“I think they left a solid foundation of Blue Machine football. And we’ll be back.”

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Newman’s Matthew Blackert slips by the defense against El Paso Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. (Alex T. Paschal)