Foote Field – A rollercoaster of momentum shifts in Saturday's playoff ended with a frantic finish as the Paul Kane Blues repeated as champions.
Teetering on the brink of their first loss of the season and the McNally Tigers licking their lips in delight, the Blues willed their way from the depths of despair to score three consecutive converted touchdowns in a 4:25-minute span in the fourth quarter and Josh Freeman recovered an onside kick with 43.3 seconds remaining after the Tigers connected for their third TD pass in the heart-pounding Miles division two final.
As the Blues rejoiced in the spotlight of their epic 50-45 triumph, an emotionally-spent head coach Rob Strecker shook his head in amazement.
"I'm so proud of the boys and the character they showed today," he said while surveying the post-game celebration on the field. "This football team earned this championship. It wasn't given to us and I don't care if you're in the Carr (division one), I don't care if you're in the Miles and I don't care if this is junior football; you need to earn your championships. It's not given to you."
The Blues persevered despite giving up five big plays – back to back kick-off returns for TDs in the third quarter that left the defending champions trailing by nine points both times, two lengthy catch-and-run TD completions behind a leaky secondary in the second quarter and an explosive 68-yard TD run by Jeremiah Varghese, the Haliburton Trophy winner as the most valuable player in the Miles, with 1:45 left until halftime and the convert put Paul Kane on the wrong side of the 24-16 score.
"It was tough. We started to feel like we were down but there were a whole bunch of guys helping to pump up the team," said Ryley Melnyk, a Grade 12 linebacker and right guard who blocked a punt in the third quarter that set-up Brendan Guy's 16-yard TD pass to junior call-up Keaton Zaychkowsky in the endzone to help bridge the gap on the runaway Tigers. "We started off slow in the first half but after the coaches talked to us (at halftime) we adjusted to what they were doing and we were able to get the win."
Strecker reassured the Blues it was their game to win despite the surprising turn of events in the second quarter.
"At halftime we didn't get mad at the boys. We just said relax, we're a good football team and we know we can score so go back out there and play ball and that's what they did. They relaxed and came up big," he said.
"In the second half, the O-line started to give Brendan some better protection. He had more time to see guys get open to catch the ball and we did a great job of running the ball," Strecker added. "The D gets a lot of props for keeping the game close too. They did an excellent job of controlling Jeremiah and they never really let McNally pull away from us."
The most memorable game in the four-year history of Paul Kane football also marked the coming out party for Zaychkowsky. The neophyte Grade 10 slotback was brilliant in his senior team debut. He led the Blues in receiving yards with 118 on six catches but his second TD grab, a scintillating 32-yard reception with 1:54 to play, tied the bow on the comeback charge.
"It was awesome. It's the greatest thing I've ever done," Zaychkowsky said with a smile as big as a football. "I was just behind the defender (inside the 10) and I just caught it on the tip of my fingers. It was a perfect throw by Brendan."
The play of the day was one of several turning points for the Blues.
"He made an unbelievable coach. It was a great throw and great protection," said Strecker, who was handing out hugs like Christmas presents when the offensive unit returned to a jacked-up Paul Kane sideline after Zaychkowsky's TD was converted by Nick Parrotta to give the Blues their biggest lead of the game at 50-38.
Zaychkowsky, 15, also gained 35 yards on the ground on seven carries and snagged a two-point conversion pass in the second quarter on the first of two TDs by Shayden Phillip.
"It feels good they have the confidence in me that I can make big plays when they need me to and I think I showed up and did that," Zaychkowsky said.
Scoring spree
The teams combined for a staggering 13 TDs but surprisingly there was no scoring in the first quarter.
A drive by the Blues that started from their 45 late in the opening quarter ended with a five-yard TD run by Kieran Porter with 8:59 left until halftime. Guy hit Phillip for the two-point conversion. Zaychkowsky 's 11-yard catch at the 19 on third and five kept the Blues marching.
The Tigers replied with an 87-yard TD strike by quarterback Dylan Thompson and the convert was good.
On the kick off the Tigers forced Kelly Repato to fumble the ball before he was tackled out of bounds in front of the Paul Kane bench at the 51 of the Blues. The Tigers would settle for a 27-yard goal by Varghese to lead 10-8.
After the kick off, the Blues wasted no time regaining the lead as Phillip pulled down a nine-yard TD pass from Guy, who targeted Zaychkowsky for the two-point conversion to make it 16:10 with 3:44 to play in the half.
However, Thompson located a receiver a mile behind coverage for a 75-yard TD bomb. The convert put the Tigers back on top at 17-16 with 2:41 to go before the break.
Before the half ended Varghese's 68-yard TD romp whipped the Tigers into a lather as, "They can't handle us, boys!" rang out from the McNally sideline.
The Blues faced a daunting task against the fired-up Tigers trailing at halftime for the first time this season.
"It started out bad. We were slow and then we picked up our game. We started to execute our plays and did what we practiced and it worked," said Porter, a Grade 11 bruiser out of the backfield who rumbled for 78 of the team's 178 rushing yards while pounding the ball on 14 carries. "It was just a crazy game."
The Blues bounced back into contention when the Tigers were forced to punt from their 45 and Melnyk plowed through the line to block it and without breaking stride tracked the ball down at the 15. On first down, Guy found Zaychkowsky uncovered in the endzone to close the gap to 24-22 with 8:03 remaining in the third quarter. The two-point conversion pass was unsuccessful.
"It was amazing knowing I did something like that to give our team a chance to win," said Melnyk, 17.
Tigers run wild
Things quickly took a turn for the worst as the Tigers ran back the ensuing kick off 83 yards to pay dirt and the convert was good.
Back on offence, the Blues huddled up at the McNally 49 after a good return by Repato and an unnecessary roughness flag on the Tigers. First downs by Tanner Buchanan (12-yard catch) and Zaychkowsky (17-yard run) set the stage for Phillips' 12-yard reception. He reeled in Guy's pass in front of the endzone before twisting over the goal line. Parrotta's convert left the Blues trailing 31-29 with 5:34 to go until quarter time.
But on the kick off the Tigers roared back with an 82-yard TD return down the sideline that left Strecker pulling out what little hair he has in his head. The conversion restored the Tigers' nine-point advantage at 38-29.
"I knew McNally would be prepared for us but I wasn't expecting the mental breakdowns that we had on special teams. The ironic thing about it is that we practiced so hard on special teams this week and for whatever reason they didn't click and McNally did a great job and took advantage of it," Strecker said.
Riveting rally
With 8:20 left in their season the Blues showed what champions are made of. Starting from their 50 and a sense of urgency surrounding the Blues the offence worked the ball down field on key first downs by Zaychkowsky (six-yard catch) and Ty Beck (26-yard run). After a holding call against the Blues, Guy gunned the ball to Repato crossing past the 10 and he beat the defender into the endzone for the 34-yard TD. Parrotta's convert trimmed McNally's lead to 38-36 with 6:19 to play.
On the kick off Parrotta pushed it forward, Freeman drilled a Tiger trying to recover the ball and the Paul Kane kicker eventually smothered it around midfield.
"The biggest play in my mind in the game was probably Nick Parrotta on that squib kick. That's a hustle play. That was ridiculous," Phillip said.
All that Strecker wanted to do was keep the ball away from the Tigers' dangerous returners.
"They were doing such a beautiful job on us on their kickoffs for two touchdowns that we just wanted to squib it but it was the perfect squib where it bounced off their guy and we happen to land on the football. It just turned out great for us," he said.
The Blues proceeded to drive the field as the Blues converted second-down plays by Beck (seven-yard run to the 38) and Phillip (11-yard catch at the 29). On third and one Porter rammed the ball down the Tigers' throats to the 11. On the next play Porter crashed his way to the three and then on first down cracked the goal line behind a determined offensive line for the TD. Parrotta's convert was good as the Blues found themselves in front 43-38 with 3:36 left in the contest.
"It meant the world to me to see the team ahead," said Porter, 17.
After the kick off the Blues converged on Varghese on third down and an unnecessary roughness flag on the Tigers put the Blues at the McNally 35. On second down and two Guy fired a bullet to Zaychkowsky for the decisive TD. Guy was 19-for 29 passing for 260 yards and five TDs as six players made catches.
Strecker was reluctant to throw the ball deep at that stage in the game.
"Coach (Randy) Guy called that backside pass but I was telling him to work the clock and kick a field goal but (the offensive coordinator) said, 'no coach, we're going to go for it on this one' and Keaton Zaychkowsky made an unbelievable catch. It was a great throw, great protection and we scored one heck of a big touchdown," Strecker said.
The tenacious Tigers (6-3) clawed their way back with a 22-yard TD pass, but that was the last time they would threaten offensively. On the onside kick there was a mad scramble for the ball as Freeman and company pounced on it and Guy took three knees to close out the team's eighth win in eight games.
"I'm almost in tears right now. A lot of teams said we wouldn't be able come back and do it this year. They said we lost all of our talent but we proved them all wrong today," said a gleeful Melnyk.
