North Star clips Southwest in two OTs
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BY RYLY JANE HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star
There wasn’t a second of hesitation by Joe Hartley.
The Lincoln North Star junior quarterback took the snap, rolled away from the power and ran a bootleg into the end zone for a two-point conversion. That gave the Gators a 40-39 victory against Lincoln Southwest in the second overtime Friday night at Seacrest Field before a crowd of 3,595.
“I knew the instant I got the ball that I was going to run it. It was open and we couldn’t risk a pass then,” Hartley said. “We had run that play multiple times and the ball went over the power. The coaches came up with the play and I was glad to do everything I could to help the team.”
It was North Star’s first varsity win against Southwest since the two new Lincoln schools began playing five years ago.
“We had set it up so that if we didn’t score the touchdown on the previous play, we were going to use it for that,” said North Star coach Mark Waller. “We were worn out and we just had to go for two just to get the win and get it over.”
It was the second time the Gators went for a two-point conversion in overtime. After Tyrone Lewis scored on a 1-yard run on North Star’s first overtime possession, the Gators lined up to kick the extra point. But Southwest was penalized for being offside and, after a timeout, the Gators came out without kicker Nick Arrigo. Lewis slammed over the left side to put North Star on top.
Southwest answered when Rylan Cotton scored on the first play and Jeff Seybold ran it in for the two-point conversion and a 32-32 tie.
The Silver Hawks started on offense in the second overtime and Cotton scored on a 1-yard sneak, with Andy Day kicking the extra point.
On North Star’s possession, Lewis again ran the ball three times, scoring on 3-yard run, which set up Hartley’s heroics.
“Their defense is fast, so we just had to keep pushing,” said Lewis, who led the Gators with 93 yards rushing on 22 carries. “We just kept getting 3-, 4-, 5-yard runs. We had a whole bunch of leaders tonight.”
The overtime was necessary after Day connected on a 28-yard field goal for Southwest as time expired. The Silver Hawks marched 79 yards on 15 plays in the final five minutes to force overtime.
Tied 14-14 at halftime, North Star forged ahead on a 24-yard field goal by Arrigo late in the third quarter.
The Silver Hawks responded when Seybold capped a 10-play, 70-yard drive with a 12-yard run for a 21-17 lead with 8:54 left in the game.
North Star answered with a 10-play, 81-yard drive in less than four minutes. Hartley hit D.J. Battiato with a 6-yard pass to take a 24-21 lead.
North Star, which rushed for 423 yards last week, had a more balanced attack Friday. Hartley threw for 199 yards and the Gators ran for 222 yards.
“We had great balance. The passing game was going well and then we got the running game going and were able to run more clock,” Waller said. “But we have more kids who play both ways than Southwest and our kids were just worn out.”
Southwest made the Gators pay for a decision to go for it on fourth down at the Silver Hawks’ 47-yard line late in the first half. The Hawks held and then marched 55 yards in just less than two minutes to take a 14-7 lead with 1:15 left in the second quarter. Cotton connected with Jordan Tyrance on a third-and-9 play, then found Ethan Tompkins over the middle for a 15-yard pickup on third down. Cotton ran for 20 yards up the middle and Seybold capped the drive with a 4-yard scoring run.
North Star answered when Justin Lewis returned a line-drive kickoff 28 yards to midfield. On second-and-goal, Hartley took the snap, ducked under a defender and threw an 8-yard flare to the right side to Battiato to tie the game with five seconds left in the half.
North Star opened the game with a 46-yard pass from Hartley to Dillon Schrodt, and after Michel Mikaya scampered 20 yards, he gave the Gators a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard run.
Southwest answered on its next possession. Cotton found Seybold for a 21-yard pickup before Cotton capped the drive with a 23-yard run.
Reach Ryly Jane Hambleton at 473-7314 or rhambleton@journalstar.com.
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What really got my attention was the support from the student bodies from both teams. In addition the students were well-behaved and showed plenty of spirit. And in the end I didn't witness any sore losers/winners from either group.
Kudos to the teams, the students, parents, and LPS for bringing together a "Friday night lights" that will be remembered for quite some time. "
Lincoln North Star Navigator's Commons area is refered to as the "Bayou"; the "Swamp" refers to where activites take place, such as sports an the mascot is "Navi" the Gator, thus Navigator's. Good luck to all the students & athlete's as you participate your school activites and represent your schools, do so proudly and never under estimate your opponent.
Thanks "
By the way congratulations to the varsity boys you played an amazing job lots of team work! Looking good this year.
Your student trainer "