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By Jim Steele
steele@mckenziebanner.com |
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Conventional wisdom suggested that Milan's Class 2A
state semifinal stop at Huntingdon was merely a formality.It was thought that the Bulldogs would knock off the host
Mustangs for the second time this season and head to
Murfreesboro for a shot at its third state title in the
last seven years. After all, Milan topped Huntingdon 24-6
in Week 7 and made it look fairly easy.
Someone forgot to explain things to the Mustangs.
Huntingdon rallied for two fourth-quarter scores and then
twice turned away Milan deep in Mustang territory in the
final 4:23 to secure a 34-29 victory.
As a result, Huntingdon is headed to the state
championship for the second time in school history. The
Mustangs will battle another set of Mustangs from David
Lipscomb 7 p.m. Friday at Middle Tennessee State
University in Murfreesboro.
Lipscomb defeated Alcoa 55-6 in the other state semifinal
game Saturday evening.
This game had everything: drama, excitement, big plays by
both teams, heart, soul, euphoria and heartache. In the
end, Huntingdon is headed to the Blue Cross Bowl.
"It's like I told Jeff (Morris, Milan coach) before the
game," said Huntingdon coach Mike Mansfield. "If he can
come over here and beat us twice on our field, he deserves
to go; if we can knock off an undefeated team, then we
deserve to go."
In the end, a child would lead them. Huntingdon freshman
Chris Donald, who just celebrated his 15th birthday
earlier in the week, imposed his will. He carried 19 times
for 198 yards, scored a touchdown and made Milan account
for another running threat.
"Donald has played in big games, but didn't have the
weight on his shoulders," said Mansfield. "After the first
Milan game, we found out he wasn't intimidated by them and
he wasn't going to be intimidated. That gave us a new
dimension."
The 6-2, 190 lb. freshman was indeed a handful, but he
wasn't all. Phillip Weathers had four catches for 27 yards
and two TDs. He also ended Milan's season with his
interception with :43 to play in the game.
"It's always gut-check time when you play Milan," said
Mansfield. "You know you have to play 48 minutes with the
athletes they have and how hard they are going to play."
And Milan did come ready play. The Bulldogs' Daylan Walker
returned the opening kickoff 85 yards for a score with
just nine seconds elapsed into the game.
"That's not the way I wanted to start the game," said
Mansfield, "Dad gum, they burned our tail because we
didn't stay in our lanes."
The Mustangs responded as they would all night. Mustang
junior Scott Hampton caught a 44 yard pass from Adam
Parish with 8:46 to play in the first quarter. Mark
Newsome equalized the score with the first of his four
point-after kicks. The drive covered 75 yards in eight
plays.
Milan answered with a 12-play, 74-yard drive when George
West hooked up with Daniel Beasley for an 8-yard TD. Sam
Sullivan added the boot and the Bulldogs led 14-7 with
2:54 to play in the first.
Once again, the 'Stangs responded with a 54-yard drive
down to the Milan 2 late in the first. That's where the
Bulldogs held on fourth down and took over. Some whispered
the goal line stand might spell doom for Huntingdon. But
the Mustangs were equal to the task. They soon knotted the
score with 9:38 to play in the second.
Parish closed a 3-play, 43-yard drive when he hit Phillip
Weathers on a 7-yard pass. The score was set up by
Donald's 36-yard run a play earlier.
Milan was quick to recover. Fifty-two seconds later, Milan
quarterback George West lobbed an 80-yard TD pass to
Beasley and the Bulldogs were back up. But the PAT kick
failed and Milan managed a 20-14 lead. Late in the second,
Sullivan further lengthened Milan's margin with a 28-yard
field goal with 2:20 to play in the half.
Milan had a pretty healthy 23-14 lead and appeared to be
headed into halftime with a bit of momentum.
Not so fast. Huntingdon found another turning point. In
the next 1:56, the Mustangs traveled 65 yards in seven
plays and tacked on seven points. Weathers caught a 7-yard
aerial from Parish. Newsome's kick narrowed the gap from
nine to two.
"That's not a bad way to end a half," Mansfield said.
That last score by Huntingdon did little to dismay the
Bulldogs. They just strapped a saddle on their main horse.
Mr. Football finalist Rod Smith got the lion's share of
the offensive work during Milan's first series of the
second half.
Huntingdon took possession and the drive sputtered. Milan
took over with 7:25 to play in the third and didn't
relinquish it until early in the fourth quarter. Smith
carried 10 of the 11 plays in the 67-yard scoring drive.
The drive ate up 5:32 and ended when Smith scored from the
4. The kick failed and it was a one-possession game.
When Huntingdon got the ball back, it made the most of it.
With 9:00 to play in the game, Donald burst 33 yards for
the score. Huntingdon decided to go for the tie, but the
run failed and the Mustangs trailed 29-27.
>From that point on, Milan suffered a series of meltdowns.
Smith's fumble on the 23 gave the Mustangs the ball with
8:23 to play. It was a costly cough up. Hampton picked up
the loose ball and Huntingdon made Milan pay.
Donald carried twice for 22 yards to bring the Mustangs to
the 1. Then, senior Terrance Bell rambled in the rest of
the way. Newsome's kick lifted the Mustangs to a 34-29
lead. Hampton picked off a pass on the next Milan
possession and it seemed the game was in the bag.
Not so fast.
Milan stopped the Mustangs and forced a punt, which was
blocked. The Bulldogs took over deep in Huntingdon turf.
But Smith fumbled again and Huntingdon dodged another
bullet. But six plays later, Milan blocked another
Huntingdon punt with 1:55 to play and took over on the HHS
43.
At that point, Mansfield had visions of 1998, when Milan
rallied to beat Huntingdon and go on to win the Clinic
Bowl.
"It was déjà vu," said Mansfield. "We were up and they had
a fourth down play. Last time, they pulled it off; this
time they didn't."
Weathers picked off West's pass with :43 to play and that
was that. Mass celebration ensued. The Mustangs had
punched their tickets for the 'Boro.
"We've never played Milan this deep in the playoffs before
and they fought so hard. They have nothing to be ashamed
of," Mansfield. "This was maybe my sweetest win because of
that 1998 loss. I know to lose when you are 13-0 is going
to hurt."
Bell had 16 carries for 52 yards. Hampton had a big night
with an interception, a TD catch and two fumble
recoveries. Weathers had four catches for 27 yards and two
TDs.
Smith led Milan with 144 yards on 26 carries. Beasley had
four catches for 116 yards. West was 5-12 for 128 yards
with two picks. Parish led Huntingdon with 8-13 night for
123 yards.
"Versatility has sort of been our thing," said Mansfield.
"It's not the same kids every week doing things; it's
someone different.
"I'm thankful we had an opportunity to erase the fiasco of
1998," said Mansfield.
Perhaps next Friday night, Mansfield will have an
opportunity to have his next sweetest victory.
M 14 9 0 6 29
H 7 14 0 13 34
H M
Final score 34 29
First downs 18 15
Yds. rushing 263 186
Yds. passing 123 128
Total Yds. 386 314
Comp.-att.-int. 8-13-0 5-12-2
Number of plays 56 48
Fumbles-lost 0-0 2-2
Third down 4-10 1-5
Fourth down 0-2 3-3
Red zone 3-4 3-3
Possession 26:05 21:55
Punts-avg. 2-72 4-47
Penalties5-35 4-47
FIRST QUARTER
M - 11:51 Daylan Walker 85 kickoff return, Sam Sullivan
kick.
H - 8:46 Scott Hampton 44 pass from Adam Parish, Mark
Newsome kick. 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:05.
M - 2:54 Daniel Beasley 8 pass from George West, Sullivan
kick. 12 plays, 74 yards, 5:51.
SECOND QUARTER
H - 9:37 Phillip Weathers 7 pass from Parish, Newsome
kick. 3 plays 43 yards, :52.
M - 8:47 Beasley 80 pass from West, kick failed. 2 plays,
78 yards, :52.
M - 2:20 Sullivan 28 field goal. 8 plays, 37 yards, 3:55.
H - :24 Weathers 3 pass from Parish, Newsome kick. 7
plays, 65 yards, 1:54.
FOURTH QUARTER
M - 11:14 Rod Smith 4 run, kick failed. 11 plays, 67
yards, 5:32.
H - 9 :00 Donald 33 run, run failed. 5 plays, 51 yards,
2:14.
H - 6:48 Bell 1 run, Newsome kick. 3 plays 23 yards, 1:33. |
