By By Shawn Wansley/ special to The Star
September 21, 2004
LAUREL There have been some bizarre games in the 35-year history of ABC's Monday Night Football.
But even the pros have done nothing to top what happened at Tiger Stadium at Northeast Jones High School here Monday night.
Tiger junior Read Caver drilled a 29-yard field goal as time expired to give Northeast Jones a stunning 24-22 victory over the Northeast Lauderdale Trojans in the Region 5-4A opener for both teams. The game had been postponed from Friday because of the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan.
The victory gives Northeast Jones a 4-0 record, 1-0 in the region. Northeast Lauderdale falls to 1-3, 0-1 in the league.
The fact Caver got the opportunity to attempt the field goal left Northeast Lauderdale players and coaches bewildered.
The Trojans, trailing 21-14, had taken a 22-21 lead with 19.9 seconds left in the game when do-it-all quarterback Maurice Langston scored on a 4-yard run up the middle. Langston then called his own number again and scored on a two-point conversion run.
Northeast Lauderdale kicked off to Tiger Clyde Pruitt, who returned the ball from the 30-yard line to his own 42, leaving 15.0 seconds on the clock.
Tiger quarterback Bradley Blakeney then connected with his younger brother, Barron Blakeney, on a 26-yard pass to the Trojan 32 and NEJ called time out with 8.4 seconds left. On the next play, the Blakeney-to-Blakeney connection worked again, this time for 20 yards. Barron Blakeney managed to get out of bounds at the NEL 12 with 1.5 seconds left.
NEJ then called time to set up Caver's game-winning kick and set off a wild celebration by the Tiger faithful.
Trojan head coach Steve Nelson was not pleased with the officiating, especially the running of the clock.
The game was tight throughout, as evidenced by the fact that both teams ended up with 343 yards of total offense.
NEJ's Alexis Keller rushed 10 times for 172 yards, while Jerry McCullum had 73 yards on seven rushes and Brandon Keyes picked up 65 yards on 13 attempts.
Langston was magnificent in defeat, rushing 34 times for 140 yards, completing 7-of-13 passes for 136 yards and returning a kickoff for 15 yards.
The Trojans recovered a Tiger fumble at the NEJ 42 on the game's third play from scrimmage. Ten plays later, Langston scored on a sneak from three yards out. White's extra point made it 7-0 with 5:18 left in the first quarter.
NEL's Lendario Gowdy then recovered another Tiger fumble, this time at the NEJ 33. The Trojans drove for a first-and-goal at the 7, but eventually turned the ball over on downs at the Tiger 9.
This time, NEJ drove 91 yards in seven plays to tie it up. Keller had a 24-yard run and McCullum a 44-yard run in the drive, which was capped by a 3-yard run by Keyes. Nathan Harrison made the extra point and it was 7-7 with 7:36 left in the first half.
NEL took the second half kickoff and marched 75 yards in 11 plays, chewing up 7:40 on the clock. This time, Langston dropped back to pass on a fourth-and-six at the Tiger 25, started to his left, then reversed field to his right and raced all the way into the end zone for a touchdown. White's kick made it 14-7 with 4:20 left in the third quarter.
But the Tigers responded immediately.
First, McCullum returned the ensuing kickoff 87 yards for an apparent touchdown. However, the Tigers were called for an illegal block on the play and took possession on their own 20. Keller ripped off 57 yards on first down and McCullum followed with a 15-yard run. Five plays later, Keyes went over on fourth-and-goal at the 1. Harrison's kick tied it at 14-14 with 1:24 left in the third quarter.
NEJ then stopped Langston on a fake punt attempt from his own 47 early in the fourth quarter. The Tigers took over at the Trojan 48 and went the distance in five plays. Keller ran a counter play for 20 yards and a touchdown. Harrison's kick made it 21-14 with 8:21 left.
After forcing an NEL punt, the Tigers took over on their own 32 with just over six minutes to play. But they fumbled the ball and NEL's Cody Warner recovered at the Tiger 37. The Trojans drove to the NEJ 17, but Langston was stopped on a fourth-and-11 play.
But the Trojan defense came up big again, forcing the Tigers to punt for the first time on the night. Bradley Blakeney's kick traveled 48 yards and the Trojans took over on their own 28 with just 1:54 left. That's when Langston drove them downfield, 72 yards in 11 plays, for what appeared to be the clinching score.
Northeast Lauderdale hosts Florence in a division game on Friday night.