Whiteland linemen Jason Branscum (78),Kaden Willoughby (50) and Kaden Fleming (54) react to coming up just short of the end zone on the final play of Saturday’s game at Martinsville.
Rob Baker | For the Daily Journal
MARTINSVILLE
Whiteland needed to move the ball 98 yards in less than four minutes to finish off a miracle comeback at Class 4A No. 3 Martinsville on Saturday night. It covered 96 of them.
So close, yet so far away.
Blake Riddle caught a short pass on the game’s final play but was tackled at the Artesians’ 2-yard line as time expired, leaving the 5A No. 6 Warriors to deal with a devastating 20-13 loss that was somewhat reminiscent of the end of Super Bowl XXXIV between the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans nearly a quarter of a century ago.
Sitting on its own 2-yard line with 3:54 on the clock after a precision 51-yard punt by Martinsville quarterback A.J. Reynolds, Whiteland (3-2, 2-2 Mid-State) didn’t feel the need to panic and force an aerial assault. Instead, it methodically marched upfield with the run, handing the ball off on 14 straight snaps — and converting a pair of fourth downs in the process — to move the ball to the Artesians’ 5 with 1.3 seconds remaining.
At that point, Warrior coach Darrin Fisher opted to switch things up, having senior quarterback Ollie Taylor roll left and deliver a short pass to Riddle near the sideline. Martinsville defensive back Rhys Wolf was able to bring Riddle down a body length shy of the goal line, though, preserving a white-knuckle victory.
The key, according to Whiteland senior offensive lineman Jonah McIntosh, was to avoid falling behind by that much in the first place.
“Our offense came out flat, not juiced up,” he said. “Our defense was making plays left and right … and our offense just couldn’t capitalize. We came out flat, and we’ve got to do a better job.”
Reynolds completed four straight passes to classmate Hunter Stroud on a third-quarter touchdown drive that put the Artesians (6-0, 4-0) ahead 20-0 before a long kickoff return by Riddle put the ball in Martinsville territory and set up a five-play, 48-yard scoring drive. After Taylor linked up with younger brother Eli for a 20-yard pass play, senior Slate Valentine barreled up the middle for a 16-yard touchdown run to get the Warriors on the board with 6:29 left in the third. Valentine finished with 165 yards rushing, with 117 of those coming in the second half.
Reynolds tried to counterpunch with a deep throw downfield for Stroud, but Eli Taylor got up in front of the receiver and picked it off at the Whiteland 11. Five straight runs created some breathing room and brought the ball out near midfield, but a sack stopped the momentum and a bobbled snap on the punt gave the Artesians the ball back at the Warriors’ 36-yard line late in the period. Martinsville converted a fourth down and appeared poised to add to its lead, but a Pryor fumble was recovered by Riddle with 11:06 remaining in the contest.
Whiteland kept the ball on the ground for all 12 plays of its next drive, with back-to-back runs of 12 and 11 runs by Valentine moving the ball to the Martinsville 9 for a Tyree Nolan scoring run with 5:20 on the clock. The point after was no good, leaving the score at 20-13, and a Warrior onside kick attempt was unsuccessful.
Needing a stop, the Whiteland defense got one, forcing a punt for the first time all night — and Reynolds’ kick pinned the Warriors deep and set the stage for the dramatic conclusion.
Whiteland started the night with a big defensive play, as Kayden Blankenship picked off Reynolds’ first throw of the night to set the visitors up at the Martinsville 37. That possession ended with a failed field goal attempt, however, and the Artesians took advantage of the reprieve with a deliberate 19-play, 79-yard scoring drive that ate up more than nine minutes.
Martinsville converted three third downs and a pair of fourth downs on the march, the latter of those coming when Reynolds called his own number on fourth and goal for a 3-yard scoring run to give his team a 6-0 edge with 7:51 remaining in the first half.
Whiteland tried to respond in kind, bleeding the clock down while riding its ground game and a timely third-down pass from Ollie to Eli Taylor down to the Artesians’ 15-yard line. After getting stuffed on three straight run plays, the Warriors went for it on fourth down from the 17 and threw an incomplete pass.
With just 1:31 remaining on the first-half clock, Reynolds didn’t waste any time. He took the first snap and threw deep over the top for Mason Dodson for a 59-yard completion. A short pass to Hunter and an 8-yard run by Austin Pryor made it first and goal at the 9, and Reynolds found Draven Sanders open in the end zone for a 13-0 lead with 27.9 seconds to go.
The game appeared to be over when Reynolds added a second TD pass after halftime, but the Warriors had other ideas. An opportunistic defense and the second-half rushing attack led by Valentine and two-way star Jordan Palmer (10 carries, 77 yards) were nearly enough to pull off the impossible — but even after the soul-denting defeat, the Warriors remain upbeat about the journey ahead.
“We keep fighting and play as a family,” McIntosh said, “and no matter what outcome it is, get ready for October football — because the Warriors are coming.”
