One year ago, Joe Barbee’s field goal attempt flew wide left as time expired.
22-21 Hickman.
11 months ago, Logan Twehous’ pass flew into the hands of Roderick Beasley in overtime.
10-7 Hickman.
At 7:00 Friday, Sept. 27, as the #5 Bruins entered LeMone field they knew their task. After losing in both the Providence Bowl and the district semifinal game to Hickman High School (2-3) last season, the Rock Bridge High School football team (4-1) wanted – needed – a victory against their crosstown rival.
“It’s great to get a win against [Hickman], but at the end of the day the odds are that I’ll be going to see them again, and this one doesn’t mean a whole heckuva lot,” RBHS head coach AJ Ofodile said. “It’s going to be the one in October.”
Like the last two seasons, RBHS began the 2013 season 3-0, only to fall in the fourth game. The Bruins were shut out in the second half of last week’s defeat against Raymore-Peculiar.
“It’s tough to find wins on our schedule,” Ofodile said. “Every game’s going to progressively get tougher; there’s not an easy one left, so it’s going to be a dogfight every week.”
Though the offense the Bruin squad had skillfully executed in the first three games was not back up to full strength against the Kewpies, their effort was more than enough for an improved RBHS defense. The defense that in the previous four games gave up an average of 27.25 points each outing held Hickman to only 10, the Kewpies’ sole touchdown a 25-yard run by Justise Keith.
“[The defense was] just more physical,” Ofodile said. “Part of that was we put [senior] Ross Alexander in there, and he’s a physical, physical guy. He does a great job of reading and processing, and being physical and pounding and flying around. He’s tough … He really changed the tone of our defense.”
In the first quarter, the two teams’ offensive lines played sloppily and sluggishly, resulting in a combined three 3-and-outs and 3 turnovers. Despite having already thrown one pass for an interception, picked by Hickman junior Sam Smith, Twehous managed to connect with Ofodile for a 54-yard touchdown at the end of that quarter.
“I played like crap, but my defense – our defense – did phenomenal,” Twehous said. “Alex [Ofodile] had a great game today, our receivers all did great. Our defense picked it up, they stepped it up. [The] offense was struggling there, and [the defense] just kept on fighting, protecting the ball and keeping them out of the endzone.”
Three punts into the second quarter, it seemed like the Bruins would soon make it four as they approached the line of scrimmage on fourth and 8. However, after a timeout and with less than a minute in the half Twehous threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Antwon Turnage.
Coming out of halftime and with a 14-0 lead, there were another two 3-and-outs. Hickman cut the lead in half after senior quarterback Mason Murray successfully scrambled for on fourth-and-one, setting up Keith’s run.
On the Bruins’ next drive, Sam Smith intercepted Twehous for a second time, setting up a 33 yard field goal by Sam Smith with less than a minute left in the third quarter.
With only one quarter left, the Kewpies had narrowed the score to only 14-10.
When the Bruins next entered the red zone, tensions between the schools boiled over as a short scuffle occurred on the field at Hickman’s 14. Twehous connected with Ofodile in the very back left corner of the endzone, but the extra point was blocked, making the score 20-10 in favor of the Bruins.
The Kewpies’ last hopes for a comeback were dashed when, after a string of penalties, Murray’s throw was incomplete. After the turnover on downs, RBHS senior Eli Stout ran the ball on the first play of the drive for a 52-yard touchdown, and the extra point sailed through the uprights.
27-10 Rock Bridge.
By Brett Stover
[vimeo url=”http://vimeo.com/80590921″ width=”640″ height=”360″]
Video by Renata Williams