WOW!! What a game. I wish I could have been there, but I followed the Sidearm Stats as much as I could as I was working my p/t job. With some excellent plays on defense and special teams, Ferrum held a 21-6 lead going into halftime. This first score came about through a blocked field goal by Ryan Schmidt. Shorter was set up for a 32 yard field goal when Schmidt came around the end like a rocket and blocked the kick. The ball was quickly picked up by Jamarion Montford, and he was off to the races leaving the Shorter pursuit in the dust. It was a 78 yard scoop and score, and that was just what the Panthers needed.
With the second quarter just underway, Shorter found the endzone with 14:20 left in the half. The extra point was blocked , again by Ryan "Rocket" Schmidt, and picked up again by Montford. While this too is returnable, Montford was quickly pulled down this time leaving the score Ferrum 7 Shorter 6.
The quarter would progress to just over 6 minutes to play in the half when Foutz hit Omarza Gray on an 83 yard strike off of what was basically a screen pass. Gray turned on the jets and after breaking three tackles with determined running, he streaked to the endzone untouched. At this point, Ferrum led 14-6. The lead would extend to 21-6 when, with just 9 seconds left in the half, running back Aiden Vaught found the endzone from 2 yards out. The half would end with Ferrum holding a very comfortable lead.......but there are two halves to a football game, and Shorter would remind Ferrum of that quickly.
Ferrum received the kickoff to start the second half, and the Shorter defense shut them down immediately with a three and out. Neither team would make much progress in the third quarter until late in the stanza when Shorter quarterback Jeb Walls found Cole McCranie in the back of the endzone. The two point attempt was shut down by Ferrum, and the Panthers led 21-12. This is how the third quarter would end.
The fourth quarter would show that Shorter would continue to capitalize on the halftime adjustments they made, and at the 12:29 mark of the fourth quarter, the Shorter quarterback hit their wide receiver Simms for a 42 yard touchdown strike. The extra point was again missed, and the score was Ferrum 21 Shorter 18. On their next drive, Ferrum would go three and out, and both teams struggled to have any offensive consistency through a good amount of the quarter. At the 7:45 mark, Ferrum quarterback Eli Foutz fumbled the snap, and the Hawks recovered at the Ferrum 12 yard line. Three plays later, the Shorter quarterback would scamper in for the touchd own, and with the converted extra point, Shorter would take the lead 25-21 with just 6:18 left in the game.
Ferrum would put together a drive that would take them to about their own 45 yard line but they turned the ball over on downs with just under 3 minutes left. Shorter would find themselves with 3rd down and 2 yards to go at the two minute time out. Ferrum held, and Shorter would punt on 4th down, pinning Ferrum deep in their own territory at the 7 yard line. On their first play with about 1:45 left, Ferrum would run for no gain. With no time outs left, Ferrum found itself in very tough circumstances. The next play would make all the difference. On a quick slant pattern on the right side, Ferrum's Omarza Gray would haul in his second touchdown pass of the day, this time a 93 yard pass to put Ferrum back up for good as they would secure the win, 28-25. Gray finished the day with 6 receptions 203 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. Gray and Schmidt were named Conference Carolinas offensive and special teams players of the week respectively.
It was a good day for Ferrum, and I see a team coming together and getting better every week. This game showed the growth that the program is experiencing. There are good things to come.
Go Panthers!
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