Keystone Oaks 32 McGuffey 30 Game winner as time ran out in the final quarter

Tagged under: District 7, Game Photos, Gameday Hub, News

David Burnworth | October 16, 2022

Brace yourself for a very detailed article on the most exciting game of the year for me this year. This game had it all, scoring, some big defensive plays, player injection, bone-jarring hits, flags galore, and some controversial calls that hurt both teams with the biggest one taking a victory away from one team and allowing the other a chance that they cashed in to post a huge win.

The Golden Eagles wasted no time in getting this offensive show underway needing just four plays to go 65-yards to make this a 7-0 game. Nick Buckley would set the touchdown up with a nice 13-yard pass to Collin Harris. He would find Shawn Reick for the 61-yard score. Reick used a sweet Sop and go move, then cut to his right to score. Drew Palmer hit the point after kick.

Ben Hrivnak pounced on a McGuffey fumble at the 2:53 mark of the opening quarter putting the Golden Eagles offense back on the field. Buckley and Reick struck again for 11-yards to set up the next score, which came on a Buckley to Giovontae 29-yard catch making this a 13-0 game, with 2:09 left on the clock.

Dylan Droboj picked up 18-yards to give the Highlanders a first and goal at the Golden Eagles 3-yard line. Ethan Dietrich capped the drive off with a 3-yard run followed by the Dylan Stwart kick out of the hold of Phillip McCuen with Morgan Shriver doing the snapping to make this a 13-7 game, with 9:59 remaining in the opening half.

Kyle Bookman, who later was injected for throwing a punch would take the ball to the Golden Oaks 13-yard line with a 9-yard run. An Ethan Dietrich 38-yard field goal brought the score to 13-10, with 2:53 showing on the clock. Eric Donnelly laid the pads to DiMajio Locante after a catch causing a 5-yard loss. Right before the half came to a close Ryan Hazlett would sack Phillip McCuen for a loss of three.

The Golden Eagles looked to be poised for another score after Reick totaled 23-yards on two nice runs but big Logan Smith picked off a Buckley pass and then he lowered his should and laid a big hit on his would-be tackler before hitting the ground himself. With 7:27 left in the third quarter on a double handoff, Charles Wagers would pick up a first down on a nice run when the Highlanders were facing third and long. This became a 17-13 game when McCuen went 27-yards after a magical fake handoff that fooled the defense, with 5:50 showing on the clock.

Troy Falosk plastered Reick for a short loss to put the Golden Eagles in a third and thirteen predicament. Buckey would connect with Reick who picked up 26-yards to pick up the first down. Reick would show some nice power after making the catch to pick up some extra yards. Reick picked up 11-yards to take the ball to the one where Buckey followed his offensive line into the endzone to make this a 20-17 game.

McGuffey would get their next drive going in the right direction with McCuen hitting Travis White for a gain of 27-yards. McCuen throws a tight ball when he gets a chance to showcase that part of his game. McCuen would use his feet to pick up 17-yards taking the ball to the Golden Eagles 4-yard line, with 11:40 left in the game. Dietrich closed the drive out with his 4-yard run making this a 24-20 game.

With 8:41 showing on the fourth quarter clock facing a fourth and two Reick went up the gut of the McGuffey defense to pick up 17-yards. Reick seems to have a way to make the big play when his team needs and his offensive line seems to thrive when he has the ball in those situations. Falosk would use a James Laurinaitis-like hit on Reick causing a 2-yard loss. Buckey would hit DiMajio Locante over the middle for a big 18-yard gain the same combo would strike again at the 7:25 mark for a 7-yard score to make this a 26-24 game.

With 1:23 left in the game and facing a fourth and two, the Highlanders would get a 7-yard gain by McCuen avoiding a sack and scrambling for the gain. With 0:55 seconds left in the McCuen hit Dietrich for a 36-yard gain all the way down to the Golden Eagles 3-yard line. Dietrich would go the final 3-yards to make this a 30-26 game.

The Golden Eagles never looked like they were in panic mode as they took the field for the finals 0:25 seconds. After a big completion with 05: seconds left Buckley spiked the ball stopping the clock. On the spike, he seemed to move in slow motion as if he was just going to take a knee but the refs agreed that a fraction of a second before his knee hit the ground he released the ball allowing time for one final play. Buckley calmly dropped back looked to his left and threw a Roger Staubach-like pass that Clinton Robinson leaped into the air to make the biggest catch of his career and give the Golden Eagles the 32-30 win.

Unofficial Stats

Golden Eagles

46 plays

331 yards

Passing, 14-21 3 TD’S

McGuffey

51 plays

371 yards

Passing, 2-5

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