Much more to two-point play than ‘run failed’
If you looked at the South Side Beaver at Frazier football sum from Friday night鈥檚 game, you鈥檒l see this last entry in the scoring sum: 鈥�(run failed).鈥�
But there was so much more to it than those two simple words when the WPIAL Class A first-round playoff battle between the Rams and Commodores was decided on the fate of a two-point conversion try.
First, let鈥檚 set the stage.
Frazier had rallied from deficits of 19-6 and 26-19 to forge a tie and force overtime. The Commodores got the ball first from SSB鈥檚 10-yard line and Hunter Patterson covered that in two plays. Joshua Cox kicked the extra point and Frazier was up 33-26.
Quae-Shawn Thompson then scored for the Rams on their first play from the 10 to pull South Side Beaver within one point, 33-32.
That鈥檚 where the chess match began.
Rams coach Glenn McDougal sent out kicker Brett Hubbard to kick the extra point that would send the game into a second overtime. His coaches up in the booth and his playeers protested, wanting him to go for the two-point conversion and the win right then.
McDougal called time out.
鈥淚 talked to the kids and then made the decision to go for the win,鈥� McDougal said. 鈥淚 said if that鈥檚 the decision then we鈥檒l live with that decision.鈥�
After the time out, McDougal sent out his offense. The Rams lined up for the all-or-nothing two-point try, but, before they could snap the ball, Frazier coach Mike Steeber called time out.
The players and coaches from both sides conferred again.
鈥淐oach (Zach) Keefer had them at that point,鈥� Steeber said, referring to his defensive coordinator. 鈥淗e wanted a time out. I liked the call. We get the time out. He kind of let them show their cards and let the kids kind of refocus on what they鈥檙e seeing and what to expect. He usually knows the opponent inside out and can give the kids some tips.鈥�
On the other sideline, McDougal was switching his play call, which likely would鈥檝e been the same play Thompson had run several times during the game, including the OT touchdown, a jet sweep to the right.
鈥淲e called a play and they called a time out, and my coaches up in the booth told me they really overloaded the tight end side,鈥� McDougal said. 鈥淪o we went to the left side.鈥�
Both teams came back out and lined up, ready to finally run the game-deciding play.
The Rams gave the ball to Cole Campbell, who followed 6-2, 215-pound fullback A.J. Crider into the left side of Frazier鈥檚 line.
The Commodores鈥� defense turned into a brick wall.
Linebacker Lucas Klorczyk closed off the edge, and a slew of Frazier defenders 鈥� Joe Hovath, Tim Broadwater, Patterson, Cox and Cameron Roebuck among them 鈥� clogged the running lane and knocked Crider and Campbell to the ground well short of the goal line.
The Commodores ran off the field in jubilation, leaving Rams players strewn all around the goal line in defeat.
The scoreboard told the final story: 鈥淗ome 33, Guests 32.鈥�
鈥淲e cut down the running lanes on that play,鈥� Steeber said. 鈥淚t looked like a lot of red around the football.
鈥淭hey got to the ball and made it happen and executed. I think they read well, they flew to it, they knew the situation.鈥�
The situation now for Frazier is a trip to the quarterfinals where it will face Shenango.
All that thanks to one of the most drawn out, thought out, important two-point conversion attempts in Frazier history.
Rob Burchianti can be reached at rburchianti@heraldstandard.com. Follow him on Twitter: @rvburch.