Varsity Football: MBA 28, McCallie 21 (2OT) It took the Big Red two overtimes and a fourth-down stand from the one-yard-line to defeat McCallie 28-21 in a thriller on Friday night. The Big Red did not lead the game until the second overtime. The game was a dead-heat statistically, as MBA rushed for 115 yards compared to 117 for McCallie, threw for 204 yards compared to 200, and earned 14 first downs to McCallie’s 15. David Howe threw for a pair of touchdowns and rushed for a third to lead the offense, while Mitchell Williams recorded 10 tackles and Andrew Warfield defended four passes defensively.
    The first quarter was characterized by McCallie near-misses, as the Blue Tornado penetrated the MBA thirty-yard-line twice, only to miss a field goal on both occasions. MBA’s offense failed to get on track, as the Big Red punted the ball four times, turned the ball over one downs, and threw an interception to account for its seven first-half possessions. The biggest play of the half came with just under four minutes remaining, when McCallie blocked an MBA punt after a mishandled snap. The Blue Tornado took over inside the Big Red five-yard-line, and quickly scored the half’s only touchdown.
    MBA’s offense came out firing to start the second half. The Big Red marched 71 yards on six plays to even the score at seven. The big play on the drive was a 36 yard run off the left tackle by Andy Snyder on third down. Three plays later, David Howe connected with Drew Carney for a 14-yard touchdown. McCallie fought back, however, and regained the lead 14-7 on the ensuing drive.
    The teams traded punts until the Big Red regained possession about halfway through the fourth quarter at its own 21-yard-line. The Bid Red quickly covered the 79 yards to the endzone to even the score. On the drive, Howe completed a 37 yard pass to Carney, a key third down throw to Charlie Plageman, and a 27 yard shuffle pass to Snyder for the tying score. 
    McCallie regained possession and drove the ball across MBA’s forty-yard-line before they stalled and punted the ball back, ensuring the game would go to overtime. In high school, each team has an opportunity to start a possession at the opponent’s 10-yard-line, and the game continues until one team holds a lead after both squads have had an equal number of opportunities to score.
    In the first extra period, McCallie scored on a third down play from the three-yard-line to take the lead. Snyder answered immediately, and Clayton Foster’s kick put the game into the second overtime, in which MBA’s offense would go first. On first down, Snyder ran to the McCallie one yard-line. After Snyder was stopped on second down, Howe scored the go-ahead touchdown on a quarterback sneak to make the score 28-21. McCallie’s first two plays moved the football to the three-yard-line. On third down, the McCallie quarterback seemed poised to run the ball into the corner of the endzone, when senior defensive backs Gray Palmer and Mitchell Williams stopped him just shy of the one-yard-line, bringing up a fourth and goal-to-go situation. MBA’s defense rose to the occasion, and stuffed McCallie, who mishandled the exchange from center to secure the victory in dramatic fashion. 
    Offensively, Howe’s three touchdowns were crucial, as were Andy Snyder’s 107 yards of rushing. Carney caught three passes for 68 yards, while Will Hackett caught three for 31 and Reed Blackwell had two receptions for 23 yards. On defense, Williams’s 10 tackles led the way. Michael Swett added a sack, while Gray Palmer had eight tackles, including one for a loss. Clayton Foster’s four extra points were essential in earning a hard-fought victory.