Nov. 14—The Franklin Pierce football team didn’t attempt a pass Saturday afternoon.
The Cardinals didn’t need to pass.
“In four games that I watched them on film, they didn’t pass one time,” West Valley coach Craig Whitney said.
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West Valley couldn’t stop Franklin Pierce’s ballcontrolling, clock-draining fullhouse attack, as the Cardinals held off the Eagles 29-22 in a State 2A playoff game.
The Eagles never play a team featuring three running backs lined up an arm’s length apart with tight spreads among the linemen. The Cardinals never hinted as if they’d pass.
“It’s tough to prepare for a team like that,” Whitney said. “We tried to replicate (their offense) in practice, but our little scout teamers, they’re about 100 pounds lighter than their guys. And we have a great week of practice. It’s a tough cover.”
Still, West Valley (9-2) had chances. The Cardinals (9-2) scored on all three of their first-half possessions including a 2-point conversion. A touchdown with 1:08 remaining in the second quarter gave Franklin Pierce a 22-14 lead going into halftime.
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WV got the possession to open the third quarter. A touchdown would give the Eagles a chance to keep pace.
They marched to the Cardinals’ 8-yard line. On fourth-and-5, FP was whistled for holding in the secondary. By rule the ball was moved to the 4. On the next play, quarterback Nathan Zettle squirmed behind his line, appearing to get just enough for a first down.
When the referees measured for a first down, the Eagles came up inches short.
Zettle said he got the first down, but thought the referees incorrectly marked the ball.
“It was a bad spot,” Zettle said.
Whitney didn’t complain about the referees’ decision, saying the Eagles should have scored on third-and-5 when a Zettle pass bounced off the fingers of a receiver.
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It was obvious the Eagles needed to somehow register a defensive stop to have a chance thereafter.
Moments later, WV forced a fumble — the Cardinals’ lone mistake of the game — and Conner Eylar recovered, giving the Eagles possession at the FP 33.
Zettle scrambled on the first play, gaining 15 yards. On first down at the Cards’ 48, WV tried to catch FP’s secondary sleeping. A reverse pass was intercepted with 9:36 remaining.
FP put together what essentially was a game-deciding drive, converting a third-and-15 on a quarterback misdirection sweep. The Cardinals scored for a 29-14 lead with 2:26 to go.
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WV didn’t quit. The Eagles moved down the field quickly with Zettle finding tight end Robert Avery on an 11-yard pass for a touchdown. A 2-point conversion pulled WV within the final margin with 22.8 seconds to go.
FP recovered the ensuing onside kick.
“I’m super proud of this group,” said Zettle, who said he’d be at the first day of basketball tryouts on Monday. “It’s probably the last time I ever play football. I wouldn’t want to do it without anyone other than these guys.”
FP moves on to face No. 2 seed Lynden.
The Cardinals rushed 58 times for 381 yards.
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“That’s a good offense to go deep in the playoffs,” Whitney said. “It’s kind of an anomaly. They want to pound it in there and run the clock.”
Whitney had high praise for his team.
“That was a great senior group,” he said. “To go 29-5 in three years. That’s incredible. It was nothing short of beautiful.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
