In an exhilarating finish to the middle school football season, the Hobbton Wildcats and the Midway Raiders duked it out at Hobbton Wednesday afternoon. At the end of regulation, the score was tied 18-18. In overtime, the Raiders finally prevailed on a third down score from 3-yards out to win the game, 24-18.
To kick off the game, the Wildcats had first chance after winning the toss. On the opening kickoff, Chase Pate fielded the ball and scampered 80 yards for a Wildcat score just 15 seconds into the game. The PAT failed on a run.
Midway quickly answered, covering 39 yards for a score. Demarcus Cousar connected with Wyatt Lucas on a 1-yard pass play. The Wildcat defense shut down the PAT attempt, leaving the score tied at 6 with 2:34 left in the first quarter.
Hobbton turned the ball around, starting at their own 45-yard line. They lost an interception when Cousar picked off a Cole Weeks pass. The Wildcats returned the favor, though, with Zy Smith picking Cousar for a 25-yard touchdown scamper to put Hobbton back up at 12-6 with 6:47 left in the second quarter.
On the next drive, the Raiders lost another possession when Pate picked the ball off at the Wildcats 23-yard line. Unable to do much, though, Hobbton was forced to punt the ball away.
Midway took over at the Wildcats 49-yard line and with 55 seconds left in the half, Cousar hooked up with Ethan Johnson on a 10-yard pass for a 12-12 game. The PAT failed on a run.
Midway had first chance after the break and quickly took their first lead at 18-12 when Cousar hooked up with Johnson again on a 40-yard pass play to give Midway the lead. The PAT attempt was stopped again.
Hobbton took over but was forced to punt with 5:34 left in the third quarter. The Raiders took over on their 47-yard line and were marching toward another score but came up short when the Wildcats stopped a fourth down pass attempt and took over on their own 9-yard line.
With 6:04 left in the fourth quarter, Pate tied the game at 18-all on a 14-yard scamper around the right side. The PAT attempt was stopped, preserving the tie at 18-18.
The score remained tied for the rest of regulation play.
In the overtime period, the Wildcats had first chance and moved the ball to the 3-yard line before being backed up by mistakes and were eventually stopped short.
The Raiders then took over on their side of the OT and scored on a third down play for 3-yards on a pass from Cousar to Johnson and Midway took home the victory, 24-18.
After the game, Hobbton head coach Jackson Temple found the positives in the game and the season.
““We played hard for four quarters and in overtime,” Temple said. “Some things didn’t go our way in overtime but it wasn’t for a lack of effort. As a coach at Hobbton, I will never forget the heart and hustle this team put forth especially when their backs were against the wall. They come out fighting every time.”
