Last second field goal dashes Hounds hopes

BIG PLAYS

It was going to be one of those games where it was going to come down to who can make more of the big plays,”

Derek Doherty, FM Head Coach

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FORT MADISON - It took a little more than four seconds for Dylan White to snatch victory from Fort Madison.

White’s 31-yard field goal as time expired gave Mount Pleasant a 16-14 win over the Bloodhounds on Friday night.

Fort Madison (0-8 overall, 0-4 Class 3A District 4) had come up with big plays all night, but the Panthers (4-4, 2-2) saved their best for the end.
“This one’s extremely painful,” Fort Madison coach Derek Doherty said.
Mount Pleasant, which got the ball with 2 minutes, 39 seconds left, drove from its own 16 to the Fort Madison 8-yard line. And when Panthers’ running back Ramzy Davis was stopped for a 5-yard loss, Mount Pleasant coach John Bowlin let the clock run down to just under five seconds before calling a timeout.

“I was thinking we were going to score a touchdown,” White said. “But Coach said, ‘Be ready.’ And I know he trusts me.”

The game belonged to White, and he was fine with that.

Asked if he was nervous, White said, “Not at all. I’m cold as ice.”

The snap was perfect, and White kicked the game-winner.

“Yeah, I knew (it was good),” he said.

“They ran a nice two-minute drill,” Doherty said. “Give credit where credit is due.”

Fort Madison had taken a 14-7 lead early in the fourth quarter on Marcus Guzman’s 13-yard touchdown run. The Panthers came back two possessions later and scored on Zachary Newton’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Merrick Lamm. But White’s extra point attempt was blocked by Fort Madison’s Brody Cashman to keep the Bloodhounds ahead by one point.

Fort Madison, which got the ball back with 5:07 left, couldn’t take enough time off the clock, going three-and-out to set up the Panthers’ final drive.

“I think the effort was there from every single snap from all of the guys,” Doherty said. “There were some guys who definitely emptied the tank, and that was the message at the end. We talk about how small things make big things happen, and is there any place you could have given more. It’s going to come down to things like this sometimes.”

Mount Pleasant opened the scoring on Davis’ 3-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead. Fort Madison tied it later in the first half when Guzman, who rushed for 143 yards, scored on a 28-yard run.

Noah Swigart’s two interceptions shut down two Mount Pleasant drives, and the Bloodhounds’ defense got two stops, one after a fumble in the third quarter and another after a blocked punt in the fourth.

“It was going to be one of those games where it was going to come down to who can make more of the big plays,” Doherty said.

Mount Pleasant kept its playoff hopes alive heading into next week’s season finale against Davenport Assumption.

“It’s getting us closer to getting to the playoffs, so (the win) means a lot,” White said. “And it was Fort Madison’s homecoming game, so that means a lot.”

The Bloodhounds close their season at home against Washington.