West comes up short in double overtime loss
By Steve Williams
It went right down to the last play and an official’s decision.
With West needing a touchdown in the second overtime period to tie the score, wide receiver Antwain Burdine got in the end zone, but had to come back to the ball to catch quarterback Parker Dubon’s throw. Officials ruled he caught the pass, but the ball was short of the goal line.
That left unbeaten Sevier County with a 24-17 victory in the TSSAA Class 5A state quarterfinal game Friday night at Bill Wilson Field and ended the Rebels’ two-year run as state champions.
“They said we come up a little bit short (on the last play),” said West Coach Lamar Brown. “I’m not for sure about that. There’s nothing we can do about that. But we shouldn’t ever put those guys (officials) in that position to make that call. That’s my fault.”
Coach Todd Loveday’s Smoky Bears (13-0) will advance to the semifinal round and play Oak Ridge Friday night.
West ends the season 9-4.
“This senior class has been a special group here,” said Brown. “They always are going to be a part of our football family.
“It’s been fun, but it doesn’t take away the hurt we feel now. I hurt for our kids. They put a lot into this. You know, football is a year around sport and a lot of work goes into it. And then to come up a little bit short, it hurts.”
Brown said his team couldn’t get in any kind of rhythm offensively at all.
“Penalties and turnovers killed us in the first half, and penalties hurt us in the second half,” he pointed out. “But I’m proud of our kids. They kept fighting until the end, making plays.”
Sevier County, aided by a 15-yard penalty on a late hit by linebacker Jack Keith, drove to the 13-yard line on the opening possession of the game but Taylor Madison missed a 33-yard field goal.
West crossed midfield on its first possession but Messiah Wrenn fumbled after a 6-yard gain and defensive back Sladen Hickman recovered it at the Smoky Bears’ 41.
West linebacker Davis Neely blocked Sevier County’s punt on its next possession and lineman Sam Hudson returned it to the SC 49. The turnover led to the Rebels having great field position at the Sevier County 34 at the end of the first quarter.
The Rebels, however, couldn’t overcome a holding penalty and Pete Rogers missed a 40-yard field goal attempt.
A 27-yard pass from Newman to tight end Jude Costner got the Smoky Bears rolling and inside West territory, but a huge tackle by Hudson and an incomplete pass by Newman ended the threat at the Rebels’ 29.
West picked up two first downs but ended up punting. Sevier County also had to punt on its next possession in what was turning into a defensive struggle.
Hickman made another big play for the Bears with a pick at Rebels’ 41 with 1:09 to go in the half. Sevier County turned it into a 29-yard field goal by Madison on the last play of the half for a 3-0 lead.
West answered after intermission with a touchdown pass to go ahead 7-3. Dubon connected with senior Troit Patterson, despite double coverage, and Rogers added the PAT.
Sevier County drove to the West 31 but Newman overthrew a pass to a wide open Costner and Jordan Hayes broke up the Bears’ fourth down pass.
A 44-yard punt by West’s Jones Bollig backed up Sevier County to the 27 late in the third quarter. But on third-and-15, Newman hit Hayden Akers with a key 24-yard pass.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Tegan Avera ran 14 yards for a first down at the West 25. The possession fell apart, however, as back-to-back passes slipped through Costner’s hands and Newman overthrew Parker Newman on fourth down.
Patterson caught a 12-yard pass and Tavion Ray ran for 11 yards to put the Rebels at the SC 42, but another holding penalty stopped the momentum. West maintained its good field position, however, as Bollig’s 37-yard punt was downed at the 9.
With 7:20 on the clock after a TV timeout, the Smoky Bears went on their longest drive of the game and one that put them back ahead. On a fourth-and-one play action fake at the West 24, Parker Newman got behind defensive back Anterius McAllister and Cooper Newman hit him with for a go-ahead TD with only 1:13 remaining.
Battling the clock, and facing a fourth-and-20 at the SC 49, Dubon completed a pass to Burdine. It was so close to the first down marker, officials had to measure it to confirm it was a first down at the 29.
West took its last timeout with 2.7 seconds on the clock.
Rogers came back out and drilled a 46-yard field goal from the left hash. It just barely got over the crossbar. But it tied the game at 10-all.
“Great job by Pete on the field goal,” said Coach Brown. “We were confident when we sent them out there that he was going to make it and he went out there and did his job.”
In the first overtime, West’s Patterson ran around right end for a TD on first down. Rogers’ extra point kick gave the Rebels a 17-10 lead. Sevier County answered as Newman completed an 8-yard pass to Roman Gibbons and Costner scored from the 2. Madison’s kick made it 17-all.
Sevier County had first possession in the second OT and scored on third-and-goal from the 5 as Newman hit a wide open Costner. Madison’s PAT gave the Bears a 24-17 lead.
West’ second OT possession got off to a bad start as Dubon lost control of the ball and recovered it at the 16. On second down, Dubon was tackled for a 2-yard loss by defensive end Jaxson Perry.
With the ball now at the 18, Dubon completed a 9-yard pass to Wrenn at the 9. Then came the fourth down pass to Burdine, one of the most athletic players in the state. The ball was so close to the goal line, if high school football could review plays like they do in college and the pros, it is possible this catch may have been ruled a touchdown.
