Entering Thursday night’s matchup both Crandall and Forney were 2-0 in district play. There was a lot on the line as 5A Region 2 District 8 is a highly competitive district. The Jackrabbits had lost a heartbreaker last season in quadruple overtime to the Pirates. If that game was any prediction of how Thursday night would go, we were going to be in for a treat. Both teams wouldn’t disappoint!
Forney elected to receive and started out on the forty-two-yard line. Quarterback Jake White led the offense on a sixteen-play drive. Pirate outside linebacker Samuel Omosigho came off the edge, on third and short, swatting White’s pass down forcing a fourth down. The long Jackrabbit drive ended with a Braden Merchant field goal.
Crandall’s first possession started from the thirty-yard line. Quarterback Jamonte Gordon West led his team on a ten-play drive. Junior running back Chris Abron finished off the drive with a ten-yard rushing touchdown. After a failed two-point conversion Crandall was ahead 6-3. The Jackrabbits’ next offensive possession would stall on a fourth and three attempt. Junior safety Kase Mumphrey broke up the pass forcing a turnover on downs and giving the Pirates great field position. The score was 6-3 Crandall at the end of the first quarter.
Forney’s defense would repay the favor on the next Crandall possession. The Pirates had a great series moving the ball down the field to the twenty-four-yard line. The offense stayed on for a long fourth down attempt, which failed, giving the ball back to Forney.
Both the Pirates and Jackrabbits exchanged punts for the next two possessions. Forney kicker Braden Merchant would make his second field goal of the night from thirtyone yards out. This tied the score 6-6. West would answer quickly for the Pirates. On the second play of the drive West connected with his number one target Luke Moffitt for a fiftyfour-yard gain. Two plays later Abron would run it in from two yards out. At halftime Crandall led by the score of 13-6.
Crandall started out with the ball in the second half. Their drive took them into Forney territory. Unfortunately, the last two plays of the drive ended in big negative yardage for the Pirates forcing them to punt. The Jackrabbits’ passing attack was not stopped on the next drive. It ended with White throwing a bigtime touchdown on fourth and six from the nine-yard line. White connected with senior receiver Zachary Fuller in the back of the endzone. This tied up the score again 13-13. The next two possessions were a test of each other’s defense. Both defensive squads would force punts ending the third quarter with a tie ball game at 13-13.
There was a bunch of back and forth to begin the fourth quarter. The Jackrabbits struck first with five and a half minutes left in the game. Running back Josh Stephens was in the Wildcat formation and scored from three yards out. Crandall needed to answer quickly in order to stay in the fight, and they did just that. Tight end Samuel Omosigho came in as an extra running back and faked the run by throwing a strike to Moffitt who took it fifty-one yards to the house. The score was tied 20-20 with four minutes left in the game.
Jake White put together a nine-play drive that took over three minutes off the clock. Merchant came in clutch with his third field goal of the night from fortyone yards out. There was only fifty-four seconds left on the clock for the Pirates to make something happen. West put together an eightplay drive of his own that consisted of all passes. The ball was on the twenty-yard line and Coach Hardin sent in Junior kicker Brandon Perez for the thirty-seven-yard field goal attempt. Perez nailed it with four seconds remaining to tie the score at 23-23! For the second meeting in a row both teams would be heading into an overtime game!
Forney started from the twenty-five-yard line and only needed three plays to score. Crandall would answer right back with a twelve-yard run, from West, into the endzone. The score was 30-30 heading into the second overtime.
Crandall’s offense took the field first for the second overtime. The Jackrabbit defense came up big forcing the Pirates to kick a field goal. Perez missed the thirty-five-yard field goal to the left. All Forney would have to do now is score to win. On the seventh play of the possession White rolled out and was met by Mumphrey who forced a fumble! Crandall would recover forcing a third overtime!
After last year’s four overtime game the rules changed in the off season. Starting in the third overtime teams will go for a two-point conversion from three yards out. Whichever team stops the other and scores would win. Forney would score on their attempt and pick off Wests’ attempt in the endzone ending yet another wild meeting between the Pirates and Jackrabbits. The final score 32-30 Forney.
Crandall takes on the #4 ranked Ennis Lions next week in Ennis. Gametime is 7:30 pm.
All photos by JASON BOWIE AND JIM KLENKE
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