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12-07-2003, 11:31 AM
Burnet survives, advances to state finals
Shipley TD with 17 seconds left seals 21-14 win
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By Matthew Obernauer
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, December 7, 2003
COLLEGE STATION -- For the past 12 months, Burnet has carried the pain of its loss to Everman in the Class 3A Division I state final and the dream of returning for another chance at the title. On Saturday, the Bulldogs' dream of redemption almost ended before it had a chance to begin.
Jasper used soft coverages and an efficient, ball-control offense to grind down the clock and hold a 14-7 lead midway through the fourth quarter. But Jasper could not hold Burnet in the final eight minutes, and with 17 seconds to play in a tie game, Stephen McGee found wide receiver Jordan Shipley in the corner of the end zone, and Shipley made a fingertip catch of the pass to give Burnet a 21-14 victory in the 3A Division I state semifinals.
"I knew I would catch it, but the ball came really close to the defender," Shipley said. "Once I saw it pass his hands, I knew we got it."
It was a hard-fought and emotional victory for Burnet, which had not trailed in a game all season. In the postgame handshake line, McGee was nearly overcome, his eyes as red as the raspberried welts down his right arm.
"I'm just proud of the way the guys overcame adversity and made plays," McGee said. "Playing in the last minutes, that's the opportunity you're looking for. That's what you dream about as a child and it came true today."
Burnet will face Gainesville at 8 p.m. Saturday in the state championship game, which will be played at Texas Stadium in Irving.
Early on Saturday at Kyle Field, it appeared Burnet would have little trouble advancing to the final. After Jasper's opening drive stalled near midfield, Burnet moved 89 yards on 13 plays for the game's opening score. McGee completed all five of his passes and picked up 21 yards on two scrambles, before faking a third-down handoff to Chris Levens and running into the end zone from 4 yards out.
But Jasper ran its game plan nearly to perfection in the next two quarters. With three backs running behind an excellent offensive line, Jasper controlled the ball nearly twice as long as Burnet did in the first half. Burnet's third possession of the game came with 38 seconds to play in the half.
"They had an incredible offensive line and great running backs," Burnet Coach Bob Shipley said. "Just because you expect it doesn't mean you can stop it. We got a little taste of that today."
Meanwhile, the Jasper defense routinely sent eight men into coverage and played their safeties back, frustrating Burnet's passing game.
With five minutes to go in the second quarter, Jasper defensive end Toderick Hunt forced a McGee fumble at the Burnet 41. Jasper recovered at the 40 and launched a nine-play scoring drive, culminating in Jordan Patton's 1-yard touchdown plunge on fourth-and-goal.
After a failed two-point-conversion kept the score at 7-6, Burnet had a chance to score once more before the half, but Jasper stopped Shipley on a fake field-goal attempt.
Jasper took the first lead on Burnet this season with 2:02 left in the third quarter. Patton's 10-yard touchdown run was set up by a 13-yard run by Edrick Bronson on third-and-10.
But in the fourth quarter, Burnet's offense re-established its running game. Levens, who gained 99 yards on the ground, started the game-tying drive with an 11-yard run, and after Shipley converted a key third-and-7 on a wide receiver screen from the Jasper 21, Levens finished it with a 4-yard touchdown run.
After a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Shipley yanked a 26-yard field-goal try wide left.
But Burnet took the ball back one more time, with 1:46 to play, and when the team needed a big play at the doorstep in the final seconds, McGee and Shipley made it.
Shipley TD with 17 seconds left seals 21-14 win
ADVERTISEMENT
By Matthew Obernauer
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, December 7, 2003
COLLEGE STATION -- For the past 12 months, Burnet has carried the pain of its loss to Everman in the Class 3A Division I state final and the dream of returning for another chance at the title. On Saturday, the Bulldogs' dream of redemption almost ended before it had a chance to begin.
Jasper used soft coverages and an efficient, ball-control offense to grind down the clock and hold a 14-7 lead midway through the fourth quarter. But Jasper could not hold Burnet in the final eight minutes, and with 17 seconds to play in a tie game, Stephen McGee found wide receiver Jordan Shipley in the corner of the end zone, and Shipley made a fingertip catch of the pass to give Burnet a 21-14 victory in the 3A Division I state semifinals.
"I knew I would catch it, but the ball came really close to the defender," Shipley said. "Once I saw it pass his hands, I knew we got it."
It was a hard-fought and emotional victory for Burnet, which had not trailed in a game all season. In the postgame handshake line, McGee was nearly overcome, his eyes as red as the raspberried welts down his right arm.
"I'm just proud of the way the guys overcame adversity and made plays," McGee said. "Playing in the last minutes, that's the opportunity you're looking for. That's what you dream about as a child and it came true today."
Burnet will face Gainesville at 8 p.m. Saturday in the state championship game, which will be played at Texas Stadium in Irving.
Early on Saturday at Kyle Field, it appeared Burnet would have little trouble advancing to the final. After Jasper's opening drive stalled near midfield, Burnet moved 89 yards on 13 plays for the game's opening score. McGee completed all five of his passes and picked up 21 yards on two scrambles, before faking a third-down handoff to Chris Levens and running into the end zone from 4 yards out.
But Jasper ran its game plan nearly to perfection in the next two quarters. With three backs running behind an excellent offensive line, Jasper controlled the ball nearly twice as long as Burnet did in the first half. Burnet's third possession of the game came with 38 seconds to play in the half.
"They had an incredible offensive line and great running backs," Burnet Coach Bob Shipley said. "Just because you expect it doesn't mean you can stop it. We got a little taste of that today."
Meanwhile, the Jasper defense routinely sent eight men into coverage and played their safeties back, frustrating Burnet's passing game.
With five minutes to go in the second quarter, Jasper defensive end Toderick Hunt forced a McGee fumble at the Burnet 41. Jasper recovered at the 40 and launched a nine-play scoring drive, culminating in Jordan Patton's 1-yard touchdown plunge on fourth-and-goal.
After a failed two-point-conversion kept the score at 7-6, Burnet had a chance to score once more before the half, but Jasper stopped Shipley on a fake field-goal attempt.
Jasper took the first lead on Burnet this season with 2:02 left in the third quarter. Patton's 10-yard touchdown run was set up by a 13-yard run by Edrick Bronson on third-and-10.
But in the fourth quarter, Burnet's offense re-established its running game. Levens, who gained 99 yards on the ground, started the game-tying drive with an 11-yard run, and after Shipley converted a key third-and-7 on a wide receiver screen from the Jasper 21, Levens finished it with a 4-yard touchdown run.
After a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, Shipley yanked a 26-yard field-goal try wide left.
But Burnet took the ball back one more time, with 1:46 to play, and when the team needed a big play at the doorstep in the final seconds, McGee and Shipley made it.