Laurel ekes out double-overtime victory
Laurel (31) vs. Freedom (28)
Written: Sep 19, 2015
By John D'Abruzzo
New Castle News
NEW SEWICKLEY TWP. — The Laurel High football team proved it can battle back from a deficit last night.
In a ping-pong-like scoring affair on the road against Freedom, the Spartans triumphed in a two-overtime Midwestern Athletic Conference victory, 31-28, to pick up their first win of the season.
“It was a hard-fought game both ways,” Laurel coach Brian Cooper said. “We were playing with a lot of heart and we kept battling through it and found a way to win at the end.”
With the score tied at 21 at the end of regulation, Laurel (1-2 conference, 1-2 overall) matched the Bulldogs (2-1, 2-1) with a touchdown during the first overtime before scoring a game-winning field goal in the second overtime. It then recovered a fumble to end the game.
Senior kicker Zach Morrison, who booted four extra points, notched a 31-yard, game-deciding field goal during the first series of the second overtime. On the second play of Freedom’s following chance, Laurel sophomore Brett Shooster recovered a fumble around the Spartans’ 9-yard line to end the game.
“What a heck of a job by Morrison to get those kicks when they counted the most,” Cooper said.
Jake Wilson opened the game with an amazing one-handed, 30-yard touchdown reception two minutes into the first quarter. Freedom followed up with a touchdown late in the quarter to tie the game.
Jesse Pacifico gave the Spartans a 14-7 halftime lead after hauling in a 46-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jake McDougal with 8:50 remaining in the second quarter. Freedom went on to pin the Spartans back at their own goal line in the closing minutes of the half. Laurel, however, battled through a pair of penalties and ate up the clock to secure its lead going into halftime.
“There were a lot of times our backs were against the wall,” Cooper said. “We had some injuries we fought through with guys in there who haven’t had that many reps, but they kept battling and finding ways to score.”
Freedom returned a Laurel fumble midway through the third quarter to tie the game at 14. The Bulldogs, though, missed a key 37-yard field goal attempt at the start of the fourth quarter that kept the Spartans alive.
“We struggled at times, but we knew in the fourth quarter this was our season,” McDougal said. “We knew we needed to win and know we have to win out to make the playoffs.”
Pacifico, who finished the game with four receptions and 66 yards, caught his second touchdown from McDougal on a five-yard pass midway through the final quarter. The Spartans ate up 4 minutes and 45 seconds during that 12-play, 80-yard drive to take a 21-14 lead.
“These kids deserve a lot of credit,” Cooper said. “They played a great game. We showed a lot of heart and great character tonight, and I’m proud of them.”
The Bulldogs, however, scored again with 1:16 left in regulation when Dean Ward caught a 25-yard pass from Freedom quarterback Nick Wolf, who finished the game completing 12 of 16 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns.
With the game tied at 21 at the start of overtime, Freedom’s Nick Henderson put the Bulldogs ahead with a 20-yard touchdown catch from Wolf. Two plays later, Laurel evened the game at 28 with a 10-yard touchdown run from Spencer Henderson.
“This definitely picks us up going into next week,” said McDougal, who completed 9 of 22 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns. “We wish we would have executed better, but it still picks us up getting that first win.”
Laurel is slated to travel to non-conference Derry Area on Friday night.
“Obviously, a win is a great way to get going, but at the same time there’s a lot of things we have to improve upon,” Cooper said. “We’ll go back to work. The one thing this group has done — and we’re young — is that they have been working hard.
“We just have to keep getting better and better. The win helps with that.”
(Email: ncsports@ncnewsonline.com)
LAUREL FREEDOM
18 First downs 15
134 Yards Rushing 102
24 Yards Lost 18
110 Net Rushing 84
22 Passes Attempted 16
9 Passes Completed 12
0 Passes Intercepted 0
177 Yards Passing 175
287 Total Yards 259
3-1 Fumbles-Lost 2-2
2-30.0 Punts-Average 5-30.0
7-29 Penalties-Yards 9-75
LAUREL 7 7 0 7 7 3 — 31
FREEDOM 7 0 7 7 7 0 — 28
Scoring plays
LAUREL — Jake Wilson, 30-yard pass from Jake McDougal (Zachary Morrison kick).
FREEDOM — Jake Pail, 3-yard run (Zach Greene kick).
LAUREL — Jesse Pacifico, 46-yard pass from McDougal (Morrison kick).
FREEDOM — Michael Keith, 8-yard fumble return (Greene kick).
LAUREL — Pacifico, 5-yard run (Morrison kick).
FREEDOM — Dean Ward, 25-yard pass from Nick Wolf (Greene kick).
FREEDOM — Nick Henderson, 20-yard pass from Wolf (Greene kick).
LAUREL — Spencer Jones, 10-yard run (Morrison kick).
LAUREL — Morrison, 31-yard field goal.
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