–Erwin gets past Tuscola in overtime
22 September 2007Erwin Gets By Tuscola in Overtime
WAYNESVILLE - September 21, 2007 - One of the key ingredients necessary for a successful football program is having the capacity to deliver big plays at crucial times. Teams that play well and which normally produce at least three or four big plays per game have a much better shot at winning consistently than those who don’t. That maxim was proven once again Friday night on both sides of the ball in the match between the Tuscola Mountaineers and the Erwin Warriors. In a game that went into overtime, the Warriors came away the winner, 20-17. By means of four big defensive plays, Tuscola was able to stay in a game in which they were being both outrun and out gunned. It was the big play at key junctions that almost produced a win for the Mountaineers. Not withstanding, it was also a big play that would ultimately give Erwin the win during the first overtime period.
The first big defensive play for Tuscola came during the first quarter. On their second possession, Erwin started on their own 36 yard line and proceeded to make their way downfield largely on the running skills of junior running back, Martin Jackson. After three very successful runs by Jackson, Erwin was threatening with 1st and 10 on the Mountaineer 28 yard line.
Another good run by Jackson was nullified by the Warrior’s second holding call of the evening moving the ball back to the Mountaineer 40 yard line. On second and 22 from that point, Jackson took the hand off and squirmed his way to the 19 yard line for a 21 yard gain. On the next play, a quarterback keeper by Robbie Nallenweg gave the Warriors 1st and 10 on the Mountaineers 18 yard line.
Facing 3rd and 16, Nallenweg’s pass was off but an interference call on Tuscola took the ball to the Mountaineer 9 yard line. Two runs and an off-sides penalty by Tuscola gave Erwin 3rd down just two and a half yards away from a score. A pass from Nallenweg to senior wide out Ronnie Fortune gave the Warriors fourth down and only a foot from the goal line. On the next play, however, an attempt by Nallenweg to sneak his way up into the end zone was stopped short by the Mountaineer defense who then handed the ball over to their offense on the 1 yard line.
On 3rd and 8 from their own 3 yard line, Tuscola’s sophomore running back, Austin Chambers, broke through the Warrior line and rambled out to the 34 yard line for a 31 yard gain. However, two plays later, Tyler Brosius’s pass was picked off and returned to the Mountaineer 37 by Martin Jackson who was now playing cornerback.
After failed series by both teams, Erwin started out on their own 39. Facing 3rd and 12, Nallenweg hit senior Devian Hughes with a 43 yard pass down to the Mountaineer 20 yard line. Four plays later, Erwin’s second scoring threat appeared to have been stopped again when on 4 and 8, Nallenweg’s pass in the end zone was broken up. However, a holding penalty on the opposite side of the field gave Erwin another opportunity to score which it did two plays later when Nallenweg hit a wide open Devian Hughes in the end zone. Tyler Meadow’s successful extra point made the score 7-0 with a little over 4 minutes to play in the half.
On Tuscola’s next possession, Erwin’s Jackson made his second interception of the evening giving Erwin a second opportunity to score before the half. However, on 2nd and 7, Nallenweg’s pass was picked off by Tuscola cornerback Will Stewart and returned 40 yards down the sideline for the score. Gamez’s kick tied it up 7-7 before the half ended.
On their first possession of the third quarter, Erwin once again went to Jackson. On 2nd and 10, Jackson broke for 9 yards. On 3rd and 1, Jackson broke throw the line and scampered 53 yards down to the Mountaineer 9 yard line. Surprisingly, on the next play, Jackson once again took the hand off and ran the remaining 9 yards for the score. Another successful extra point by Meadows made the score 14-7 with 6:32 left in the third period.
On the next series, Tuscola, who had trouble running the ball all night, was once again forced to punt. Starting out on their own 19 yard line, Erwin again started to trudge downfield on what appeared to be their third score. The Warriors made it down to the Mountaineer 25 yard line before Will Stewart managed to come up with his second interception of the night on the Warrior 1 yard line.
After another unsuccessful series, Tuscola was forced to punt and once again Erwin threatened to score by taking the ball well into Mountaineer territory. However, on 4 and 1, the Mountaineer defense again held strong handing the ball over to their offense on the Warrior 28 yard line with just under 8 minutes to play.
After exchanging possessions, Tuscola took the ball with under 4 minutes to play. Facing 4th and 2, the Mountaineers went to Chambers who went around the right end for the two yard needed for the first down.
On 2nd and 10 from the Warrior 28 yard line, Brosius ran right and then threw to a wide open Shane Heatherly running an arrow pattern on the opposite side of the field. Heatherly caught the ball and ran the remaining distance unopposed into the end zone. Gamez’s extra point tied the score at 14-14 with only 1:25 left in the game.
Regular game time ended with no further score.
Tuscola took possession of the ball first during overtime. After a 3 yard run by Chambers, Brosius’s slant pass was broken up successfully on the goal line by an excellent play for the ball by Erwin’s Ronnie Fortune. A third down pass to Heatherly was unsuccessful but Gamez’s 4th down field goal was, making the score 17-14.
Jackson’s 5 yard run on Erwin’s first play during overtime seemed to place them on track for the win. However, an illegal procedure penalty on the next play placed them back at the 10 yard line. After an incomplete pass on the next play, it seemed as though Tuscola just might walk away with an ugly win. However, on 3rd and 10, Jackson managed to break free from his defender and was hit by a Nellanweg pass for the score and the win.
In the end, the big defensive plays that kept Tuscola in the game at key points were not able to overcome the big plays made at equally crucial periods by Jackson and company.
When asked about the game, Erwin’s Head Coach, Chris Brookshire said, “Our goal this past week was just to coach properly. We knew Tuscola would be coached well, that their defense would do an excellent job, and that they’d be able to throw the ball. All I can say is that this is a blessed team - so I have to give God credit.”
Tuscola was limited to just 142 in total offense for the night. Erwin’s Martin Jackson had 33 carries for 216 yards while Devian Humes had 5 catches for 69 yards.
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