Oxford Coach Bud Rowley knows it’s how you finish that matters.
And the coach told his team following their last-minute 7-0 victory over Stoney Creek that they did a great job of finishing the game and played with passion.
‘This was a great team game and win,? Rowley said. ‘These guys picked themselves up and finished. That was awesome.?
The Wildcats? offense was anything but awesome for 44 minutes of the game, netting only 78 yards of offense for the game up to that point.
But with 3:58 remaining, the Cat’s got the ball on their 20-yard-line and put together a tremendous drive to win the game with 54 seconds remaining on a 15-yard scamper by Scott Stubenrauch.
‘They finished,? Rowley said.
The drive to win the game was crisp with four pass completions that opened up the running game, which had been stifled.
Here is how the final winning drive unfolded:
On a third and seven from the 23, quarterback Glacier Wallington completed a 12-yard pass to Dallas Pruitt. Following a two-yard run and an incomplete pass, Wallington connected on a nine-yard completion to Pruitt for a first down.
Wallington then tossed a 13-yard completion to Adam Schlicht for another first down.
Stubenrauch added another first down on a 15-yard run. Schlicht then caught an 11-yard pass down to Stoney Creek’s 15.
Stubenrauch followed with the only TD of the game, a 15-yard run with 54 seconds remaining. He finished with 100 yards rushing.
Then to add a finishing touch, Anthony Chavez-Moore intercepted a Stoney Creek desperation pass on its first play following the kickoff.
Wallington had 69 yards passing for the game. John Patrick led the Wildcat’s defense.
The victory improved the Wildcats? record to 2-0 overall and 1-0 in the OAA Red Division. They will travel to Troy Athens on Friday for a 7 p.m. game.
The game was obviously a defensive battle and both teams held the offenses to little or nothing. Oxford had only one first down in the opening half and Stoney Creek was held to 50 yards in offense for the game.
The Wildcats had a 45-yard TD pass from Wallington to Schlicht in the third quarter called back due to a penalty. It was the closest either team came to scoring before Oxford’s final drive.
Stoney Creek attempted a 42-yard field goal with four minutes left in the game but it was short and to the right. That was when Oxford took over on its 20-yard line and began the finishing 80-yard drive.
‘Our defense played a great game,? Rowley said. ‘Our offense didn’t play worth a doggone most of the game.?
Except for the finish.