Everett Throws for 315 as Comets Beat Steelheads 30-19

The Austin Comets answered last week's rough result with a convincing road win. Behind a big day from quarterback Aaron Everett, they beat the Portland Steelheads 30-19 on Sunday in the Week 11 season finale.

The final read Comets 30, Steelheads 19. Austin improved to 8-3 and sits first in the East Conference. Portland fell to 4-7 and is fifth in the West.

A strong day through the air

Everett threw for 315 yards and 2 touchdowns, a major step up from the 193 yards he managed a week earlier. Much of that production went to wide receiver Quinn Kerr, who caught passes for 107 yards. It was the best receiving line of the afternoon on either side.

Running back Miles Knox added 62 rushing yards and a touchdown, giving the Comets a reliable ground game to go with the passing attack.

"We talked all week about being cleaner," Austin coach Lena Whitcomb said. "Aaron was calm and the receivers got open. I am proud of how our guys handled the road."

Portland's pass rush stays busy

The Steelheads had their moments, especially on defense. Portland recorded 6 sacks, but Everett still found ways to complete throws and move the chains. The Comets sacked Portland quarterback Felix Hargrove just once.

Hargrove finished with 197 passing yards and no touchdown passes. Running back Darius Garner ran for 57 yards, and wide receiver Xavier Vance caught passes for 53 yards. Portland scored 19 points, but the offense lacked the big plays needed to catch up once Austin got ahead.

"Six sacks should win you a lot of games," Steelheads coach Ray Delgado said. "But we gave up too many throws over the top, and we did not finish drives. That is what hurt us."

Standings picture

The result leaves Austin at 8-3, and the Comets finish atop the East. Portland ended the year at 4-7, fifth in the West.

Austin had struggled the week before, losing 44-16 to Salt Lake. Whitcomb said the team spent its week focused on tackling and ball security, and the improvement showed.

Portland had won 10-6 over Oklahoma City in Week 10 in a game that leaned on defense. The Steelheads' defense again did a lot of the work, but this time the offense was not able to match it.

What comes next year

The season is over for both teams. The Comets will carry a road win that showed what their offense can do when Everett is on into the offseason. The Steelheads will try to turn their pass-rush success into more wins in 2026.

"We showed pieces of what we can be," Delgado said. "We have a lot to build on, and we know what we have to do."

For Austin, a day with 315 passing yards, 62 rushing yards from Knox, and a 107-yard performance from Kerr was a good reminder of how the Comets can look when everything clicks.