Spartans Lose 4 Overtime Thriller
Grove City, OH (November 14, 2003) What a game! There's not one person who went to Grove City Stadium for the Regional Final game against Licking Valley that could say it wasn't a great contest.
In a remarkable game that will go down as one of the top three games of the last 12 years, just didnıt end the way the Spartans had hoped. It was suspenseful and amazing, but in the end it was also heartbreaking.
The Spartans' fell to Licking Valley by three points in the fourth overtime, 63-60.
"I'm very proud of our kids. A lot of people didn't think we'd get this far. Licking Valley beat C.J. and we were in a 60-60 overtime with Licking Valley, that shows a lot," coach Jay Niswonger said.
The Spartan defense started the night off with a tight line, as Licking Valley's Nathan Clark only could gain a yard on their first play from scrimmage. Two more plays later, and a combination of hits by Josh Deeter and Chase Collins, and the Panthers were forced to punt.
But for the rest of the first quarter and for the first six minutes of the second quarter, Valley View was looking for a way to turn the game around and finally they did, but only after the Panthers had put 17 points on the board.
Valley View fumbled on their first possession and Licking Valley took that opportunity to drive the 24 yards they needed into the Spartans' end zone. Brad Abner, Chase Holcomb and Collins put some nice blocks down, but with only 24 yards from goal the Spartan defense couldn't hold the Panthers.
Valley View took the ball and moved to their own 25 after two plays. A pass play on their next attempt turned into a fumble and possession was turned back to Licking Valley.
A penalty on the Panthers first play pushed them back to their own 48-yard line. Zach Frymoyer then put his smack down on the Panther's Tim Fairall allowing him only a two-yard rush. Fairall took the ball again and again could only gain two yards after Holcomb pushed him to the ground. An incomplete pass put them at fourth and seven forcing a Licking Valley punt.
The Spartans next possession was stopped short with a Licking Valley interception, taking the ball to the Valley View 24-yard line. The Spartan defense toughened and forced the Panthers to go for a field goal on fourth and eleven. Licking Valley took a 10-0 lead with 3:51 left in the first quarter.
The Spartans drove the ball to the Licking Valley 17-yard line before losing the ball where the Panthers took possession. 15 plays later licking Valley found the end zone again, pushing their lead to 17-0.
Valley View's luck seemed to be waning. The Spartans' fumbled on the ensuing kickoff return and Newark regained possession. Licking Valley however fumbled after a monstrous defensive hit and Collins picked it up running the 55 yards necessary for the touch down.
Elliot Boyd recovered he onside kick and possession remained with the Spartans. One play later, sr. QB Teddy Buehner pulled back for a long pass to Ross Peters in the end zone. The extra point failed, but suddenly the score became 13-17 with 4:47 left in the half.
The Spartans were on fire and when the defense came out they held the Panthers to only a yard after big hits by Stephen Moyer, Deeter and Abner.
It was time for some Spartan magic. Buehner started the Spartans off with a pass to Peters for five yards and a keeper for 11 yards, which put the Spartans on the Panther 13-yard line. Ryan Clark then pushed his way into then end zone. Boydıs kick cleared the posts to make the score 20-17, allowing the Spartans to go into the locker room up by three.
"We were losing 17-0 and we had a big turn around. The corner kick gave us a lot of momentum," Niswonger added.
Valley View came out with that momentum still going strong, as Clark moved the ball five yards to Licking Valleyıs 48 and Bolen scrambling through the line in a dead sprint to the end zone. Licking Valley came right back to score and tightened it to 27-24.
The Spartans took the ball at their own 24 with Lucas Kramer moving the ball five yards. Buehner then has an amazing throw to Bolen, who has an equally amazing catch for nine more yards. It was looking up for Valley View, but they couldn't find a first down and were forced to punt.
On Licking Valley's possession, they gave the ball to Nathan Clark on their first four plays moving the ball 17 yards down field to the Spartans 44. Craig Burton, Corey Reed, Collins and Deeter were all in on the stops.
The Spartan defense finally forced Licking Valley to punt when Bolen took Fulk down, pushing him back four yards.
The Spartans lost their possession when a pass by Clark was intercepted setting the Panthers up at their own 43. Osborn took down Clark, allowing only a three-yard gain, and then Abner stopped Fairall after a one-yard gain. Two plays later they found the end zone and regained the lead 31-27.
Valley View came back to match their touchdown on a Brock Bolen 66-yard run to the end zone. The extra point again failed and the score became 33-31.
Licking Valley fumbled the ball on their next possession and the Spartansı took advantage scoring on a seven-yard run by Buehner and a 39-yard touchdown run by Bolen. Boyd went out to kick the extra point, but a celebration penalty was called. As he set up to kick again, another penalty was called.
A third penalty put the kick in near field goal territory by the time Boyd got a chance to put it through the uprights. The kick however bounced off the goal post.
"There were a couple things that hurt us, penalties and field goals. If we would've made that extra point then the score would've been 40-31 and we still would've won by a point. It really came down to the kicking game and the penalty calls," Niswonger said.
The score became 39-31 with 6:22 left in the game, but Licking Valley had possession at their own 26.
With a 1:15 left, the Panthers Nathan Clark pushed the ball in the end zone for a touchdown bringing the score to 37-39. The Spartans' needed to hold them, but they tricked the defensive line with a pass to the left corner of the end zone for the two-point conversion. Time ran out and the teams were now dueling in overtime.
Valley View had the ball first and Buehner took it two the end zone on the first play. Givens took the field to kick and cleared the posts.
Licking Valley was up and Reed pounded Nathan Clark who still gained three yards. The Panthers let Clark run the ball again who gained another six yards, before Osborn stopped him. The next play was the same, but Collins laid the tackle on Clark. Licking Valley moved into the end zone and fumbled, but they also recovered the ball. The kick was good and the game moved into double overtime.
Bolen took the ball to the end zone for the Spartans with Givens making the extra point.
The Panthers were struggling as the Spartan defense was crushing their rushers, but on fourth down with four to go they passed to the end zone. The kick was good making the score 53-53.
The third overtime was also lead by the Spartans offense who scored after three plays, including a 17-yard run by Buehner. Givens kick soared through the posts and again it was up to the Spartan defense.
Licking Valleyıs Clark moved the ball all 20 yards in four plays and it was time for overtime number four.
Bolen moved the ball to the three-yard line for the Spartans in overtime number 4, but a penalty pushed them back to the eight-yard line. The Spartans eventually failed to convert on a fourth and goal and turned the ball back over to the Panthers.
The Spartan defense held the Panthers on three straight downs but the Panthers were within field goal range and cleared the posts to win, 63-60.
"The reason we didn't go for the field goal was because we've never made one from the right hash mark all season and we thought we could make the six yards," Niswonger added.
The Spartans are now 7-4 in Regional final play over the last 12 seasons and 28-9 overall (.756). They failed to make the regional finals in 2001 when they lost to Hamilton Badin in the opening round.
