Chemics Start Fast
But Have To Hold Off
Lapeer West Rally In
The End
Legends High -
Matthew A. Anderson
It happens all the
time in High School
football, the game
within a game, the
swings in momentum
and the waves of
emotion.
Midland High charged
out of the gates
with a 13-0 lead on
a 21 yard running
score from Charlie
Leffingwell and a 3
yarder on the very
next possession from
Leffingwell.
The Chemic defense
held Lapeer West to
a 3 and out on the
first possession of
the ball game and
then Bryan Mazor
recovered a fumble
on West's very next
possession.
It looked like from
the get-go, Midland
High might run away
with this one but
Lapeer West answered
in the 2nd quarter
with 13 straight
points of their own.
Just 5 seconds into
the 2nd quarter, QB
Nate Smith hit WR
Landon Warren on a
fade route in the
left corner of the
endzone for a 12
yard score.
This time Midland
High coughed up the
ball on their next
possession.
West went on the
move again and got
the ball all the way
down to the 7 before
having to settle for
a 29 yard field goal
attempt that went
just wide left.
With just over 8
minutes to go in the
half, it was Midland
High up 13-6.
Midland High put
together a nice
drive that reached
the West 22 but
stalled out as they
failed to convert on
4th and 4.
Both teams had
dodged a bullet on
defense.
Lapeer West faced a
3rd and 13 on their
next possession and
went to the fade
route again.
This time it was
Smith to Tyler
Andrews hooking up,
this time for 47
yards, down to the
Chemic 34. The
Chemics got flagged
for a pass
interference call
after that, which
set up Lapeer West
with a first down
just inside of the
Midland High 20,
with 1:48 left in
the half.
After a grounding
penalty on Lapeer
West, it was 3rd and
28. The
Panthers picked up
20 those yards on a
swing pass to Jacob
Fenslau, setting up
4th and 8. On
4th and 8, Smith hit
Andrews on a 18 yard
score with just 51
seconds to go before
the half. The
pass was right on
the money and
Andrews hauled in
the clutch grab in
traffic. West
added the extra
point and we were
all tied at 13.
With 51 seconds to
go and momentum
definitely on the
side of the
Panthers, Midland
High was not going
to risk much more on
offense before
heading to the
lockers. The
result of the drive
was what ultimately
turned the tide back
in favor of the
Chemics. The
first down handoff
went to Leffingwell
for a few yards and
was inbounds with
the clock still
running. With
the clock ticking
under 30 seconds,
Leffingwell again
got the handoff,
this time breaking
through the line and
racing down the
sideline. He
was finally run out
of the bounds and
brought down at the
Lapeer West 30 with
6.7 seconds to go
but unfortunately
for West, was
brought down by his
facemask. This
added 15 yards to
the end of the run,
setting up Midland
with a golden
opportunity at the
West 15, with just
under 7 seconds to
go before halftime.
Before the Chemics
could even get the
snap off, the clock
ran out and Lapeer
West began to make
for the tunnel.
The problem however,
was that Midland
High Head Coach,
Eric Methner, called
for a timeout after
the previous play,
it was just
forgotten about
after the penalty
was assessed.
After a brief
conference by the
officials and what
seemed to be at
least 10 minutes to
get the clock right,
play resumed.
QB Alex Rapanos took
the snap, then threw
up the fade to Matt
Alcott along the
right sideline in
the endzone.
Alcott made the
clutch grab, just
before going out of
bounds as time
expired on the first
half. The
extra point was
missed again but the
Chemics regained
momentum and the
lead, 19-13, at the
break.
Midland High got the
ball to start the
2nd half and put
together a nice
drive. They
faced a big 4th and
3 at the Lapeer West
39.
Leffingwell got the
ball after being
stopped on the last
play for a loss and
took this one for 17
yards and a huge
first down, down to
the West 22.
After a 3 yard run
and a 10 yard
holding penalty, the
Chemics faced 2nd
and 17 from the 29.
Rapanos took the
snap, then look for
an open man, read
the defense
perfectly and hit a
streaking Eric
Peterson for 29
yards and the score.
After the extra
point, the lead was
pushed up to 13 at
26-13. Their
would not be another
score until late in
the game and the
story of the game
would turn into
defense and injuries
for Midland.
Alcott had to sit
down with a minor
leg injury but
returned later in
the 4th. With
just over 11 minutes
to go in the game,
Leffingwell ripped
off a 17 yard gain
to the Lapeer West
37. On the
very next play, he
gave a 2nd and 3rd
effort but was
stripped of the
ball, with West
coming up with it.
Even worse,
Leffingwell came to
the sidelines with
an injury and would
not return for the
remainder of the
game. With the
ball at the Midland
37, it was all on
the Midland defense
now. The
defense only gave up
3 yards and forced
West to turn it over
on downs.
Midland High got the
ball back with the
mission of running
off some clock.
The West defense
held however.
Lapeer West got the
ball back and tried
to make something
happen. Smith
took the snap and
ran right, under
immense pressure,
then he ran all the
way back to the left
side of the field
and somehow got the
ball off but a
hovering Alcott on
defense, picked the
ball off and got it
back for the Midland
offense.
Without Leffingwell,
yards were extremely
hard to come by.
Midland High was
forced to punt again
but Alcott was
roughed on the kick.
The roughing gave
Midland 15 yards and
a first but
unfortunately,
Alcott was injured
on the play and
never returned
either.
Midland High had the
ball but were now
with out their two
biggest offensive
weapons.
Midland High failed
to move the ball
forwards and had to
punt. With
4:03 left in the
game, West took over
at their own 22.
The Panthers quickly
went to work through
the air and were
getting big chunks
of yardage without
burning too much
time. Smith
hit Andrews up the
the middle for 16
yards. Several
plays later, Smith
hit Preston
Haggadone on a
middle screen for 24
yards.
Haggadone had been
brought in earlier
in the season for
offense but has been
limited as of late
with several nagging
injuries.
Haggadone is one of
the area's best
players and a
terrific linebacker.
From the 20 yard
line of Midland,
Smith connected with
Andrews yet again
for 15 more yards.
They were at the
Chemic 5 yard line
and hadn't used even
a minute of clock.
2 plays later,
Haggadone took it in
from 1 yard out for
the score.
After the extra
point and 1:54
remaining, West was
now down only 6,
26-20. It was
now time for the all
important onside
kick. The
Panthers got off a
beauty and recovered
it at the Midland
High 49. With
1:53 to play, the
Panthers needed a
score and extra
point to win it and
had all of the
momentum.
The tired Midland
High defense trotted
back onto the field
after getting a
brief break.
It was gut check
time. With
injuries and emotion
stacked against
them, the Chemic
defense reached deep
and found just
enough to change the
tide back, 1 final
time. On first
down, Smith was
forced out of bounds
for a 2 yard loss.
On 2nd down a bad
snap led to another
loss as Smith had to
pounce on the ball.
It was 3rd and 19
with the clock
running and West
with just one
timeout left.
They went back to
the middle screen
with Haggadone, this
time however, the
Chemics were waiting
for it and brought
him down after only
4 yards. The
Panthers called
their final timeout,
with the ball on
their own 45 and
facing 4th and 15.
Instead of sitting
back and trying to
prevent the big
play, Midland High
gambled and brought
the heat. It
worked, as they got
to Smith, who then
dumped the ball off
to his closest
teammate, who
happened to be an
ineligible receiver.
The Panthers turned
it over on downs and
with 62 seconds
remaining, the
Chemics could down
it twice and end the
game. 2 snaps
later, Midland High
won their 3rd
straight District
Championship.
It didn't come easy
and it may have come
with a price but the
Chemics sucked it up
in the crunch time
and held their
ground when it
mattered most.
Lapeer West has
nothing to be
ashamed of, they
fought back with
everything they had
and were a drive
away from winning
the ball game.
The Chemics lived to
fight another day
and they will do
that, either next
Friday or Saturday
at home against
Brother Rice. |
