Blue Devils advance to Class 3-A quarterfinals with win over Station Camp

By Luke Williams

Connection Sports

For the second time in a season, a game-tying PAT went awry for the Station Camp Bison and this time landed White House a spot in the Class 3-A semifinals.

Trailing 14-12 in the third quarter and attempting to knot the score with a two-point conversion, Bison kicker Christian Reed took a pitch from Matthew Johnson and passed incomplete to Michael Payne. The Blue Devils then scored 21 unanswered points and won going away, 35-12, clinching a berth in the state’s final four for the first time since 2004.

Reed was tackled two yards short of the endzone on a botched PAT in week nine and DeMarrius Payne’s tackle preserved a 21-20 win to seal the Region 4-3A Championship for White House.

The Blue Devils (12-1) will travel east Friday night to face undefeated Knoxville Catholic and play for a berth in the 2008 Class 3-A Bluecross Bowl on December 6^th in Murfreesboro.

“The momentum turned really quick after we fumbled but got a stop, but then threw a pick to set up their touchdown,” said White House head coach Jeff Porter. “I think the two-point play helped put the momentum back on our side even though we struggled a bit turnover wise.

“We had seen it on film but we didn’t know they had the option pass. It was a good call and we were fortunate to break it up.”

Senior Chad Neal caught three touchdowns and led the team with 10 tackles and a fumble caused on defense, helping White House to jump out quickly with a 59-yard touchdown catch on the first offensive play of the game. Junior Trox Greenwade broke the single-season touchdown passing mark with his 24^th score through the air (Jonathan Finch, 23), but the first of which was to Neal down the home sideline after the defense forced a Station Camp three and out.

Reed’s first of two field goals cut the lead to 7-3, but White House added another touchdown in the second quarter when Bryan Dixon scampered in front 10 yards away and Matthew Gossett added the second of his five straight PAT kicks for a 14-3 edge. Station Camp drove inside the White House five in the final seconds before the half, but Hunter Tope was stopped at the one by Zack Byrd and Jonathan Duke, forcing an 18-yard field goal and a 14-6 halftime score.

“The tackle on second down on jet sweep was a big play in the game,” Porter said. “At that point they didn’t have any timeouts and had to spike the football.”

White House shook off a rally by the Bison in the third quarter which included an interception thrown by Greenwade and a fumble by Cody Allen, the only two turnovers of the night. But Allen came back to have a strong game with 29 yards on five carries as White House rushed for 196 yards on 32 attempts. DeMarqus Payne led all Blue Devils with 20 carries for 100 yards, but did not score.

Brandon Porch’s interception return put the ball at the 15-yard-line and it took two plays for the visitors to cash in when Ronald Lark scored on a six-yard run. But Reed’s pass out of the swinging gate formation on the PAT was broken up.

The Blue Devils immediately took control as DeMarqus Payne broke for 39 yards on the final play of the third quarter. Facing 4^th-and-2 at the Station Camp four, White House rolled the dice and came up seven when Neal caught his second TD of the night for a 21-12 edge.

Neal then forced the ball loose from Tope and Zach Duty recovered at the White House 40. WHHS marched nine plays and 60 yards, but it took another fourth down conversion at the goalline when Neal caught a 17-yard strike from Greenwade on 4^th-and-4. The 28-12 lead came with 2:59 left.

“There wasn’t much discussion on the first one because if we don’t get it, we have them pinned back, but we talked about the second one but even if we make the field goal it would have stayed a two-score game and if we don’t make it, it creates a long field for them,” Porter explained.

Matt Parker intercepted Johnson at the Bison 43 and a 15-yard penalty for ripping his helmet loose put the ball at the 28. Payne went for 10 and then Dixon for 18 to finish off the scoring. Dixon’s run combined with the two fourth down passes guaranteed White House to keep its perfect mark in the red zone for the season. Dixon had four carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns.

“Our kicking game was really big tonight and our kids did a good job of creating a short field,” Porter noted.

Greenwade was 8-of-14 passing for 173 yards with three scores, while Johnson hit on 6-of-14 for 84 yards. Station Camp rushed 44 times for 235 yards with Tope leading all players with 16 carries for 118, but he did not score.

White House led in total offense (369-319) and Station Camp was hurt by six huge penalties for 70 yards, most of the 15-yard variety.

Four Blue Devils had 10 tackles in the game: Matt Parker, Michael Barrett, Byrd and Neal, with Parker becoming the first Blue Devil to make it to 100 tackles for the season.