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I remember in 1986 when Camdenton tied for the state title with Marshall 20-20. No overtime was allowed in the championship game then, and at the time I thought “That’s stupid.” Every other game played during the regular season and playoffs used the overtime formula we now know to decide a winner, but not the title game. 22 years later, after watching Orrick & Thayer play through all the twists and turns of the state title contest yesterday including questionable officiating, high drama, crushing disappointment, an amazing out-of-nowhere last second scoring play, and 2 overtimes, I can finally understand why they had the no championship OT system in place.
To differentiate between Orrick and Thayer yesterday is a disservice to the second place team. Thayer was Orrick’s equal in every respect yesterday except the scoreboard, and they were superior in their game plan. And I won’t even go into the hideous officiating in the class 1 game. If there ever was a case for letting a championship game end in a tie, this is it.
I was actually only able to catch the second half as I arrived late. But the second half and the overtimes had enough drama and excitement for 5 regular games. I talked to someone on the Orrick sideline as they headed back to the field and they confided that they hadn’t expected Thayer to pass as much as they did. That couldn’t have been proven to be more true by the events of the rest of the game. Of course the biggest pass of the first half, Jacob Eckman’s 32 yard TD pass to Lance Schneider, had been taken off the board.
After Orrick took advantage of a Bobcat turnover and a short field to go up 14-6, deja vu started to set in. Visions of last year were popping up. But Thayer got a turnover of their own, a Jeremy Cabrale interception giving Thayer the ball on the Orrick 22. 5 plays later, Josh Huckabee turned the corner and took it in from 10 yards out. The 2 point conversion tied it at 14. Thayer had the momentum on their side and stopped the next Orrick drive after they picked up one first down. They marched the ball into Orrick territory before being stopped on a 4th and 1 play giving the ball back to the Bearcats with 5:26 to play.
You could feel the momentum swing to Orrick and they began a time draining march up the field. It culminated with Orrick’s Logan Eubank scoring from 16 yards out with 17 seconds left. The try for 2 was no good and Orrick lead 20-14. Ethan Leisenring returned the kickoff to the 38 and Thayer had 10 seconds left to make something happen. And they did. Eckman faded back and threw up what looked to be a hail Mary, but was only about 20 yards downfield. Orrick’s defenders were slow to react and Schneider ran under the falling pass, caught it with a full head of steam, and raced to the end zone with a 62 yard TD to tie the game 20-20 with no time on the clock. Only an extra point stood between the Bobcats and the state title, but the kick was low and wide left sending the teams to OT.
The first OT ended 28-28 as first Orrick, than Thayer, got the TD plus 2. Thayer had the first go in the second OT and on third and 8, Bearcat Clayton Jones made a nice interception on the sideline to give Orrick a chance to score and take the title. Orrick drove down until they had first and goal from the one. Thayer stood tall on first down, and initially stopped Orrick QB Joe Kaufman on the sneak on the second down, but an Orrick RB pushed him across the goal line giving the Bearcats the score and their second straight state championship.
Though a disappointing finish for the Bobcats, it was a great game and they proved that they are every bit as good as Orrick. Jacob Eckman rushes for 98 yards and passes for 147 to lead the Thayer effort. A second straight second place finish for Thayer and a place in the minds of all who saw the game.
