Football: Freshman Chargers edge Chemics in nail-biter

by Cory Butzin

With the game on the line and facing the most important play of the night, Midland High needed three yards.

Midland Dow only gave them two.

And with that, the freshman Chargers’ bend-but-don’t-break defense stuffed the Chemics on a potential game-tying 2-point conversion attempt in the waning seconds of the game Wednesday as the Chargers held on for a thrilling 20-18 win.

“This is what football is supposed to be,” said Chargers’ coach Jason Watkins. “It’s supposed to be guys going hard and giving it everything they’ve got. What a fun night to be a part of.”

Chemics’ coach Keith Schulte echoed those words, telling his kids in the huddle after the game that they played their hearts out and should be proud despite finishing the year on a losing note.

“They have nothing to be ashamed of,” he said. “They had a great season.”

The Chemics also had a great beginning to the game as the two teams traded punts until three minutes into the second quarter when Chris Schreiber took the snap and plowed in from one yard out to give the Chemics a 6-0 lead. The 2-point conversion attempt was no good.

On the ensuing kickoff, Dow used a little trickery to come up with a big play. Justin Huntress took the kick for Dow and sprinted straight up the field where he handed the ball off to Tim Davies on a reverse. Davies cut across the field and shook several Chemic defenders, taking the ball all the way into Midland territory. On the first play from scrimmage, Tom Skoczylas took the handoff and sprinted through the Midland defense for a 44-yard touchdown run. Mitchell Ballard connected on the extra point to give Dow a 7-6 lead. And just like that, the game of the year was on.

“My offensive line came over to me after the second and third series and they told me where to run,” Watkins said of the score. “They said we can run the four hole. And the next play was a touchdown in the four hole. I’ve been telling the kids all season long that they’re my eyes out on the field, and I have to trust them.”

The teams traded possessions the remainder of the second quarter, and the Chemics would get the ball after the break. Midland drove down the field and got into scoring position, but a pair of penalties and a big loss would force them to go for it on fourth-and-20. The Chargers came up with the stop to get the ball back with 8:52 to go in the third.

Less than a minute later, Chargers’ quarterback Eric Schwenk took the handoff, cut off to the right side, broke through the Chemics defense and raced 76 yards for a touchdown to give Dow a 13-6 lead, following the missed extra point.

After the touchdown, Midland got the ball back and marched downfield again. And for the second time in two possessions, they would go for it on fourth down – this time at the goal line. Schreiber rolled to his right and sprinted towards the end zone, but was stopped just inches short to turn the ball back over to Dow.

The teams would trade punts into the fourth quarter before the Chargers came up with another huge defensive stand. Facing fourth-and-four from Dow’s 24, the Chargers stopped Midland just shy of the first down to get the ball back with 8:32 to go.

“We preach, make the other team earn it,” Waktins said of his team’s big stops. “We use the phrase bend don’t break. If you’ve got to knock them out of bounds at the one-inch line, you make them tee it up again, you make them execute again.”

Dow went three-and-out and Nick Stafford punted back to Midland, who would take over on their own 45.

The Chemics then found themselves facing fourth-and-14 with just minutes to go when Schreiber lofted a pass up to Alex Albrecht who hauled it in at the 6 for a 35-yard gain. Paulo Balanza punched it in two plays later from four yards out to move the score to 13-12 with 2:59 to go. Schulte decided to go for the lead with a 2-point conversion try, but Schreiber’s pass was batted down at the goal line.

The kickoff by Midland went out of bounds giving the Chargers the ball at the 35. Dow capitalized on the first play from scrimmage when Schwenk sprinted around the left edge and outran everyone 65 yards for his second long touchdown of the night. The extra point by Ballard was good to give Dow a 20-12 lead with 2:46 remaining in the game.

“It felt great,” Schwenk said of his two touchdowns. “The line did amazing and everyone did what they had to. It was a team effort.”

The Chargers’ quick touchdown padded the lead, but also gave Midland another crack at tying the game. The Chemics would make the most of it, too, as they marched back down the field.

While in their own territory, Schreiber again connected with Albrecht on a 35-yard completion to give the Chemics the ball on the Chargers’ 24. Dow was whistled for a personal foul on the play, moving the Chemics down to the 12. With less than a minute remaining, Midland faced a fourth-and-one just shy of the end zone and converted. Seven seconds later Schreiber added his second touchdown of the night, from a yard out, to move the score to 20-18.

That set up the game’s most important play as the Chemics lined up for a game-tying 2-point conversion attempt. Schreiber took the handoff and was met by a wall of Charger defenders who stopped him one yard shy. Dow recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to preserve the victory.

The Chargers finish the season 7-1 on a six-game winning streak. Their only loss of the season came Sept. 5 at Mount Pleasant.

The Chemics also finish the year 7-1, and while Schulte was pleased with the season overall, he was most pleased with the progress his players made.

“We’ve got some fine young men,” he said. “I’m glad to see how they’ve grown as individuals and football players…I’m going to miss hanging out with these kids and teaching them the game of football.”

Watkins, meanwhile, thanked his coaching staff, the parents, and the administration for their support, but was also quick to point out that Wednesday’s win is just the beginning for the Chargers.

“We believe and we preached that at this level we are laying a foundation for the future,” he said. “[We told the kids] if you liked the way this felt, you’re going to have to bust your butts in the offseason because that’s what they’re going to do because they didn’t like how it felt.”

For more photos from Wednesday’s game click on “Photo Slideshow” in the top right corner of this article.

Photos by Jason Wolverton & Cory Butzin