Hartley’s overtime TD gives Chatard 28-25 double OT win over Roncalli
By BEN FAHRBACH
ISL Correspondent
Pete Hartley’s 2-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal in the second overtime gave Bishop Chatard a 28-25 win over Roncalli on Friday night.
Hartley and the Trojans’ battery of running backs pounded on the Rebels’ defense while Roncalli’s balanced attack took advantage of a spread-out Chatard defense.
Roncalli’s received the opening kickoff and put together a methodical 6-minute scoring drive to take a 7-0 lead.
After the teams traded punts, the Trojans got their ground game rolling. A 2-yard run by Hartley put Chatard on the board, but the conversion failed. After the Trojans stopped Roncalli, Chatard’s Joe Fagan returned the punt nearly 45 yards to the house to give the Trojans a 12-7 lead. The conversion failed again. After Roncalli knelt and let the last :24 of the first half tick away, the teams headed to the locker rooms.
Roncalli blocked a Chatard field-goal try, so the second half did not have any scoring until late in regulation. Roncalli scored on a 36-yard bomb and scored on the 2-point conversion to take a 15-12 lead with 2:04 remaining.
Chatard responded in a way I have not seen in a long time — airing it out. The Trojans ate up chunks of yards at a time with accurate throws downfield from QB Sam Neighbours to Fagan and Jack Busald. Then, with about 25 yards separating the Trojans from the end zone and the lead Neighbours dropped back to find no one open. He pulled the ball down and took off. Gaining yardage with a nice spin move, he exposed the ball and Roncalli punched it out. Nearly everyone in the stadium just knew it was over and Roncalli appeared to have recovered but Chatard receiver Sam Lauck somehow emerged from the scrum with the ball. Chatard still had a chance. With just :51 left in the fourth, Chatard settled for a 27-yard field goal with 51 seconds remaining to force overtime.
The teams traded touchdowns on their first possession of overtime, and the score was 22-all heading into the second extra period.
Chatard held Roncalli to a field goal, but the Rebels led 25-22.
On fourth-and-goal from the 2, Chatard’s winningest coach, Vince Lorenzano, called his last time out. As Chatard broke from the sideline, it became clear the Trojans were going for the victory, not another overtime. Neighbours handed the ball to Hartley, the leader of the Chatard backfield. Hartley emerged from a mass of players and stumbled into the end zone for the win.
After a sometimes chippy and always bruising game the teams came together at midfield, congratulated each other and then knelt with hands on each other’s shoulders for a prayer.
