Brush vs.
Hudson football: Arcs win OT thriller, 26-20>> Photo gallery from Week 11
area games
The Arcs got on the board first when Joe capped off his
team’s opening drive with a 13-yard scamper around end for the game’s first
score. The Explorers, in what proved to be a running theme, blocked the extra
point leaving the score at 6-0 Arcs, just two minutes into the game.
The high-powered Explorers offense answered back with a score
of their own when Colin Paltani, who set up the drive with a big return on the
Arcs ensuing kickoff, brought in a 7-yard pass from Colt Pallay that put Hudson
ahead 7-6 midway through the first quarter.
Hudson extended its lead to 10-6 when Grant Gonya capped off
a nine-play drive with a 28-yard field goal with 6:38 remaining. Six plays
later, Joe struck again, scoring from 5 yards out to put the Arcs back ahead in
the see-saw first half. The extra point was once again blocked by the
Explorers, keeping the Brush lead at 12-10.
The Arcs attempted to extend that lead just before half but
Adam Turk’s field-goal attempt was blocked as the clock expired.
Coming out of the locker room, the Explorers looked like a
team on a mission. Paltani took the opening kick of the half down to the Arcs
43-yard line before a personal foul penalty set the Explorers up even deeper at
the 28. Seven plays later the big leg of Gonya put the fifth-seeded Explorers
back on top at 13-12 barely three minutes into the second half.
After the Brush offense went three-and-out on its ensuing
drive, the Arcs’ punt was blocked. The fourth blocked kick of the night for the
Hudson special teams set the offense up at the Brush 23.
Pallay hit his tight end Patrick Burdett for a 6-yard gain
on the first play of the drive and then found his other tight end Brandon Lal
alone in the end zone for a 17-yard score that extended the Hudson lead to 20-12
with 7:28 left in the third quarter.
Down eight, the Arcs offense took over but could not manage
to do much of anything against a tough Explorers secondary as they turned the
ball over on downs on their next two possessions.
With Hudson’s special teams dominating the kicking game,
Arcs head coach Jeff Fink was forced to go for it on 4th and 12 inside the Arcs
40-yard line with 10:53 left. Joe’s pass fell incomplete and gave the ball back
to the Explorers with a chance to extend their eight-point lead over the fourth
seeded home team.
Hudson opened the drive with a short run by running back
Dawson Wervey. On the second play of the drive, Brush’s Lloyd McFarquhar
stepped in front of a pass intended for Paltani and gave life to the Arcs once
again.
Four plays later, on 4th and 16 from their own 45-yard line
following a holding penalty, the Explorers got the ball back on an interception
of their own.
With the ball in Arcs territory and under seven minutes
left, Hudson took over with a chance to ice the game, but the Brush defense,
led by Tyler Williams and Ruel Greenwood held the Explorers offense, forcing a
huge decision on 4th and 2 with under six minutes remaining.
After originally keeping the offense on the field, the
Explorers called a time out and decided to trust the leg of Gonya. The
Explorers lined up for a 49-yard field goal, but the Arcs got payback when
Gonya’s kick was blocked by a swarm of Brush defenders.
Joe and the offense took over at their own 42-yard line with
their season on the line. Huge runs by Joe and Mitchell Kellog put the Arcs at
the Explorers 9-yard line eight plays later. On first and 10 from the 9, Joe
went around left end and into the end zone to pull the score to 20-18 with 2:32
left. Bradford Eason powered in for the 2-point conversion to knot the game at
20 all.
In OT, the Arcs defense used back-to-back sacks to force
Hudson to try another field goal, this time from 3 yards out. The attempt
sailed wide left and sent Korb Stadium into a frenzy as their offense took the
field.
Five plays later Joe powered up the middle for the game
winning keeper, his fourth score of the night.
With the win, Brush moved to 7-0 at home and will now travel
to face Akron Hoban.
TOP
PLAYERS
Hudson >> Pallay finished 14 of 24 for 144 yards and
two scores. Wervey led the team in rushing with 39 yards on 11 carries. Paltani
caught eight balls for 92 yards and a score and had 101 return yards. Anthony
Rightenour had one interception for the Explorers.
Brush >> Joe finished with 300 total yards, 157 on the
ground and 133 through the air, and four scores. Kellog added 143 yards on 18
carries.
THEY
SAID IT
Brush Head Coach Jeff Fink >> “The blocked field goal
was huge. Massive for us to get one of those back. So proud of my kids. They
kept battling and believing. The defense played so well. Best game of the year
for them. We’ve got work to do with Hoban coming up, but we will focus on
celebrating this big win tonight.”
Hudson Head Coach Jeff Gough >> “The kids came out and
made plays, but Brush made huge plays in the fourth quarter and overtime. I tip
my hat to them and my seniors who battled and went to three final fours. Credit
to Coach Fink who turned that program around. The playoff win for them is
huge.”
