DAMMIT
We were THAT CLOSE to a signature win at just the right moment.
But instead ...
We gave them a 58 yard return on the opening kickoff, and a short-field TD.
We score right back - in large part due to a pitch to Whop that went for 26, and with Scott going for 8, 4 and 5 in his first 3 carries.
Trade punts and Penix comes in.
A hold kills a Penix first-down run on third and 10.
(EVERY penalty - zero exceptions - hurts bad)
They get nothing.
Riggins roughs the punt, but they still have a 4th - and we get to the punter again for a 10 YARD LOSS. .
Scott runs for a TD from the 30.
Up 14-7
We had the bastages on their heels!
And the first play of the second quarter - we sack McSorley.
Then PICK HIM on the next play.
WE had them by the THROAT!
I know I'll draw some heat for this, but HERE is where we need a steady hand to stick in a fork. I'd have sent Ramsey back in and pounded em with Scott. Pitch to Reese. Mix it up. Yes, Penix had a great first drive, but he was not sharp. (He was probably jacked on adrenaline!)
A smash-mouth drive for a 21-7 lead here would have been HUGE.
We go with Penix. He hit Whop, then threw behind Whop. They talked. He then hit Whop - but it was brought back for a hold. (arrgh) Penix then ran for 11 on 3rd and 13. We punted.
PSU gets McSorley loose for a 44 yard run, and Stevens (Stevens!) throws a TD.
Tied ... and they stole our Mo.
2 poor Penix passes and we give it right back.
On third and 8, they hit that big TE and Riggins goes for the punch out. The TE sheds Riggins one-arm tackle and goes 59. We hold them to a FG. Crap. 14-17.
Penix stays in.
We move it from our 25 to their 10.
Walker. Whop. Reese. Scott. Hendershot. Fryfogle. Dorris.
3rd and 2 at their 11.
Crap. Scott gets 1.
Here, I take the points and tie it.
But we go for the TD from the 10 and Penix overthrows Westbrook pretty bad at the goal line.
We get it back, but we badly misplay the clock.
Ramsey is in, but gets chased twice and there's a hold and Brookins doesn't get out of bounds and we looked like Keystone cops to end the half.
We went from "by the throat" to "Keystone cops" by trying to hit home runs when we needed run-scoring singles.
We start with Ramsey in the third.
We're moving it.
We fumble at their 26.
Mo killer.
Move it 50 yards and fumble.
Shoot me. Please.
They get to our 14, then McSorley misses badly and they take a FG and its 20-14.
Should be 21-10 us. Maybe even 28.
Penix back in.
He runs for 13 ...
BUT, as he runs, a ref is to his front left and 2 PSU guys are to his front right.
He pauses and takes a hitch-step.
He take a bad step when his right leg touches down.
Starts to fall.
Both guys hit him. One hits him in the helmet, they other grabs his right leg.
He's done for the year.
Probably tore it on the foot-plant.
The personal foul puts us at the 47.
We score in 8 plays.
Up 21-20, but the mood is somber.
We give up a 94 yard kick off return.
We. Give. Up. A. 94. Yard. Kick. Off. Return.
They score on the next play.
Miss the PAT.
We're down 26-21 and not really looking or feeling great.
3rd and 7 we get 2 with a pass to Brookins and we punt.
Start of 4th.
Defense holds and they punt.
We fumble the catch.
Our 5th year senior fumbles the catch.
Shoot me.
Please.
They score in 5.
33-21.
We punt.
They punt.
We drive to midfield.
PICK.
Really bad throw by Ramsey.
But the defense holds again!
3 and out.
With 4:06, we get it, drive and score with :49 left.
15 plays.
We could not use clock wisely.
They took away the side line - we threw to the middle.
Had to hurry.
Had only 1 TO left.
But damned if we don't recover the onside!
But ... its a tease.
Hold. Loss of 10.
Sack. Loss of 7.
Timian catch.
Westbrook catch.
Brookins catch.
Clock runs out.
Take away just one of the long kick off returns OR let Riggins tackle the TE instead of trying to punch it out and giving him 59, and we win.
Make a drive when its 14-7.
Take the FG when its 14-17.
Don't drop a punt that we fair catch.
Crap. Sigh. Crap.
Its the little things.
Always the little things.
We coulda been 5-3.
We woulda been.
We shoulda been.
More game saavy this year and we torch a biggie.
We were THAT CLOSE to a signature win at just the right moment.
But instead ...
We gave them a 58 yard return on the opening kickoff, and a short-field TD.
We score right back - in large part due to a pitch to Whop that went for 26, and with Scott going for 8, 4 and 5 in his first 3 carries.
Trade punts and Penix comes in.
A hold kills a Penix first-down run on third and 10.
(EVERY penalty - zero exceptions - hurts bad)
They get nothing.
Riggins roughs the punt, but they still have a 4th - and we get to the punter again for a 10 YARD LOSS. .
Scott runs for a TD from the 30.
Up 14-7
We had the bastages on their heels!
And the first play of the second quarter - we sack McSorley.
Then PICK HIM on the next play.
WE had them by the THROAT!
I know I'll draw some heat for this, but HERE is where we need a steady hand to stick in a fork. I'd have sent Ramsey back in and pounded em with Scott. Pitch to Reese. Mix it up. Yes, Penix had a great first drive, but he was not sharp. (He was probably jacked on adrenaline!)
A smash-mouth drive for a 21-7 lead here would have been HUGE.
We go with Penix. He hit Whop, then threw behind Whop. They talked. He then hit Whop - but it was brought back for a hold. (arrgh) Penix then ran for 11 on 3rd and 13. We punted.
PSU gets McSorley loose for a 44 yard run, and Stevens (Stevens!) throws a TD.
Tied ... and they stole our Mo.
2 poor Penix passes and we give it right back.
On third and 8, they hit that big TE and Riggins goes for the punch out. The TE sheds Riggins one-arm tackle and goes 59. We hold them to a FG. Crap. 14-17.
Penix stays in.
We move it from our 25 to their 10.
Walker. Whop. Reese. Scott. Hendershot. Fryfogle. Dorris.
3rd and 2 at their 11.
Crap. Scott gets 1.
Here, I take the points and tie it.
But we go for the TD from the 10 and Penix overthrows Westbrook pretty bad at the goal line.
We get it back, but we badly misplay the clock.
Ramsey is in, but gets chased twice and there's a hold and Brookins doesn't get out of bounds and we looked like Keystone cops to end the half.
We went from "by the throat" to "Keystone cops" by trying to hit home runs when we needed run-scoring singles.
We start with Ramsey in the third.
We're moving it.
We fumble at their 26.
Mo killer.
Move it 50 yards and fumble.
Shoot me. Please.
They get to our 14, then McSorley misses badly and they take a FG and its 20-14.
Should be 21-10 us. Maybe even 28.
Penix back in.
He runs for 13 ...
BUT, as he runs, a ref is to his front left and 2 PSU guys are to his front right.
He pauses and takes a hitch-step.
He take a bad step when his right leg touches down.
Starts to fall.
Both guys hit him. One hits him in the helmet, they other grabs his right leg.
He's done for the year.
Probably tore it on the foot-plant.
The personal foul puts us at the 47.
We score in 8 plays.
Up 21-20, but the mood is somber.
We give up a 94 yard kick off return.
We. Give. Up. A. 94. Yard. Kick. Off. Return.
They score on the next play.
Miss the PAT.
We're down 26-21 and not really looking or feeling great.
3rd and 7 we get 2 with a pass to Brookins and we punt.
Start of 4th.
Defense holds and they punt.
We fumble the catch.
Our 5th year senior fumbles the catch.
Shoot me.
Please.
They score in 5.
33-21.
We punt.
They punt.
We drive to midfield.
PICK.
Really bad throw by Ramsey.
But the defense holds again!
3 and out.
With 4:06, we get it, drive and score with :49 left.
15 plays.
We could not use clock wisely.
They took away the side line - we threw to the middle.
Had to hurry.
Had only 1 TO left.
But damned if we don't recover the onside!
But ... its a tease.
Hold. Loss of 10.
Sack. Loss of 7.
Timian catch.
Westbrook catch.
Brookins catch.
Clock runs out.
Take away just one of the long kick off returns OR let Riggins tackle the TE instead of trying to punch it out and giving him 59, and we win.
Make a drive when its 14-7.
Take the FG when its 14-17.
Don't drop a punt that we fair catch.
Crap. Sigh. Crap.
Its the little things.
Always the little things.
We coulda been 5-3.
We woulda been.
We shoulda been.
More game saavy this year and we torch a biggie.
