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Last Saturday, the Midway Youth League Cutters played a football game against the Mcminn Central Knights. It was a game that will not soon be forgotten amongst the Midway faithful. The Greenwaves, soaked to the bone from a pregame downpour, stood tall and made us all proud with the game of a lifetime. After the fourth quarter ended in a 6-6 tie, it would take 3 OT's for the Green Team to leave Englewood with a team effort victory.
This Cutters team does not march behind the efforts of one superstar as many youth league football teams do. This team is made up of a bunch of hard-nosed football players, including a solid line, steady running backs and a barrel full of heart. The little Green Team's backfield is small and young by anybody's standards. The Midway line has some size, but are young for this age group, which is made up of 11 and 12 year olds. At first glance, the McMinn Central team appeared to be capable of destroying our young team. McMinn was a very large team with big, strong looking backs.
The game started with both defenses giving up very little. The big, strong running backs from McMinn Central hit the line hard, but the Green defense was up to the challenge. Defensive linemen Seth Colyer, Caleb Burton, Tyler Thompson, and Daniel Sims were not giving much running room up the middle. Dakota Narramore, Sammy Hester, Landon Davidson, Jake Woody, Skyan Lyle, Drake Romines, Drake Lamn and Quinton Parton were cutting off the big boys around the end. The game was tied at the end of the first half 0-0. The pounding up the middle by the strong McMinn running backs had this writer wondering how much our young team could take. The big backs hit their holes and the little Green team kept throwing them back. Two quarters into this one, they were still throwing them back.
To open the second half, Romines pooched the kickoff, and a speedy Skyan Lyle made the recovery to give Midway a break. Romines then hit Dalton Jolly for a long gain down the field, setting up the first score. The two point conversion failed. Midway 6, McMinn 0. Late in the game, McMinn Central's speedster running back Jackson Lowe broke loose and went about 60 yards to tie the score. However, Midway's defense would not allow the McMinn team to take the lead, stopping them cold on the two point conversion. After some more ferocious hitting by both teams, regulation play ended with the score locked in a 6-6 tie.
At this point, the ball was placed on the the 10 yard line. Each team would be given four plays to score, and then one try at the two point conversion. The Midway fans moved from the bleachers to the fence. This was getting good! Central lost the coin toss and were forced to take offense first. They would score, but would miss on the conversion. The Midway coaches decided then that their best chance to get the ball in the end zone would be to follow their strengths. Jason Reynolds, Seth Colyer, Caleb Burton, Tyler Thompson, Austin Jaynes, Daniel Sims and Hunter McClellan all manned the Midway offensive line and gave each other breaks. Dakota Narramore took the tight end position. Desmond Hearld played wide receiver. Three straight dives up the gut left Midway on the six inch line. On fourth down, QB Jake Woody got a lot of help and plunged into the end zone to tie the score. A successful two-point conversion would win the game, but the pass was too long for the outstretched tight end Narramore.
With nothing settled, the game moved to the second OT. Again, Midway would win the toss and elect to take defense first. As with the first OT, the second would begin with the Knights scoring a TD, but failing on the two point conversion. Midway again got behind the big line. On fourth and inches, QB Woody would again break the plane of the end zone for the score. The two point after was not good, and the Green was headed for the 3rd OT. Needless to say it was getting pretty wild on the sidelines and on the fence.
In the third OT, the Green would have to take the ball first. After three downs, the SOR boys were back were they had been twice before. They had the ball on the six inch line on fourth down. Coach Brian Thompson called time and begged his big linemen for one more push. One more big push was what he got. The Green called the number of running back Lyle, who busted through the line into the end zone. On the conversion attempt, Woody would roll right and stumble into the end zone for the two. Midway had the lead 26-18. This seemed to take the air out of the Knights, as they could only manage a yard or two in their side of the OT. On fourth and 8, the Knights sent their big man Jackson Lowe around the end, but he would be stopped cold by Lyle and then swarmed under by a whole pile of Greenwaves to end the game.
In the other games I didn't get to watch, the Crickets lost a hard fought game, but the Hoppers continue to impress as they ran their record to 2-0 with exciting victories over Riceville and McMinn Central.
If anyone would like to see some good Youth League football, the Greenwaves will be playing at home on Saturday September 5th, with the first game starting at 4:00 PM.
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