Clutch TD in the final seconds lifts OKC at home
Time seemed to slow down for the Oklahoma City Patriots last Friday night against Healdton.
Just when it looked like the visiting Bulldogs had deflated the energy of the team and the home crowd, the Patriots stormed back, scored with less than a minute, and emerged with a 20-14 win.
Here’s how the last 1:16 played out. Facing a fourth-and-six from the OKC 24, Healdton launched a desperation pass which was caught for a touchdown. The Bulldogs lead 14-13.
On the ensuing kickoff, Noah Dawson sprinted upfield taking the ball to the 40. A penalty flag on Healdton took the ball 15 more yards to the Healdton 45 with just a minute to go.
After an incomplete pass and the clock winding down, the Patriots needed a big play to stay alive.
They got it and then some when Marvin Pennel found Shawn Egelhoff sprinting down the right side. Egelhoff pulled in a pass over his shoulder and found the end zone.
Patriots 20, Healdton 14.
Forty-four seconds left.
The Patriots defense hung in and ending the game with a win-clinching interception.
“The kids played the right way and I told them that sometimes the lessons and the things we go through, the Lord allows sweet things to happens, and sometimes things are sour,” OKC coach Chris Toney said after the game. “We have to be thankful for both. But tonight, He let it be sweet and I told the boys to let it be sweet.”
The win was a huge turnaround from the first half, which saw the Patriots on the wrong side of a lot of bad luck. What did they have to overcome? A safety, an interception, a fumble on their 2-yard line, a 50-yard run called back because of a penalty, an unsportsmanlike penalty, and too many men on the field.
Despite all that, OKC only trailed 8-0 at halftime.
Once the team return to the field for the second half, things started to click.
On their first offensive series, the Patriots shocked everyone with a fake punt at their 20-yard line. Qorban Darkis executed an 11-yard run to get the first down and keep the drive going. Running backs Dylan Mahoney and Noah Raymond took care of the res, driving downfield until Mahoney broke free for a 27-yard touchdown run. That TD brought the score to 8-6 Healdton.
After the defense forced a turnover on downs, the Patriots picked right back up with runs by Mahoney, a 6-yard catch by Noah Marley, and a 6-yard TD rumble by Raymond.
That held until Healdton’s touchdown drive.
The win gives the Patriots a 2-2 record going into Friday night’s game against HSAA.