Grissom's two for one fails late

Friday, September 30, 2005
By MIKE EASTERLING

Times Sports Staff mikee@htimes.com
Sparkman gets 21-20 win after Tigers' trick play on PAT goes awry

Grissom coach Ronny Massey decided he didn't want to try and beat Class 6A, Region 8 foe Sparkman in overtime.It was a decision he later regretted. Grissom got a 29-yard touchdown pass from Bryan Carter to Jonathan Harris to pull within one point, but a two-point pass on fake extra point fell incomplete with 1:04 left to play.Sparkman then recovered an onside kickoff and ran out the remaining time on a 21-20 victory Thursday night at Milton Frank Stadium."I blew it,'' Massey said. "I took a calculated risk and it was wrong.''Massey said he feared the bigger Senators would have the advantage in overtime. He added that Sparkman had nearly blocked two earlier extra points and had left the left side exposed to a pass."We had momentum and I felt we could put them away,'' Massey said. "It was my decision and I can live with that, but I hate it for the kids who fought back so hard.''Sparkman coach Roger Haynes said the Senators were watching for the fake and applied enough pressure on the pass and in the secondary to foil the attempt "We knew there was a good chance they would fake it,'' he said. Sparkman, slowed by five offensive penalties for 40 yards, improved to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the region. Grissom fell to 3-3 and 1-2."We just weren't focused,'' Haynes said.Sparkman quarterback Whitney McKinney had two key completions to spur the win. The first came with the game tied at 7-all late in the second quarter. McKinney handed off to Dezmond Richardson, who was supposed to lateral the ball back to the quarterback for a pass.Instead, Richardson lost his grip and the ball rolled around in the backfield.McKinney picked it up and fired a completion to Jusmon Rivers.Rivers caught the ball and ran to the 3-yard line for a 65-yard gain, and two plays later Richardson scored on a 1-yard run with 1:05 left until halftime."I saw Jusmon wide open and just threw it as far as I could,'' said McKinney, who completed 8-of-12 passes for 191 yards with one interception.McKinney's second key completion came in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 14-all.
Facing third-and-eight at Sparkman's 32, he threw a 53-yard completion over the middle to tight end Daniel Brown. Taron Rice scored from the 5 three plays later, and Michael Kitchens added his third extra point to make it 21-14 with 3:50 left.But Carter, who completed 15-of-26 for 256 yards with two touchdowns and one tipped interception, led Grissom back."Brian Carter played a great game,'' Massey said.Grissom scored on its opening possession when Pat Carr took a screen pass 65 yards to the Senators 19, and Carter later scored from the 1.Sparkman tied it early in the second quarter on a 1-yard run by Rice and took the 14-7 halftime lead.Grissom tied it with 6:40 left to play in the game when Brett Butler outjumped two defenders to catch a 25-yard touchdown pass from Carter. Chandler Brooks added the extra point.Butler finished with five receptions for 80 yards.

Sens hang on against GHS

Lindsay Vaught, Madison Record

HUNTSVILLE - Sparkman took a big step toward claiming a playoff spot and got back in the race for the region title by coming from behind and hanging on for a 21-20 victory over Grissom on Thursday night at Milton Frank Stadium.The Senators overcame injuries to three starters on defense, an interception and 50 yards of penalties to claim a key Region 8 victory that puts their overall record at 3-3, 2-2 in region.Grissom took a 7-0 early lead on a Bryan Carter 1-yard run after Carter hit Pat Carr on a 65-yard screen pass. Later in the first quarter after a Grissom fake punt failed to get a first down, Sparkman quarterback Whit McKinney went to work. He hit Juzmon Rivers on a 65-yard pass to set up a Desmond Richardson 2-yard touchdown run. Rivers added a 1-yard touchdown run to give Sparkman a 14-7 lead at halftime."The defense just wasn't in it tonight. This is the worst we have played on defense this season but Grissom had a lot to do with that. But I'm proud of the kids," Sparkman coach Roger Haynes said. "We got a lot of injuries. We didn't play very well and were fortunate to come out with a win."We just weren't focused when we got in the red zone. Penalties hurt us, we had three holding penalties and we have to do a better job coaching technique. Grissom was ready for us tonight when we went to the wishbone so we can't rely on that as much."In the second half Haynes called on tight end Daniel Brown to step up for the offense. The 6-4, 220-pound Brown is being heavily recruited by college coaches and he provided some highlight reel plays in the fourth quarter.With 4:25 to play and the score tied at 14, Brown went down the middle and snagged a high pass from McKinney then ran over two Grissom defensive backs for a 53-yard gain to the 15-yard line. Brown then pancake blocked defenders on two running plays as Taron Rice carried the ball and scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run."He was open a lot but we didn't have the time to get him the ball as much as we should have. He's the best blocker we have," Haynes said of Brown, whose brother Dawson plays for Alabama.Grissom was not through, however, and marched down the field with the passing duo of Bryan Carter to Brett Butler. Butler beat double coverage and caught a 29-yard touchdown pass with 1:04 left. Grissom coach Ronnie Massey thought he saw an opening for a fake extra point that would win the game. The holder's pass fell incomplete as he was being tackled."We told the players there was a good chance they would fake it. We sent Taron Rice off the edge and everybody else was playing safe," Haynes said.McKinney has now led Sparkman to two impressive road wins in a row."It was a big win for us," said McKinney who completed 8 of 12 passes for 191 yards. "Their linebackers are very good. The pass to Daniel I had to get it over the middle linebacker. We didn't want to go to overtime. Our defense was on the field a lot and was getting tired."Sparkman stays on the road the next two weeks with games next Friday at Oak Mountain and then to Florence before coming home against Bob Jones Oct. 21.

4th

Passing

• #2 McKinney 8-12 189 yards 0 TD 1 Int

Punting

# 22 Jusmon Rivers- 3 punts - 5,30,37

24 yard average.

Rushing

• # 36 Williams 17-69
• # 37 Richardson 8-30
• # 5 Ryce 5-20
• # 11 Burns 5-15
• #42 Garrot 1-6
• # 2 McKinney 6-0 1 Fum

Receiving

• #22 Rivers 3-84
• #80 D.Brown 2-72
• #13 J.Brown 2-24
• #27 Elston 1-10

Sparkman

Grissom