Cards Storm Back To 31-30 OT Win

FARMINGTON -- Wins have been hard to come by for Farmington (4-4, 3-2 5A West) since becoming a member of the 5A West four seasons ago.

Friday's 31-30 overtime triumph over Maumelle (4-4, 3-2) was not easily accomplished. Farmington fought an uphill battle after falling behind, 20-0, in the first half.

The win was gratifying for Farmington head coach Mike Adams and for a cast of seniors playing their last home game at Allen Holland Field.

"We talked about how important it was to send these guys out right," Mike Adams said. "We talked to the underclassmen. We told them we needed their best effort and I think we got it. Of course, our seniors were big out there tonight."

Disappointing Start

Farmington moved the ball from the start, but couldn't finish drives as they fell behind 20-0 in the second quarter.

"I was disappointed. Early in the ball game we had some opportunities, but we turned the ball over on downs," Mike Adams said. "We were inside their 30 two or three times and we didn't get any points."

Then things started clicking. Jared Oskey's kickoff return set up the Cardinal offense at their own 31. Xavier Staten had a 5-yard reception and on third-and-five tailback Caleb Williams feigned a block then slipped out uncovered into the left flat where quarterback Trey Waggle found him. Williams showed his 4.6 speed on a 58-yard play and with a face mask penalty tacked on the Cardinals had first-and-goal from the Hornet two. Williams capped the 5-play, lightening quick drive that lasted a mere 1:27 with a 1-yard touchdown run. Drew Sturgeon kicked the extra-point cutting Maumelle's lead to 20-7 with 1:42 left in the first half.

Key Interceptions

Amidst an emotional celebration on senior night, Farmington linebacker Jayden Goff described what happened on Maumelle's next series while chasing a play from the backside.

"The quarterback threw it right into his lineman's back. It bounced up right into my hands and I caught it," Goff said. "I really wanted to score, but I'm not that fast. It was a big momentum swing. It was huge."

Tacked onto the end of Goff's interception return was a horse-collar tackle 15-yard penalty that moved the ball to Maumelle's 27. On the next play, Eric Hill took a handoff and ran right, then threw a touchdown pass to Sturgeon. With the P.A.T. kick, Farmington had scored 14 unanswered points in a 43 second span and went into halftime down, 20-14.

"That was a key play," Mike Adams said. "Eric Hill threw a little halfback pass and Drew Sturgeon made a tremendous catch."

Senior safety Skylar Montez intercepted a Maumelle pass on the last play of the first half and cornerback Avery King picked off a throw to stop threats deep in Cardinal territory at the end of the second and fourth quarters.

Taking A Lead

Maumelle's miscues continued in the third quarter. A shotgun snap went off the hands of their quarterback who fell on the ball in the end zone. A safety awarded two points to the Cardinals, bringing them even closer, at 20-16. Farmington got another Williams rushing touchdown and point-after kick to take a 23-20 lead. Maumelle kicked a field goal to tie the contest, at 23-23, at the 4:09 mark of the fourth quarter.

Overtime Drama

In overtime, Maumelle had the first possession and scored on third down. The Hornets kicked a P.A.T. and took a 30-23 lead. Farmington took possession needing a touchdown and conversion. The Cardinals faced third down-and-six when Waggle changed the play call. Instead of throwing to Oskey coming out of the backfield, he delivered a touchdown pass to tight end Jacob Gray.

"Jacob was supposed to be my last read," Waggle said. "In my pre-snap read I saw him 1-on-1. I had a good feeling so I threw it to him."

Gray, who was named 5A West Tight End of the Year for 2016, broke the huddle thinking the ball was not coming his way, but when it did he was ready.

"It's pretty exciting," Gray said. "I wasn't expecting it to come, but when I turned and looked at the quarterback it was right there. I tucked it. I even showed the ball to the ref. I wanted to make sure we had the touchdown. It's a big win versus Maumelle. Any 5A West win is big."

2-Point Conversion

The touchdown pulled Farmington within a point, 30-29, with the all-important extra-point attempt coming up. The Cardinals went for two going for the win rather than playing for double overtime with a kick. Offensive coordinator Spencer Adams, son of head coach Mike Adams, went back to the play call Waggle deviated from on the touchdown pass to Gray. Oskey was the intended receiver.

Oskey admitted he was a little nervous when his number was called, yet thrilled at the same time as a whirlwind of emotions sifted through his conscience.

"There was so much on the line I thought I did not want to drop it," Oskey said. "I was so happy I got to do something to make a difference at the end, but I was so nervous."

Oskey lined up between the guard and tackle a little wider then he is normally positioned and the Cardinals executed when the game was on the line as Waggle again threw on the money to give the Cardinals a one-point, 31-30, overtime win.

"The offensive line gave Trey time to throw it," Oskey said. "Maumelle has a pretty good man-to-man coverage. Our wide-outs cleared them out with slants and Trey gave me a good ball out of the way of other people."

Blocked Extra-Point

The overtime scenario was made possible when Farmington senior defensive end Jae Woods blocked a Maumelle extra-point kick in the first quarter. Woods said Mike Adams prepared him for the moment.

"He told me that their dude is going to block on their right, then our tackle is going to turn him out. I'm going to go inside and I'm going to block it. That's exactly what we did."

"It's big, big," Woods said, explaining there are too many memories to single one out as he concluded his football career at Allen Holland Field. "You're happy because it's senior night, but you're also sad."

The overtime victory was a sweet way to close out their final home game for the Cardinal Class of 2018.