The Locker Room
by Jeff Wolfe
Cougars Outgunned in a
Western Shootout
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10/3/98 - It was a shootout between the VHSL’s western most AA and AAA teams, with Lee High School bringing their gunslingers to Pulaski County. Lee won this scoring battle 49-35 in a game with enormous momentum swings. Both teams used playoff caliber weapons, and neither is likely to see similar play again until the post season.
This was a historic first meeting between the two schools. Lee County is the western tip of the state, but that did not keep away several hundred Generals fans.
The Cougar offense had sustained drives for scores, and scored first on a big pass play, but could not pass enough to loosen up the run defense in the fourth quarter. The defense made a few stands, and blocked a punt.
The Generals have good size, yet are lean and fast. Lee’s offense blocked well at the point of attack, both on inside runs and in the secondary on the option. Fundamental blocking and tackling are strong points of this well coached team. The Generals ran the wishbone to perfection, often dishing the option pitch at the last moment.
The Cougars received the opening kickoff and scored first. On the second play of the game Travis Roop rolled right and threw over the safety to a streaking Frank Cobbs for a 61 yard touchdown. Cameron Ashworth’s PAT was good for the early 7-0 lead.
Lee was stopped short of a first down after three plays and punted. Kwasi Scott and Josh Calfee alternated on carries on a 14 play drive. Calfee took the ball in for the touchdown on a 1 yard carry. Paul Taylor’s PAT created a 14 point lead.
For a moment there was the false impression that the Cougars would dominate the play during the night. Then the Generals’ offense exploded. Half a minute later Lee had humiliated the Cougars’ and pulled within 6 points.
Lee returned the kick off to the PC 42. Then on the next play Eric Satterfield carried left off tackle and cut right to score. A trick play was used for the two point conversion. The Lee kicker appeared to be tying his shoe near the far sideline, with the rest of his team in kicking formation. Then the ball was snapped to the holder who threw to the completely unguarded ‘kicker’ in the endzone. Lee was trailing 14-8 but had made their statement about the kind of game it was to be.
PC responded with ball control offense. Scott led the 12 play scoring drive with two 9 yard gains on the quick pitch to the outside. Porter carried left after the criss cross for the 3 yard score.
Because a PAT here would have brought about only a 13 point lead, coach Joel Hicks directed his team to try a 2 point conversion from the 3 yard line. Porter was called for an illegal procedure before the snap, and the ball was walked back to the 8. From there Roop rolled right and threw to Calfee into the flat at the goal line for the long two point conversion. PC’s 2 point effort dwarfed Lee’s trick play, making the score 22-8.
Lee returned the kick off to their 29, then set up in their wishbone formation. They ran the option play left for 5 and then right for 4. Buchanan over threw his receiver and the pass was almost intercepted by Scott. Buchanan ran the option again to the left and was too fast to be caught, going 60 yards for the score. On this conversion attempt, all 11 lined up to kick, but the snap was bad and the holder was running backwards and looking for a receiver when he was sacked. The Generals trailed 22-14 but seemed too talented to be there for long.
It was apparent that the Cougar defense would have a hard time stopping Lee, so it would be up to Roop to lead his offense to more scores than his opponent. It was time to show that the Cougars can pass successfully. Trying an attack by air while ahead on the scoreboard showed an effort to be a versatile offense. This could have put Lee’s defense on their heels for pass coverage, and not keying on the Calfee and Scott.
Roop rolled left looking for King in traffic and was intercepted forcing the pass between two defenders. Throwing the ball away would have left Lee respecting the pass the Cougars with the confidence to pass again.
Lee returned the interception to the PC 37. Charles Cantor turned a dive into a 30 yard gain. Then Satterfield scored on a 7 yard run. Satterfield ran the option from the wishbone formation, but was tackled short of the two point conversion.
The Cougars ran a few plays and then punted. The defense held the Generals to 10 yards on three plays before time expired in the half. Although behind 22-20, Lee took to the locker room a commanding reign on the momentum of the game.
The Generals started the second half at their own 11 after being penalized for holding on the return. Four plays later Buchanan ran directly through the middle of the defense for a 78 yard touchdown. The option play for the conversion was stopped by the Cougars, with Porter making the tackle just short of the goal line. Lee had its first lead of the game 26-22 early in the third quarter.
The Cougars rallied with a seven play scoring drive. Hoback returned the kick to the 27. Then Calfee carried for 12 as the defender spent more time trying to strip him of the ball than make the tackle. On 3rd and 6, Cobbs took the criss cross left for 22 yards. Scott carried for a short gain and a facemask penalty by the Generals contributed 15 yards. Two plays later Scott took the quick pitch to the right, then cut back left diagonally to paydirt. Pulaski County had regained the lead and Ashworth made the score 29-26.
The kickoff return brought Lee to their 25. A holding penalty pushed them back to the 18. The play clock expired several seconds before the snap, so the Cougar fans voiced their concern, but the officials did not notice.
The defense stopped Lee, then blocked the punt, with Mike Alderman recovering. Four plays later Scott carried off tackle right for a 5 yard touchdown. Taylor’s PAT was no good. Pulaski Co. was ahead 35-26, but no one thought the score would stay that way for long.
Lee brought the kick out to their own 47. An offsides penalty on PC would walk the Generals over midfield. Four plays later Satterfield ran for a 27 yard touchdown, and added the PAT himself as Lee pulled within two, 35-33, with only 6 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Lee was offsides on the first kick off attempt. Then on the second kick, PC was called for a clip as time expired. The rules state that a quarter cannot end on a penalty, so the first play from the 12 yard line was untimed. This caused a lot of confusion for the fans, as the clock had expired as the teams did not change sides. After Calfee lost a yard, the quarter officially ended and the teams changed sides of the field.
The Cougars were too deep in their own territory to pass comfortably, and a first down could not be gained on the ground. Peaslee’s punt netted 43 yards and Lee would start again with excellent field position, on their own 38.
The Generals would gain two first downs with several short gains before Cantor broke through the middle for a 38 yard touchdown. Buchanan found Matthew Young between the linebackers for the two point conversion pass. Lee pulled ahead 41-35 with 7:49 remaining in the game.
This drive would be the Cougars last chance to win. On first down after the kickoff, Scott carried for 5. Then Calfee was stopped for no gain. Roop dropped back to pass but the defensive end came from his left and blind sided him for the sack. It was not a surprise to see the Cougars pass now and the defense had committed to the pass rush. PC needed good pass blocking in the backfield to rally for the win, but it was not to be found. Peaslee punted out and it was returned to midfield.
The Cougars seemed too tired to put up the defensive stand needed here, with just a few minutes remaining in the game. Four plays later Shad Wilder carried for a 10 yard touchdown. Buchanan passed again to Young for the final points of the game. The two point conversion made the score look clean, hiding the strange point scoring of the game, and 49-35 would be the final score.
The Cougars were too far behind now not to pass, and Roop was sacked twice before the ball was turned over on downs. Lee was close enough and had time to score again, but graciously ran into the middle for a few plays to let time expire.
The Lee fans poured onto the field to celebrate with their team. Several hundred people were still in the center of the field a half hour after the game had ended.
Lee is not a regular on Pulaski County’s schedule, but they should be. This match up could provide many memorable games in the years to come.
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