JV Football 10-19-09 vs Arlington

Wow. Another close game at Wildcat Memorial Stadium, and more proof of how important the kicking game is.

The JV Wildcat football team faced the Arlington Eagles Monday evening, with the Wildcats coming away 27-26 winners.

Arlington got the ball first, but recorded negative yardage, partially due to a combined sack by Connor Meyer and Kevawn Brooks. An interception by Justin Everett at the Arlington 32 ended the drive.

Now with the ball at the 3, it was easy for Zack Ayer to bull his way through the line and into the end zone. With just over 2 minutes used in the game, it was OH 7, Arlington 0.

The Eagles responded by driving to the OH 26 when the QB found a receiver open for a touchdown. Arlington attempted a fake kick, a direct snap to the kicker who was brought down by Peter Franssen at the 3 yard line. 5:19 to go in the 1^st, OH with the 1-point lead, 7-6.

The Wildcats answered with a long drive of their own, covering 80 yards in 9 plays, capped by another Ayer run. Franssen’s kick was again good, Oak Harbor 14, Arlington 6 with 2:21 left in the 1^st quarter.

The first quarter ended with Arlington facing a 4^th and 2 at the OH 4 yard line. Most of the yards of the drive were taken up with a long run from the Arlington 36 down to the OH 23. Arlington attempted a pass to get the TD, but it fell incomplete.

Unable to move the ball, the ‘Cats were forced to punt from their own 8 yard line, but got a nice roll across midfield to the Arlington 48.

Arlington’s drive lasted only 2 plays. The first a run down to the that the JV defense stuck for a 2-yard loss, and on the 2^nd play the Arlington QB couldn’t handle the snap at the 40 He was able to pick it up at the 38, but Zack Wallace was there to knock it back out of his hands. Brent Ryan was on top of it, picked up the ball, and was able to get a few yards in the other direction to the Arlington 25.

The drive didn’t start well for Oak Harbor, as Arlington sniffed out the run play for a 6-yard loss, then a pass was deflected by a defensive lineman, and another run was stopped, setting up a 4^th and 18 at the Arlington 33. Gabe Dye then found Sean Warner open at the 25, and needing 10 more for the first down, got 11. A catch by Meyer put the ball on the 2 yard line where Miller ran it in. The PAT kick missed, but it was still OH in the lead, 20-6.

Arlington took the OH kickoff at the 20 and returned it out to the 34 yard line, and 7 plays later it was first and goal for Arlington on the OH 6 yard line. Two runs later it was 3^rd and goal at the 3. The QB ran to his left, but Warner saw what he was trying and caught up with him at the 10 yard line. On 4^th down Arlington tried a pass play that was ruled complete, but at the 1 yard line, giving Oak Harbor the ball.

Gabe Dyes’ 1^st down pass was well thrown, but just a tad short and was picked off by Arlington, and this time they were able to score on a pass play to close the gap to 20-13 with 2:47 left in the first half. That score would stand until halftime.

To open the 2^nd half, the Arlington kickoff went inside the OH 10 yard line, where it was caught Josiah Miller, who returned the ball across the 50 and down to the Arlington 48. Then it was all Ayer. He ran the ball up the middle for 5 straight plays, giving OH a 1^st and goal at the 8 yard line. He was all set to run again, but the snap went high, and before Dye could get it down and handed off, Ayer was already past. The ball was knocked out of Dye’s hands and Arlington was able to recover.

The Eagles needed only 3 plays to reach the end zone. The QB found some holes and simply outran the Wildcat secondary for a 73-yard TD run. The kick was good to tie the game at 20 with 8:35 left in the 3^rd.

Oak Harbor drove down to the Eagle 8 on their next possession, but a 4^th down field goal attempt was no good with 5:08 left.

Arlington used the rest of the 3^rd quarter to drive down into Oak Harbor territory, the quarter ending with the score still 20-20 and Arlington with the ball, 3^rd and 5 on the OH 41.

The first play of the final period was a QB run to the OH 25, then, under a load of pressure by the Wildcat defense, found a receiver open for the go ahead score. Again, Arlington’s kick PAT attempt failed, leaving the score at 26-20 in favor of Arlington.

Most of the 4^th quarter was back and forth, with two punts by Arlington and a punt and fumble by Oak Harbor.

With just 3:29 left in the game and down by 6 points, Oak Harbor had the ball on their own 18 yard line with a first down. The first two plays were incomplete passes, then Ayer pulled in a throw for an OH first down at the 31. The next 3 passes were also incomplete, but on 4^th down Dye found Justin Everett open at the OH 44. A short run by Ayer put the ball on the OH 47, then a long run by Miller brought it to the Arlington 35 with 1:55 left. Dye again found Miller on a pass play to the end zone with 1:48 left. Franssen’s kick was good to put OH ahead by one point, 27-26.

Arlington was not about to give up. After the kickoff, the Eagles had 1:42 on the clock and 74 yards to the OH goal line. The first play was an incomplete pass, then a sack made it 3^rd and 21 at the Arlington 15, but the Eagles were able to get the first down at the 46, then a long pass was good down to the OH 17 yard line. A flag was thrown on the play but waved off. With just 54 seconds to go in the game, Arlington had a first down at the Oak Harbor 17. The first play was a run for no gain, then a pass that was deflected, then another pass that was incomplete in the end zone. Still at the 17, Arlington lined up for a field goal, the snap and place were good, but it appears a Wildcat got his hand up and on the ball. The kick ended up landing 3 yards deep in the end zone and rolling out.

Oak Harbor took a knee to run out the final 16 seconds of the game, leaving with a well-earned 27-26 victory.

5 video clips from the game are posted HERE.