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Mackey’s Magic Punches Ticket To D-1 Title Game...

Last Second 30- Yard Field Goal Tops Furious Play-Off Comeback 16-14 Over Hartford Hurricanes

photo by C.P. Thayer JJ Mackey is caught in mid stride as he kicks a 30 yard winning field goal to beat Hartford 16-14 with only seconds left in the game on Saturday, November 4, 2006.

Tuesday November 7, 2006

By Mike Cameron

    The prize for both was a trip to the Division 1 State Championship Game and another meeting with powerful Rutland High School.

    The Red Raiders of Coach Mike Norman earned their ticket to the title game with a 34-14 come from behind win over Brattleboro on Friday night, November 4th, 2006.

    There would be no secrets in this one.  Both teams knew each others play books cold.  Mistakes, turnovers, and big plays would determine the outcome.

    Both teams were tense and keyed-up from the start, each knew that one fatal error and they would be gone.  It was a winner take all, one on one spectators dream of a football game played on a dry field thanks to the ultimate generosity of the powers that be at Mt. Abraham Union High School in Bristol.  “We knew that our field was a mess and Peter decided to ask if we could use the field for the game.  They basically gave us the keys to the place, the field, the booth, the concession stand.  You couldn’t ask for a better host. We are very, very thankful,”Tiger assistant coach Craig Burnham explained before the game.

    Both teams seemed to enjoy the accommodations.

    Hartford a squad with what Tiger Head Coach Pete Brakeley calls, “the most sofisticated running game in the state,” took the opening kick off and ran into a Tiger defensive unit that was ready for ‘hammer time.’  Hartford was forced to punt and the Hurricane kick team covered a short boot with a hard hit on Ben Almquist that sent him to the sidelines with a hip pointer.  

    The Tigers installed one of their favorite plays during the injury time out.  On first and ten at the Cane 31, Tiger triple threat, J.J. Mackey threw a soft pass over the middle to Sean Harrisonn and the big sophomore fullback raced to the endzone for the games first score.  Mackey’s point-after was laser perfect and the Tigers were on top 7-0 at the 6:06 mark of the first quarter.

    The lead would not hold however as Hartford’s ‘never say die,’ determination would carry them all the way to the end of a game that saw as many mis-ques as their were great plays. Two mistakes by Hartford led to Tiger scores including a 22-yard field goal by Mackey that put the Tigers up 10-0.

    Hartford got on the board with a sustained drive engineered by quarterback Eric Newton.Newton had done the same the week before answering one Tiger score after another in the last game of the regular season for both teams.  The lanky signal caller launched nice passes to Kolbi Walton-Strong and then to Jacob VanRyswyk who made a leaping grab in the endzone for a score.  The Tiger D stuffed the point-after try and it was 10-6 Middlebury at the break.

    The second half featured a festival of fumbles from both teams, some kept and some turned over as the game continued at a fever pitch.

    Mackey nailed another field goal from 17-yards out early in the 4th quarter  to make it 13-7 after adding an interception to his afternoon’s work.

    The 4th quarter would be a test of wills for both coaches and both teams.  

    Trailing by a touchdown, the Canes aided by a pass interference call rumbled to the Tiger 5.  The Tigers held for 3 shots and on 4th and goal, Peter Lynch scored the biggest touchdown of his career to tie the game 13-13.  The extra point was good.  Hartford had the lead and the momentum for the first time in the game 14-13 with less than a minute left to play.

    Raymond took the Cane kickoff to midfield and was the victim of a late Hartford hit.  The additional 15-yards gave the Tigers the ball at Hartford 40.
At this point in the game the Tigers refused to believe that they were close to being eliminated.  Mackey threw a short pass to Almquist who struggled to get out of bounds to stop the clock near the 20.  Sean Harrison then lugged to the 20 and the Tigers were almost out of time and downs.  They called a time out to plot a 30-yard field goal, came out and Hartford called a time out to ‘ice Mackey.’

    Harrrison’s set-up run had the ball spotted at a slight angle.  The Tigers came out on the ball.  Signals were barked.  Chad Foley’s snap from center was perfect.  Sean Harrison’s hold and spot was perfect and J.J. Mackey’s kick was absolutely perfect from 30-yards out.  Tigers Win 16-14! with 1.6-seconds left.  They are 10-0. Next the D-1 Title Game.

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