TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Wesley Chapel Overcomes Plethora Of Mistakes For OT Win

ADVERTISEMENT

By LEE DIEKEMPER

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 8, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - For much of Friday's game between Wesley Chapel and Mitchell, it was a snoozefest for anyone not a descendent of Woody Hayes.

But that changed drastically for those that stuck around in Wesley Chapel's 22-14 double-overtime win.

The two Pasco County teams battled to a scoreless tie at halftime and ended regulation with the game knotted at 7. With roughly a minute left, things began to get interesting and continued to get more exciting until the final play.

There were just enough misplays for both teams to score. Wesley Chapel, however, made enough mental mistakes, alarming for the ninth game of the season, that resulted in enough needless penalties to last two seasons.

An illegal procedure here, an illegal motion there, and almost enough offside calls to squash their chances.

With 29 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Wesley Chapel's Luke Fisher seemed to give the Wildcats the chance they needed. He picked off a Mitchell pass, returning it 20 yards to give Wesley Chapel the ball at midfield.

But the game soon turned, and not the way the Wildcats wanted. The interception favor was returned by Mitchell when, with time apparently running out, Marcus Hicks grabbed a Wesley Chapel pass at midfield and sprinted down the left sideline in an attempt to score the winning touchdown as time expired.

He got 47 yards downfield when he was bumped out of bounds at the Wildcats 13 with what appeared to be no time left on the clock.

Officials huddled and decided Hicks got out of bounds with time left. They ordered 1.1 seconds put on the clock: Just enough for a potential Mitchell field goal and victory.

Needing a 30-yard field goal for the win, the Wildcats nearly handed the game to the Mustangs. Twice Wesley Chapel was called for offside, which made the potential game-winner a mere 20 yards away.

Hunter Joyer saved the Wildcats when he blocked the field-goal attempt to send the game into overtime.

Mitchell's Markus Tominus gave the Mustangs a quick touchdown lead in the first overtime with a brilliant catch from quarterback Cody Van De Boe. The Mitchell signal-caller found Tominus alone in the back of the end zone just to the left of the goal post. The throw was high and away and Tominus leaped to make the catch. What was more amazing was that Tominus somehow got a foot inbounds for the score.

Wesley Chapel quarterback Chris West shortly one-upped Tominus. After he plunged in from the 1-yard line, he lined up to kick the extra point. Instead, he took off running as his holder, Geoffery DeGroot, flipped a no-look pass behind his head that West caught in stride. He ran to his right and scored a 2-point conversion for a 22-14 lead.

Van De Boe nearly pulled the Mustangs within two on the next possession. He looked to connect with receiver Donnie Kostar on the same type pass play that Tominus scored on earlier. The high pass was complete, but Kostar couldn't get a foot down as he fell out of bounds.

The Mustangs may have gone back to the well once too often. Wesley Chapel's Mitchell Wozniak picked off a pass and fell in the end zone to seal the Wildcats' win.

"We shot ourselves in the foot so many times," Joyer said after the game, remembering his team's 11 penalties, grasping for the right words to try to describe what he just experienced. "I, well, I guess it was just meant for us to win."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT