Chatfield 14, WC Area-Ashby 13
Replay review for high school football games? I didn't realize such an animal existed. The system generated headlines in connection with the AA state championship game. Isn't this rather deflating? If replay is not the practice during the regular season, why should it be thrust at us for Prep Bowl? The powers-that-be decided it must be so.
And so it was that West Central Area-Ashby was denied a two-point conversion run. The play was initially ruled good. WC Area-Ashby fans reacted with the emotions you'd expect: jubilance. Were their Knights on the way to victory? Such hopes proved fleeting. The emotions now? The media reported that even WC Area coach Nate Wood was crying.
Anthony Sykora was the Knight who clutched the football on the fateful conversion bid. The time remaining in the game: 3:51. The conversion followed Evan Paulson's one-yard run for the touchdown. Paulson is the quarterback. At this point the score is 14-13 with the Knights trailing. All eyes would be on the conversion play.
Replay was at centerstage more than once. Chatfield got denied the other time, which happened not long before the Knights' conversion play heartbreak. In Chatfield's case, an apparent 74-yard fumble recovery return got nixed. What a dramatic play that may have seemed. But aha, replay enters the picture and "hold everything." Which in this instance, buoyed WC Area-Ashby.
But alas, replay giveth and replay taketh away. The tables would be turned via "the eye" of the video camera. I suppose this can be humbling for the on-field referees. Should the practice continue, I mean even for this one day? Yes it worked both ways in Friday's AA showdown. But does it have a deflating effect for fans and TV viewers? I mean the loss of certainty with the initial call made by refs closest to the scene, "in the heat of battle?"
Fans might even become reserved in how they react sometimes. A corner of their minds will ponder "will there be replay?" Will there be a (possibly excruciating) wait? Maybe the replay is an experimental thing for H.S. ball. Drama? Yes the replay instills a little drama of its own. I suppose it's a godsend when you win because of it. On Friday it seemed rather a "push" in the AA game, advantages shifting.
Either way, one team has to win, the other to lose. The winner takes the outcome regardless of how it comes. I hope Sykora doesn't replay the pivotal run in his mind indefinitely, as he might wonder how one little extra bit of daylight could have come about. It's like in baseball where a long drive gets snared by a leaping outfielder at the fence, alas.
But West Central Area-Ashby most definitely had a sterling season. Final won-lost of 13-2.
Even more drama can be reported in connection to Friday's game. As I have written previously, the Chatfield quarterback situation was unsettled. I wrote on Nov. 25 that star quarterback Sam Backer had gotten benched because of misbehavior. This happened in the state semis vs. Barnesville, a game won by Chatfield 22-18. Backer may have been Chatfield's best player. He was called for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in the Barnesville game. What got his dander up so badly? Evidently he took umbrage when Barnesville players were too slow letting him go after tackles.
Backer got the heave but would he be back for Prep Bowl? Would you believe, the matter ended up in court? Backer and his family awaited the ruling, I would guess with not much optimism. A U.S. District Court judge weighed in. The judge turned thumbs-down on Backer's bid to play. The drama could have been a distraction for the Gophers. But coach Jeff Johnson commented "we had lots of kids ready to play ball, and excited."
The semis game with Barnesville saw Backer replaced at QB by a sophomore. This was Parker Delaney, not exactly seasoned. Basically he had done mop-up duty. He did terrific in the Barnesville game. And then, under the state title game lights, he held his own by completing five of 13 passes for 67 yards.
WC Area-Ashby scored its first touchdown in a thrilling way: a 30-yard touchdown pass, Paulson to Cole Anderson.
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| Evan Paulson (MSHSL image) |
The Knights succeeded with an onside kick to start the second half. Eventually they got within a point of the Gophers but then needed the conversion run in order to accomplish their objective. Enter the replay camera drama. To repeat: it "giveth and it taketh away." Nuts.
The "Minnesota Football Hub" summary had this headline: "One good overturn deserves another." Chatfield was ranked just seventh in Minnesota. Their 2021 state title is their fifth. In 2021, defense asserted itself in a big way for the Gophers. Friday's game was the tenth time this season they've held an opponent under 20 points.
The Daniels fumble recovery return for six came when WC Area-Ashby was facing third-and-eight. Grady Schott and Campbell Berge converged on Knight QB Paulson. The result was the fumble. Daniels was in perfect position to seize the ball, then he turned on the jets for 31 yards. Later, Cole Johnson forced a fumble and Daniels got another recovery. This recovery snuffed out a promising WC Area-Ashby drive.
Paulson attempted 29 passes, completing 15, but had three picked off. Sykora completed his only pass attempt. Here are the receiving stats: Hunter Norby (four catches, 71 yards), Cole Anderson (4-67), Mattson Hoff (4-33), Sykora (3-33) and Ryder Staples (1-17). Sykora's rushing stats were 21 carries, 63 yards. Hoff, Norby and Paulson had negligible rushing stats.
The WC Area assistant coach is Todd Hickman, former UMM coach. Head coach Wood is also assisted by David Stone and Brandon Gruchow.
What a 2021 season for the Knights of West Central Area-Ashby! Now, on to the Christmas holiday season.
Meanwhile, at Morris Area
Mark Ekren has submitted papers toward retirement. Mark Torgerson has been "overheard at Willie's" saying this basketball season will be his last. There's a slam-dunk source: "overheard at Willie's." The school district will be losing lots of experience.
I remember writing a little profile of "Ek" as a new teacher way back when. My relationship with him was always 100 percent enjoyable. So often he'd just call me by my initials "B.W.," probably based on an on-again, off-again column I wrote. The column used a graphic of an old-fashioned typewriter. They weren't old-fashioned when I started at the paper!
The developments with "Ek" and "Torgy" inspire my new blog post on "Morris of Course." I invite you to read:
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| Congratulations to the West Central Area-Ashby "Knights" of 2021. |
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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