2009 Football: GHS magic returns! Dogs shock Tigers, 38-25, in GRC thriller

Gallatin’s victory, at Princeton, was the first GHS win on the Tiger turf since 2001, and gave the Bulldogs one more victory already than they managed in 2008, with four games left to play.

Colton Selby’s scramble out of the shotgun formation and leaping dive into the end zone in the final minute served two purposes. It returned the lead to the Bulldogs and forced the Tigers out of their offensive game plan.

Princeton managed to find the end zone four times during the game, but never in quick-strike fashion. By the time the Tigers ran the ensuing kickoff back to their own 25, they had 75 yards to go with only 32 seconds to work with.

"The problem with a predominantly running team is often when they get behind or are in situations where they are running out of time, they are forced into doing something they aren’t comfortable doing," said Bulldog head coach Jeff White of the Tiger predicament. "We are lucky enough to be able to jump from a grind it out philosophy to a spread look and not lose a step," he added. "It’s been very nice for us to have two offensive packages, that for a defense is like facing two different teams."

Tiger quarterback Brycen Stark found himself in the spotlight after handing off to junior running back Vance Purdun all night long. Purdun finished with 34 carries and 198 yards, but it was Stark’s skills the Tigers needed to move the ball down the field.

In a heartbeat, the spotlight shifted to Bulldog freshman Chad Ness. Stark tried to force the ball over the middle and Ness read the play, stepped in front of the receiver and was off to the races. His 40-yard return and Tyler Brackett’s third PAT sealed the victory for Gallatin.

Stark opened scoring with a 34-yard dash on a keeper in the first quarter, but seconds later Brandon Ness answered for Gallatin with a 60-yard scoring burst straight ahead.

Bracket put the Bulldogs in front, 10-7, with a 29-yard field goal with 4:14 to play in the second quarter, and that’s where the half ended thanks to a solo stop of Purdun by Matt Atkinson on fourth and one in the final two minutes.

Aided by a face mask penalty, one of few violations against the Bulldogs, Princeton drove the length of the field to open the second half, with Purdun taking scoring honors from the one.

As he did in the first quarter, Brandon Ness was quick to answer by taking a pitch, cutting back to the Tiger sideline and rambling 51 yards for a touchdown. Gallatin led, 16-13.

Princeton converted twice on fourth and short in Bulldog territory and Purdun scored again from three yards out. Terrill Wood and other stuffed a two-point conversion attempt that left the Tigers in front, 19-16.

Gallatin regained the lead early in the fourth quarter with a Chad Ness 21 yard burst and Brackett added the extra point kick to move his team back on top, 23-19.

Purdun’s third TD of the night came with just over three minutes left to play, but the Bulldogs weren’t done with their offensive fireworks.

On first down, Selby scrambled to his left out of the shotgun, circled back right and looked down the field as he neared the Bulldog sideline. A Tiger defender in the secondary froze as he tracked the Bulldog quarterback and that created distance between him and receiver Levi Michener.

Throwing on the run, Selby hit his teammate for a 34-yard completion down to the Tiger 13.

Selby gained three yards straight ahead and picked up another tough yard to the nine. Looking again for Michener in the corner of the end zone, he instead tucked the ball in and dove over a pair of defenders for the deciding score.

"I am very proud of the way our team fought it out for four quarters," Coach White commented. "I felt like we were in control the entire game, and so did the players. Last season we struggled with finishing games and lost quite a few close ones," he added. "So far this season we have finished games out and have been able to win the close ones."

Brandon Ness finished with 142 yards on nine carries to lead the Bulldog offense. Selby and Atkinson sparked the defense with 17 and 13 tackles, respectively.

Gallatin this week hosts a hungry King City team coming off a 27-7 loss to South Harrison. The winner will keep sole possession of third place in league standings.

Gallatin 38, Princeton 25

GHS Statistics

Rushing: B. Ness 9-142, 2 TD; C. Ness 8-66, TD; Atkinson 11-39, Selby 8-34, TD. Passing: Selby 4-6-70. Receiving: Michener 2-53, B. Ness 1-9, Wood 1-8.

Leading tacklers: Selby 13/4, Atkinson 11/2, QB sack; Michener 6/2, Wood 5/1, Brackett 4/5, Malo 4/2, Leeper 4/2, B. Ness 3/1, Hunt 3/1, C. Ness 3/1, Int. for TD; Prentice 2/2, McLey 2/1, Bott 1/1, Vanatta 1/0.

Field goal: Brackett 29 yds.

Grand River Conference Standings — Week 6