|
[Excerpt from a letter to my son]
The third game of the season: Hart versus Westlake at the Warriors' new stadium -- a very nice facility.
Hart scored on it's first possession but blew the PAT to go up 6-0. Westlake came back later in the first to make it
7-6.
In the second quarter, Hart sophomore free safety Jerry Owens missed an easy interception at mid-field. The coaches pulled
him and put in the QB, Travis Carroll, at free safety (a position he played last year). Westlake ran the exact same play --
this time the Hart QB intercepted. He then passed for a TD. Hart 12-7. Hart went for two. The pass was intercepted which fortunately
stops play in high school games; it would have been run all the way back.
Westlake took the ball down the field and scored. They went for two. The pass was intercepted by the Hart QB, who could
have run it all the way back but, of course, play was stopped. Halftime: Westlake 13-12.
In the third quarter, Hart scored on a pass. The Indians went for two. It was caught. Celebration. Flag - offensive
pass interference against Hart. The score didn't t count and Hart did not get to repeat the play (this is very suspicious
to me; seems that the other team's choice was to take the penalty and have Hart repeat the play or decline and let the score
stand). Hart 18-13.
Westlake scored and blew the extra point. Westlake 19-18.
I should add that to this point in the season Hart has had virtually no penalties (none in the first game, almost none
in the second). In this game penalties killed the Indians. Every score by the other team came after a penalty. The Westlake
score in the third quarter was devastating. A Hart linebacker sacked the runner for about a 5-yard loss at about the 45-yard
line but Hart then got flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct -- excessive celebration -- so Westlake, which should have been
facing fourth and very long, ended up with the ball on about the 25, a first down and scored.
Fourth quarter: Westlake was basically stopped at about the 40. On third and long the QB threw the ugliest pass you've
ever seen -- I've seen punts with less arc and more spiral. The DB lost track of the ball! (I was screaming "turn around,
turn around" from the stands). The receiver came from the very back of the end zone to the very front and made a diving
catch for a TD that should have been an interception had the DB even faced the right way. The Warriors kicked the extra point.
Westlake 26-18.
Hart got the ball. The QB threw a pass that was intercepted and run all the way back for a score. Devastation! But wait!
What was that flag? Roughing the passer! Reprieve!
Hart marched the ball all the way down the field and scored on a long pass with 47 seconds to go. The Indians called time
out (it was very apparent that that someone was unsure how many timeouts the Indians had; the QB had to go over and ask the
ref). Hart went for two to tie. The pass was knocked down. The Indians tried an onside kick. It didn't work. Hart lost 26-24.
First time Hart has lost two consecutive games since 1991.
|
