Despite dominating in the statistical battle against their cross-town rivals, the L.C. Bird Skyhawks needed an answered prayer with no time left on the clock to escape Thomas Dale with a 20-15 victory last night. The miracle was set up after Bird took possession of the football on their own 7 yard line with 2:25 left in the game. The Skyhawks quickly drove to the Thomas Dale 35 yard line with about 46 seconds to go, but that's where the wheels seemingly came off the drive as Bird fumbled a snap (though they recovered) and were whistled for a hold that left them staring at 43 yards of gridiron they had to cross with only 2.4 seconds left on the clock. Bird quarterback, Jalen Elliot, picked up a low snap off the ground, but he was unpressured by the Dale rush. After his receivers had time to reach the end zone, he threw up the bomb and Daijuane Dorsey snatched it out of the sky for the 20-15 win.
For anyone watching the game early in the 3rd quarter it might have been surprising it came to this. Bird took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched right down the field in what seemed like an all to easy drive to go up 14-3 on the scoreboard and 241-0 in the total yardage battle. It seemed the Skyhawks were finished with their mistakes in the first half (70 yards of penalties and a fumbled punt return which set up the Dale field goal). However, the Knights took control at this point as they seemingly made all the big plays when it mattered.
The Knights got back in the game when on the very next drive their quarterback, Gabriel McCollen, hit Marcaevious Phillips on a short pass that Phillips took 43 yards down the field. A couple of penalties on Bird's defense kept the drive alive (including roughing the kicker on a missed field goal) and eventually Thomas Dale's Eric Finney took a sweep into the end zone to make the score to 14-9 after a failed 2-point conversion.
Bird's next four possessions went nowhere as the Knights seemed inspired on defense. The Skyhawks lost two fumbles, punted once and were held on downs on their own 37 with only 4:21 left in the game. The Knights punted the ball back after losing a yard on the drive which set up the final fireworks. Dale had gone up 15-14 after Finney scored his second touchdown of the night on an inside run that was set up by a 48 yard run on a counter by Phillips.
A few facts will illustrate the theme of the game, which was that Bird could move the ball more consistently than Thomas Dale, but the Knights made all the big plays and let Bird make the mistakes. Bird out-gained Thomas Dale 387-132 and 91 of those Dale yards came on two plays. However, Dale held the Skyhawks on four 4th down plays and forced three turnovers. Bird also committed 15 penalties for 126 yards (Dale was flagged 11 times for 91 yards).
The win was L.C. Bird's 30th in a row, while Thomas Dale dropped their fifth in a row. You can always throw the stats out in this rivalry, however, as the game will be considered a classic. Bird has now won 11 of the last 12 against Dale with the sole loss coming in the playoffs in 2009 when Dale was one its way to a state title. Bird's win streak is currently the eleventh longest streak in the nation.
Score by quarters:
Bird 0 7 7 6 20
Dale 0 3 6 6 15
Scoring Summary
Bird - Elliot 29 yard run (Riley Kick)
Dale - Eliades 31 yard field goal
Bird - Mines 4 yard run (Riley Kick)
Dale - Finney 8 yard run (kick blocked)
Dale - Finney 6 yard run (pass failed)
Bird - Dorsey 43 yard pass from Elliot (no attempt)
Team Stats:
Bird Dale
First Downs 18 6
Rushing 46-197 28-85
Passing 12-22-190 3-9-47
Total Yards 387 132
Penalties 15-126 11-91
Turnovers 3 0
Return Yards 32 55
Time 27:22 20:38
Individual Stats:
Rushing:
Bird: Mines (20-103, 1 TD), Wright (10-45), Elliott (12-35, 1 TD), Gore (2-14), Pate (2-0)
Dale: Phillips (1-48), Lee (6-24), Finney (11-23, 2 TD), Williams (2-3), Malone (1-2), McCollen (7- -11)
Passing:
Bird: Elliott (12-22-190, 1 TD)
Dale: McCollen (3-9-47)
Receiving:
Bird: Wilkins (8-104), Dorsey (1-45, 1 TD), Pate (1-20), Townsend (1-20), Mines (1-3)
Dale: Phillips (1-43), Bullock (1-4), Carrabotta (1-0)
This post was edited on 9/6 5:36 AM by GilliamRatings
This post was edited on 9/6 5:39 AM by GilliamRatings
This post was edited on 9/6 5:41 AM by GilliamRatings
This post was edited on 9/6 5:42 AM by GilliamRatings
For anyone watching the game early in the 3rd quarter it might have been surprising it came to this. Bird took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched right down the field in what seemed like an all to easy drive to go up 14-3 on the scoreboard and 241-0 in the total yardage battle. It seemed the Skyhawks were finished with their mistakes in the first half (70 yards of penalties and a fumbled punt return which set up the Dale field goal). However, the Knights took control at this point as they seemingly made all the big plays when it mattered.
The Knights got back in the game when on the very next drive their quarterback, Gabriel McCollen, hit Marcaevious Phillips on a short pass that Phillips took 43 yards down the field. A couple of penalties on Bird's defense kept the drive alive (including roughing the kicker on a missed field goal) and eventually Thomas Dale's Eric Finney took a sweep into the end zone to make the score to 14-9 after a failed 2-point conversion.
Bird's next four possessions went nowhere as the Knights seemed inspired on defense. The Skyhawks lost two fumbles, punted once and were held on downs on their own 37 with only 4:21 left in the game. The Knights punted the ball back after losing a yard on the drive which set up the final fireworks. Dale had gone up 15-14 after Finney scored his second touchdown of the night on an inside run that was set up by a 48 yard run on a counter by Phillips.
A few facts will illustrate the theme of the game, which was that Bird could move the ball more consistently than Thomas Dale, but the Knights made all the big plays and let Bird make the mistakes. Bird out-gained Thomas Dale 387-132 and 91 of those Dale yards came on two plays. However, Dale held the Skyhawks on four 4th down plays and forced three turnovers. Bird also committed 15 penalties for 126 yards (Dale was flagged 11 times for 91 yards).
The win was L.C. Bird's 30th in a row, while Thomas Dale dropped their fifth in a row. You can always throw the stats out in this rivalry, however, as the game will be considered a classic. Bird has now won 11 of the last 12 against Dale with the sole loss coming in the playoffs in 2009 when Dale was one its way to a state title. Bird's win streak is currently the eleventh longest streak in the nation.
Score by quarters:
Bird 0 7 7 6 20
Dale 0 3 6 6 15
Scoring Summary
Bird - Elliot 29 yard run (Riley Kick)
Dale - Eliades 31 yard field goal
Bird - Mines 4 yard run (Riley Kick)
Dale - Finney 8 yard run (kick blocked)
Dale - Finney 6 yard run (pass failed)
Bird - Dorsey 43 yard pass from Elliot (no attempt)
Team Stats:
Bird Dale
First Downs 18 6
Rushing 46-197 28-85
Passing 12-22-190 3-9-47
Total Yards 387 132
Penalties 15-126 11-91
Turnovers 3 0
Return Yards 32 55
Time 27:22 20:38
Individual Stats:
Rushing:
Bird: Mines (20-103, 1 TD), Wright (10-45), Elliott (12-35, 1 TD), Gore (2-14), Pate (2-0)
Dale: Phillips (1-48), Lee (6-24), Finney (11-23, 2 TD), Williams (2-3), Malone (1-2), McCollen (7- -11)
Passing:
Bird: Elliott (12-22-190, 1 TD)
Dale: McCollen (3-9-47)
Receiving:
Bird: Wilkins (8-104), Dorsey (1-45, 1 TD), Pate (1-20), Townsend (1-20), Mines (1-3)
Dale: Phillips (1-43), Bullock (1-4), Carrabotta (1-0)
This post was edited on 9/6 5:36 AM by GilliamRatings
This post was edited on 9/6 5:39 AM by GilliamRatings
This post was edited on 9/6 5:41 AM by GilliamRatings
This post was edited on 9/6 5:42 AM by GilliamRatings
