Being the last home game of the regular season for RBHS football team, the night held special meaning for the football team, cheerleaders and Bruin girls – senior night.
Perhaps it was this realization—that these Bruins would never be in this place again—that made the team come together during overtime to beat the Blue Jays 28-21.
The road to the victory was bumpy, however.
In the ninth minute of the first quarter, an interception by junior Zach Reuter, who returned for a touchdown put the Bruins on the board first. The RBHS boys went for a two-point conversion on the drive but were penalized on the play for having an ineligible receiver on the field, making the score 6-0.
Before the end of the first quarter the Bruins scored another touchdown. This time, a pass from quarterback sophomore Logan Twehouse to Reuter resulted in the second touchdown of the game, giving RBHS a 13-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
But the Bruins didn’t end the half with such a secure lead. In the second quarter, Liberty made a touchdown to make the score 13-7 when the teams headed into their respective locker rooms.
During the third quarter, the Bruins and Blue Jays went back and forth with solid drives but neither of the teams could score.
Both teams vamped up their energy and intensity in the fourth quarter. The game came to a heart-stopping moment when Blue Jay Mathew Zombo caught a pass by Twehouse intended for senior Kenny James. The interception resulted in a breakaway run and a touchdown, giving Liberty a 14-13 lead over RBHS.
With less than eight minutes to play, several pass completions led RBHS to a touchdown with five minutes left in the game. Playing smart football, the team decided to go for a two point conversion which was successful and put the Bruins back on top, 21-14.
With less than four minutes to play, Liberty recovered a punt off the back of a RBHS player. Zombo then ran for another touchdown to tie the game back up, 21-21, sending the game into overtime.
In the first drive of overtime, multiple passing completions and effective running led Rock Bridge to score a touchdown on a pass to wide receiver Sam Mulholland.
RBHS needed to stop Liberty in order to win the game. With Liberty near their end zone, Blue Jays tried to run the ball, but safety senior Shelby Wilson forced a fumble, and RBHS recovered the ball in the end zone for a touch back to end the game.
“It really paid off in the end to hustle all night,” Wilson said. “I dove for a guy I didn’t even think I could reach and ended up being the game winning play.”
RBHS fans blew up after Shelby’s play to end the game, chanting his name and giving him words of praise.
“It’s amazing to come out here and see a high character, hard-working senior come out on senior night and score the game winner,” head coach A.J. Ofodile said. “He never complains and always gives it 100 percent, he got his opportunity and he capitalized on it. I think that’s beautiful.”
By Tyler Dunlap
