Much more to two-point play than ‘run failed’
If you looked at the South Side Beaver at Frazier football sum from Friday night无毛视频檚 game, you无毛视频檒l see this last entry in the scoring sum: 无毛视频�(run failed).无毛视频�
But there was so much more to it than those two simple words when the WPIAL Class A first-round playoff battle between the Rams and Commodores was decided on the fate of a two-point conversion try.
First, let无毛视频檚 set the stage.
Frazier had rallied from deficits of 19-6 and 26-19 to forge a tie and force overtime. The Commodores got the ball first from SSB无毛视频檚 10-yard line and Hunter Patterson covered that in two plays. Joshua Cox kicked the extra point and Frazier was up 33-26.
Quae-Shawn Thompson then scored for the Rams on their first play from the 10 to pull South Side Beaver within one point, 33-32.
That无毛视频檚 where the chess match began.
Rams coach Glenn McDougal sent out kicker Brett Hubbard to kick the extra point that would send the game into a second overtime. His coaches up in the booth and his playeers protested, wanting him to go for the two-point conversion and the win right then.
McDougal called time out.
无毛视频淚 talked to the kids and then made the decision to go for the win,无毛视频� McDougal said. 无毛视频淚 said if that无毛视频檚 the decision then we无毛视频檒l live with that decision.无毛视频�
After the time out, McDougal sent out his offense. The Rams lined up for the all-or-nothing two-point try, but, before they could snap the ball, Frazier coach Mike Steeber called time out.
The players and coaches from both sides conferred again.
无毛视频淐oach (Zach) Keefer had them at that point,无毛视频� Steeber said, referring to his defensive coordinator. 无毛视频淗e wanted a time out. I liked the call. We get the time out. He kind of let them show their cards and let the kids kind of refocus on what they无毛视频檙e seeing and what to expect. He usually knows the opponent inside out and can give the kids some tips.无毛视频�
On the other sideline, McDougal was switching his play call, which likely would无毛视频檝e been the same play Thompson had run several times during the game, including the OT touchdown, a jet sweep to the right.
无毛视频淲e called a play and they called a time out, and my coaches up in the booth told me they really overloaded the tight end side,无毛视频� McDougal said. 无毛视频淪o we went to the left side.无毛视频�
Both teams came back out and lined up, ready to finally run the game-deciding play.
The Rams gave the ball to Cole Campbell, who followed 6-2, 215-pound fullback A.J. Crider into the left side of Frazier无毛视频檚 line.
The Commodores无毛视频� defense turned into a brick wall.
Linebacker Lucas Klorczyk closed off the edge, and a slew of Frazier defenders 无毛视频� Joe Hovath, Tim Broadwater, Patterson, Cox and Cameron Roebuck among them 无毛视频� clogged the running lane and knocked Crider and Campbell to the ground well short of the goal line.
The Commodores ran off the field in jubilation, leaving Rams players strewn all around the goal line in defeat.
The scoreboard told the final story: 无毛视频淗ome 33, Guests 32.无毛视频�
无毛视频淲e cut down the running lanes on that play,无毛视频� Steeber said. 无毛视频淚t looked like a lot of red around the football.
无毛视频淭hey got to the ball and made it happen and executed. I think they read well, they flew to it, they knew the situation.无毛视频�
The situation now for Frazier is a trip to the quarterfinals where it will face Shenango.
All that thanks to one of the most drawn out, thought out, important two-point conversion attempts in Frazier history.
Rob Burchianti can be reached at rburchianti@heraldstandard.com. Follow him on Twitter: @rvburch.