Penalty, fumble cost Rebels in overtime
Published 12:39 am Saturday, October 10, 2015
Miscues cost Thorsby dearly in a 32-26 overtime loss to Fayetteville on Friday.
The host Rebels (4-4 overall, 3-2 region) fought back from an early deficit to lead 26-20 in the fourth quarter, but Fayetteville (6-1, 4-0) tied the score with 4:22 remaining in the game to send it into overtime and took advantage of Thorsby’s inability to score in the extra period.
The loss is a serious blow to Thorsby’s hopes of finishing in the top two of the region and thus earning homefield advantage in the first round of the Class 2A playoffs. Instead, the Rebels will try to remain in the top four to earn a berth.
After a scoring frenzy in the first half that had the score at 20-all at halftime, the defenses adjusted in the second half.
The first score of the second half—a 1-yard run by Kevin Mims set up by a 46-yard pass from Conner McRae to Brad Stange and a run by McRae—gave Thorsby the lead.
The lead was short-lived as Fayetteville took the ensuing possession 65 yards to tie the game.
On fourth-and-12 from the Thorsby 40-yard line, quarterback Bailey Deloach, who eluded the Thorsby defense all night, threw to Payton McKee for a first down though the play was well defended.
Rhett Goins ran it in from two yards out for the visiting Wolves.
An extra point would have given Fayetteville the lead, but the snap was high, the holder pulled it down and tried to run, and was tackled by the Rebels.
Thorsby took over with a chance to retake the lead, but a fumbled snap and false start penalty led to a punt, which was blocked and recovered by Fayetteville’s Joshua Shell on Thorsby’s 17-yard line.
The Wolves lined up for a field goal with 12 seconds left to play, but Thorsby’s Jon Davenport darted through the line of scrimmage for the block, ensuring the Rebels would have a chance in overtime.
Overtime periods in high school include the teams alternating possessions from the 10-yard line.
Thorsby had the ball first and looked poised to score, on third down from the 1-yard line, but a false start and fumbled snap pushed the Rebels back, and they stalled short of the goal line.
Fayetteville used three consecutive running plays to score and win the game, on a two-yard run by Dustin Ingram.
Thorsby fell behind 14-0 early in the game when an interception led to a Wolves’ touchdown, and then another came on a 90-yard run by Deloach.
THS answered with a 61-yard run by McRae and then a 61-yard pass from McRae to Kevin Mims.
The Rebels took their first lead on a four-yard run by Mims, but Fayetteville tied the game again before halftime with a 20-yard pass from Deloach to Zacharie Allen.