Varsity football took on their rivals, Kellam High School, on Sept. 26, and successfully brought home their second win of the season.
“Coming into this game, we all knew it was our game to win. They physically weren’t on the same level as us, and so it was just a matter of execution,” said senior Ethan Mapstone.
After starting the season off with a win and then slowly declining, the team’s hopes remained high that they would bring home the win. With hours of daily practice and reviewing game film, Dolphins persevered throughout the game and ended with a score of 20-19.
“We were hoping for a lot more than triple overtime. In my opinion, that game is not an accurate representation of our full capabilities as a team, however, it was a prime example of the work we’ve put in,” said Ethan. “We showed heart, relentlessness and toughness. When it comes down to the wire, we are made for it.”
Previously, the game was scheduled for the Friday prior but was canceled due to flooding by Hurricane Ophelia, which flooded up to four inches and had winds up to 35 mph.
“High school football is meant to be played on a Friday night, not a Tuesday. I definitely believe we came out a little flat because it was so unusual for us to be playing in the middle of the week,” said special teams coach David Harrington.
During the first quarter, Kellam scored their first touchdown with David Wilk running the ball into the endzone. Following the play, the Knights received an extra point with the help of their kicker, Davis Funk, who scored a field goal.
“After they scored, it hurt deep down, but I knew we could come back, so I kept my head high and moved onto the next play,” said junior Devin McGill. “I knew my teammates got my back.”
During both the second and third quarters, no points were scored on either side. Dolphins’ defense pushed throughout and fought hard to block Kellam’s offense.
With two minutes left in the fourth quarter, senior Jordan McNair scored a 12-yard touchdown during a run play, successfully putting the team into overtime.
“Scoring the first touchdown of the game felt amazing, I knew my team needed it,” said Jordan.
With back-to-back field goals being scored on both sides, the game went into overtime a total of three times.
Senior Raymond Gatlin Jr. scored the second touchdown in overtime three during a run play, going 10 yards into the endzone, bringing the score to 20-13.
“I was the one who called the play for that touchdown, so I was proud of myself for executing it correctly,” said Raymond.
Kellam retaliated and scored a touchdown directly after, putting the score at 20-19. After a personal foul on Kellam was thrown, they were moved from the 12-yard line to the 27-yard line for a field goal. Dolphins’ defense successfully blocked the kick and won the game.
“This game is just another example of how great of a defense we have. We are capable of stopping teams from moving the ball,” said Ethan. “Now it’s just a matter of putting points on the board, and if we do that, we’re going to be a real headache for opposing teams.”
