State title eludes Rams in OT

By Randy McFarland
(Daily Sports Editor)

BIG STONE GAP -- Strasburg's football season came to a bitter end Saturday with a 21-20 overtime loss to host Jonesville in the Group A Division 1 state championship game. The game came down to one play: Strasburg going for a two-point conversion on the first overtime possession. The play ended with a six-yard loss and Jonesville had the state title.

For the Rams it marked the second consecutive year they lost in the state title clash -- 21-14 a year ago to Parry McCluer. However, the loss shouldn't tarnish the memories of another outstanding season in 1988.

Strasburg rolled to 13 straight victories before falling to a determined bunch of Bulldogs in the state title game. Over the past two seasons, not many teams in the state could match the 26-2 mark compiled by the Rams. That's something for the players, coaches and fans to take pride in.

After Saturday's bitter loss, Ram coach Glenn Proctor said, "It was a great football game and we had some great opportunities we didn't take advantage of. It's really sad to lose like this, but you've got to tip you hat to them (Jonesville). They came back from a lot of adversity early in the season to string four big wins together.

"They went 5-5 in the regular season, but then got on a roll in the playoffs: I'm happy for them," said Proctor. "We've got nothing to be ashamed of."

In the overtime, Strasburg won the toss and elected to play defense first. In an overtime, the Virginia High School League rules give each team the ball at the opponent's 10-yard-line. Each team then has four downs o score and play continues until there's a winner.

Jonesville took two plays to score. Sophomore Brady Yeary, who ran for 141 yards on 31 carries, ran on first down for two yards. Six-foot-three, 235-pound fullback Tim Spence then rambled up the middle for eight yards and the score. Spence kicked the PAT and Jonesville led 21-14.

Strasburg's Andre Martoncik picked up six yards on first down for the Rams. On second down, quarterback Mark Roller picked up a yard on run up the middle. On third and goal at the three, Martoncik picked up two yards. On fourth and goal at the one, Roller pitched to Martoncik who ran around left end for the touchdown; that made it 21-20.

The Rams then lined up for the extra point attempt. Martoncik's kick sailed wide right and Jonesville started to celebrate, but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the Rams another chance. Strasburg elected to go for the win with the try for two. The Rams tried another pitch to Martoncik, but the bulldogs were ready and stopped the play for a six-yard loss at the eight-yard-line.

The Jonesville players, coaches and fans erupted while the Srasburg players, coaches and fans were left with a numbing feeling. Another great season had ended one win shy of the state title.

"It was a read option," said Proctor, concerning the final two-point try. "They had it read and made the defensive play. It was a good choice by our coaches, but they just made the big defensive lay -- you've got to give them all the credit."

Strasburg looked to have the game won in regulation before a fumble at Jonesville's 33 stopped a drive with around 3:30 left in regulation. At the time, Strasburg led time 14-7.

Still, with Jonesville being a running team and with only two timeouts left the Rams looked pretty safe. On the first play from scrimmage, Jonesville quarterback Brett Clark fumbled the snap but fell on it for a four-yard loss to the 29.

Yeary then got an option pitch around right end for 11 yards to the 40. That gave the bulldogs a third and three at their own 40. Yeary then ran the next play up the middle, but came up inches short of a first down. Then on fourth an inches, Yeary picked up two yards for a first down at the 44 with 2:13 to play.

Next, it was junior running back Pete Lawson who ran around right end on an option for 13 yards to the Ram 43 with 1:48 remaining.

With the clock running out on his team, Jonesville coach John Cooke then called for a flanker reverse pass.

Mark Sweeney, normally a running back, split out to the left side of the field. On the snap Sweeney came and took the handoff from Clark on what looked like a reverse. Sweeney then pulled up and lofted a pass down the field to split end Robbie Newman who caught the ball at the 12. A Ram defender got back and tried to make the tackle at the 10, but Newman shook off the tackle and ran into the end zone making it 14-13 with 1:22 to play.

At this point, Jonesville took a timeout to discuss the option of going for one or two points. The bulldogs sent in Spence who knotted the game with a perfect kick.

Strasburg got the ball, but couldn't do anything offensively, setting the stage of overtime.

Concerning the pass play that tied the game, Proctor said, "Somebody just missed an assignment. Our defensive backs had to come up and support the option run all day and someone read option to come up and support."

About the broken tackle at the 10 on the touchdown play, Proctor said, "They broke some tackles all day; their backs really run hard, but they broke some tackled they shouldn't have."

Proctor added, "they just made the big plays when they needed them; winning teams have a way of doing that."

One of the Rams' biggest problems all day was getting the football. The bigger Jonesville line controlled the line of scrimmage for much of the day. The Bulldogs ran 61 plays from scrimmage compared to 33 for the Rams. Fifty-seven of the Jonesville plays were on the ground -- good for 246 yards. Strasburg had 23 rushes for 119 yards on the day.

The first quarter of the game moved rapidly with neither team scoring. Strasburg got the kickoff and had two possessions which resulted in 11 first quarter plays. Sandwiched between the Ram possessions, Jonesville took over at its own 31 and marched to Strasburg's 16 before being pushed back to the 19. From there, a 35-yard field goal attempt by Spence was short and the 13-play drive came away empty.

On its first possession of the second quarter, its second of the game, Jonesville went 70 yards in eight plays to score. All eight plays were runs with Yeary's 29-yard capping the drive with 7:35 left in the half. Spence's kick made it 7-0.

Strasburg, showing its character and poise, then went 71 yards in six plays to score on its next possession. The big play was the scoring strike on a fake end around to Charles Robinson. Vince Barrick took the handoff from Roller and then Barrick handed off to Robinson. Robinson pulled up and lofted a perfect pass to Roller running down the right sideline. Roller outraced the bulldog defenders for the 5-yard score. Martoncik's extra point attempt was blocked by Jonesville's Sweeney.

After that, neither team crossed midfield.

Strasburg came out fired up to start the second half. Jonesville took the kickoff and started with good field position at their own 41. On first down, Strasburg's Jeff Holsinger bursted through the line and nailed Yeary for for a three-yard loss. On the next play, the middle of the Ram line forced a Yeary fumble and Eric Sager recovered for the Rams at the Jonesville 38.

The Ram offense needed just two plays to reach pay dirt. Martoncik picked up eight yards on first down and then Jeff Bennett covered the final 30 on the next handoff. The Rams faked the kick for the PAT and Roller hit Barrick with a pass for the two pints and a 14-7 lead with 10:24 left in the third.

Jonesville came right back with a 16-play drive that eventually ended on downs at Strasburg's 21. The bulldogs had reached Strasburg's 12 with a first down, but a penalty and big plays by the Ram defense stopped the threat.

The Ram next possession resulted in three plays and a punt. The bulldogs ran seven plays and then punted, for the only time in the game.

Strasburg once again ran three plays and then punted. Jonesville put the ball in lay at their own 46.

The Rams halted the drive when Robinson stole the ball from Shawn Morris on the end around after a 10-yard pick up at Strasburg's 35. The Rams then ran seven plays before fumbling at the Jonesville 33, setting the stage for the tying game.

Bennett led the Ram ground game with 47 yard on nine carries while Roller added 33 yards on 10 carries.

"We felt it coming into the game that we've had success throwing the ball and since they hadn't seen a lot of passing we thought we could throw on them," said Proctor. "It's kind of ironical that a team renown for its running (Jonesville) had its biggest play of the year come via the pass. We had not seen them run that play, the option for the touchdown pass," said Proctor.

While the Rams finished 13-1 the Bulldogs completed its final season of competition at 9-5. Jonesville will be consolidated with Pennington and three other high schools to form a new Lee High School -- a Group AA school.

Maybe, Jonesville was just a team of destiny.

 

"It was a great football game and we had some great opportunities we didn't take advantage of. It's really sad to lose like this, but you've got to tip you hat to them (Jonesville). They came back from a lot of adversity early in the season to string four big wins together."

-- Coach Glenn Proctor