3afan
09-27-2003, 07:18 AM
'Stangs triumph over Greenwood in classic contest
Oscar Leroy, Midland Reporter Telegram 09/27/2003
ANDREWS -- It was an instant classic.
No. 3 (Class 3A) Greenwood and No. 10 (Class 4A) Andrews battled to a deadlock at the end of regulation only to have it come down to a two-point conversion to decide the whole thing.
Quarterback Matt Gardner lifted the Mustangs to a thrilling 44-43 triumph when he followed his 24-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Carrasco by bulling into the end zone for a game-winning two-point conversion.
It was an exciting finish to a great game under the Friday night lights at the Mustang Bowl.
"If I said this was just another non-district game before, I was probably lying," Andrews coach Blaine Springston said. "I didn't think we were mentally ready to play when the game started but we did a nice job with the way we finished. My hat's off to Greenwood. If they're not the best 3A team in the state, I don't know who is."
On the other side of the field, the mood was a bit more somber. The loss snapped the Rangers' 16-game regular-season winning streak, dating back to 2001.
"It's kind of disappointing when you get this close," Greenwood coach Bob Purser said.
The win for the Mustangs (5-0) avenges last year's 26-23 loss to the Rangers (4-1).
"This was a big win," said Gardner, who finished with 289 yards of total offense. "We've been waiting for this game. We felt we played good enough to win the ballgame last year. Greenwood did a pretty good job of taking away the pass, so we did it with our running game and it came through for us."
The Rangers intercepted Gardner four times, including one in the end zone off a tip and into the hands of Brian Zachry with 44 seconds left in regulation. Zachry had a big night defensively with two picks.
After that interception, Gardner said he didn't hesitate going to the air again after Dawson Wilber connected on a 25-yard pass to Jimmy Brooks to give Greenwood the 43-36 lead on the opening possession of overtime.
"I just had to shake it off," said Gardner, who was 6-for-14 passing for 195 yards. "Back when I was a freshman quarterback (in Abernathy) I would get into trouble because I wouldn't shake things off. So I just shook it off and I was just looking to the get the ball to the first guy that was open."
Springston said there was no hesitation in going for two on the quarterback counter. Purser said he would have done the same.
"It had been a heck of a fight and we would have done it just so we wouldn't get any kids hurt," Purser said.
Greenwood was hurt by the fact that it fumbled two holds on extra-point attempts.
"I don't know if it was the snap or the hold but I'm sure it's certainly something we can get fixed," Purser said.
The first half alone proved to be worth the price of admission as each team provided plenty of highlights in a 21-21 halftime deadlock.
Andrews got things going on its first drive of the game when it marched 51 yards behind the running game. Isaac McQueen, who rushed for 137 yards on 18 carries, capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.
Greenwood was forced to punt on its first possession but struck quickly on the second as Wilber found Jeremy Audas all by himself on the left flat for a 52-yard yard scoring pass to tie the game 7-7.
Another interception off Gardner -- this time by a leaping Jarrel Brooks in triple coverage -- gave Greenwood the ball at the Andrews 35-yard-line. In just four plays, the Rangers were again in the end zone thanks to a 20-yard fade pass from Wilber to Jimmy Brooks and a 14-7 lead after the opening quarter.
Andrews answered with a 4-yard run by Gardner, who used his 6-foot-2, 226-pound frame to bowl over the Ranger defenders and tie the game 14-14.
Greenwood then put together its most impressive drive of the first half. Starting from their own 33, the Rangers marched downfield thanks to a heavy dose of Jeremy Audas -- who finished with 123 yards on 22 carries. Wilber capped the drive with a 1-yard keeper for a 21-14 advantage.
The Mustangs tied the game when they took advantage of a 64-yard kickoff return by Eddie Carrasco to set up Gardner's 1-yard TD plunge.
The second half provided more fireworks as Greenwood built a 30-21 lead on Wilber's 3-yard run and 32-yard field goal.
Andrews cut the lead to 30-28 on a 91-yard bomb from Gardner to Elton Powell, who beat his defender for the ball at the Ranger 30 and scampered into the end zone.
After Wilber's 10-yard TD run, Gardner tied the game at 36-36 with a 2-yard run of his own.
Both teams are off next week before opening play in their respective districts on Oct. 10.
Greenwood 14 7 9 6 7 --43
Andrews 7 14 0 15 8 --44
First Quarter
AND--Issac McQueen 2 run (Jeremy Bueno kick), 8:47
GRE--Jeremy Audas 52 pass from Dawson Wilber (Eric Skaggs kick), 3:00
GRE--Jimmy Brooks 20 pass from Wilber (Skaggs kick), 0:52
Second Quarter
AND--Matt Gardner 4 run (Bueno kick), 9:07
GRE--Wilber 1 run (Skaggs kick), 5:19
AND--Gardner 1 run (Skaggs kick), 1:40
Third Quarter
GRE--Wilber 3 run (run failed), 7:42
GRE--Wilber 32 FG, 3:35
Fourth Quarter
AND--Elton Powell 91 pass from Gardner (Bueno kick), 11:46
GRE--Wilber 10 run (pass failed), 10:28
AND--Gardner 2 run (Gardner run), 8:58
Overtime
GRE--Jimmy Brooks 25 pass from Wilber (Wilber kick)
AND--Eddie Carrasco 24 pass from Gardner (Gardner run)
Greenwood Andrews
First downs 22 19
Rushes-yards 35-167 38-231
Passing yards 245 195
Comp.-Att.-Int. 12-17-0 6-14-4
Punts-Avg. 3-37.0 1-38.0
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 4-0
Penalties-Yards 5-33 9-80
Individual statistics
Rushing--Greenwood, Jeremy Audas 22-123, Dawson Wilber 11-44, Taylor Himbury 1-0, Brian Zachry 1-0; Andrews, Issac McQueen 18-137, Matt Gardner 19-94, Hunter Morren 1-0
Passing--Greenwood, Wilber 12-17-0 245 yards; Andrews, Gardner 6-14-4 195 yards
Receiving--Greenwood, Audas 4-112, Jimmy Brooks 5-102, Zachry 2-24, Jarrel Brooks 1-7; Andrews, Elton Powell 2-123, Eddie Carrasco 2-33, Shane Oliver 16, Morren 1-12
Interceptions--Greenwood, Taylor Himbury 1-0, Brian Zachry 2-0, Jarrel Brooks 1-7
Missed field goals--Greenwood, Wilber 37 (WL)
Oscar Leroy, Midland Reporter Telegram 09/27/2003
ANDREWS -- It was an instant classic.
No. 3 (Class 3A) Greenwood and No. 10 (Class 4A) Andrews battled to a deadlock at the end of regulation only to have it come down to a two-point conversion to decide the whole thing.
Quarterback Matt Gardner lifted the Mustangs to a thrilling 44-43 triumph when he followed his 24-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Carrasco by bulling into the end zone for a game-winning two-point conversion.
It was an exciting finish to a great game under the Friday night lights at the Mustang Bowl.
"If I said this was just another non-district game before, I was probably lying," Andrews coach Blaine Springston said. "I didn't think we were mentally ready to play when the game started but we did a nice job with the way we finished. My hat's off to Greenwood. If they're not the best 3A team in the state, I don't know who is."
On the other side of the field, the mood was a bit more somber. The loss snapped the Rangers' 16-game regular-season winning streak, dating back to 2001.
"It's kind of disappointing when you get this close," Greenwood coach Bob Purser said.
The win for the Mustangs (5-0) avenges last year's 26-23 loss to the Rangers (4-1).
"This was a big win," said Gardner, who finished with 289 yards of total offense. "We've been waiting for this game. We felt we played good enough to win the ballgame last year. Greenwood did a pretty good job of taking away the pass, so we did it with our running game and it came through for us."
The Rangers intercepted Gardner four times, including one in the end zone off a tip and into the hands of Brian Zachry with 44 seconds left in regulation. Zachry had a big night defensively with two picks.
After that interception, Gardner said he didn't hesitate going to the air again after Dawson Wilber connected on a 25-yard pass to Jimmy Brooks to give Greenwood the 43-36 lead on the opening possession of overtime.
"I just had to shake it off," said Gardner, who was 6-for-14 passing for 195 yards. "Back when I was a freshman quarterback (in Abernathy) I would get into trouble because I wouldn't shake things off. So I just shook it off and I was just looking to the get the ball to the first guy that was open."
Springston said there was no hesitation in going for two on the quarterback counter. Purser said he would have done the same.
"It had been a heck of a fight and we would have done it just so we wouldn't get any kids hurt," Purser said.
Greenwood was hurt by the fact that it fumbled two holds on extra-point attempts.
"I don't know if it was the snap or the hold but I'm sure it's certainly something we can get fixed," Purser said.
The first half alone proved to be worth the price of admission as each team provided plenty of highlights in a 21-21 halftime deadlock.
Andrews got things going on its first drive of the game when it marched 51 yards behind the running game. Isaac McQueen, who rushed for 137 yards on 18 carries, capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run.
Greenwood was forced to punt on its first possession but struck quickly on the second as Wilber found Jeremy Audas all by himself on the left flat for a 52-yard yard scoring pass to tie the game 7-7.
Another interception off Gardner -- this time by a leaping Jarrel Brooks in triple coverage -- gave Greenwood the ball at the Andrews 35-yard-line. In just four plays, the Rangers were again in the end zone thanks to a 20-yard fade pass from Wilber to Jimmy Brooks and a 14-7 lead after the opening quarter.
Andrews answered with a 4-yard run by Gardner, who used his 6-foot-2, 226-pound frame to bowl over the Ranger defenders and tie the game 14-14.
Greenwood then put together its most impressive drive of the first half. Starting from their own 33, the Rangers marched downfield thanks to a heavy dose of Jeremy Audas -- who finished with 123 yards on 22 carries. Wilber capped the drive with a 1-yard keeper for a 21-14 advantage.
The Mustangs tied the game when they took advantage of a 64-yard kickoff return by Eddie Carrasco to set up Gardner's 1-yard TD plunge.
The second half provided more fireworks as Greenwood built a 30-21 lead on Wilber's 3-yard run and 32-yard field goal.
Andrews cut the lead to 30-28 on a 91-yard bomb from Gardner to Elton Powell, who beat his defender for the ball at the Ranger 30 and scampered into the end zone.
After Wilber's 10-yard TD run, Gardner tied the game at 36-36 with a 2-yard run of his own.
Both teams are off next week before opening play in their respective districts on Oct. 10.
Greenwood 14 7 9 6 7 --43
Andrews 7 14 0 15 8 --44
First Quarter
AND--Issac McQueen 2 run (Jeremy Bueno kick), 8:47
GRE--Jeremy Audas 52 pass from Dawson Wilber (Eric Skaggs kick), 3:00
GRE--Jimmy Brooks 20 pass from Wilber (Skaggs kick), 0:52
Second Quarter
AND--Matt Gardner 4 run (Bueno kick), 9:07
GRE--Wilber 1 run (Skaggs kick), 5:19
AND--Gardner 1 run (Skaggs kick), 1:40
Third Quarter
GRE--Wilber 3 run (run failed), 7:42
GRE--Wilber 32 FG, 3:35
Fourth Quarter
AND--Elton Powell 91 pass from Gardner (Bueno kick), 11:46
GRE--Wilber 10 run (pass failed), 10:28
AND--Gardner 2 run (Gardner run), 8:58
Overtime
GRE--Jimmy Brooks 25 pass from Wilber (Wilber kick)
AND--Eddie Carrasco 24 pass from Gardner (Gardner run)
Greenwood Andrews
First downs 22 19
Rushes-yards 35-167 38-231
Passing yards 245 195
Comp.-Att.-Int. 12-17-0 6-14-4
Punts-Avg. 3-37.0 1-38.0
Fumbles-Lost 0-0 4-0
Penalties-Yards 5-33 9-80
Individual statistics
Rushing--Greenwood, Jeremy Audas 22-123, Dawson Wilber 11-44, Taylor Himbury 1-0, Brian Zachry 1-0; Andrews, Issac McQueen 18-137, Matt Gardner 19-94, Hunter Morren 1-0
Passing--Greenwood, Wilber 12-17-0 245 yards; Andrews, Gardner 6-14-4 195 yards
Receiving--Greenwood, Audas 4-112, Jimmy Brooks 5-102, Zachry 2-24, Jarrel Brooks 1-7; Andrews, Elton Powell 2-123, Eddie Carrasco 2-33, Shane Oliver 16, Morren 1-12
Interceptions--Greenwood, Taylor Himbury 1-0, Brian Zachry 2-0, Jarrel Brooks 1-7
Missed field goals--Greenwood, Wilber 37 (WL)