LCI WINS in overtime
The LCI Rams have moved on to the Tier 1 provincial football semifinals after a 28-21 win over Calgary’s Notre Dame
One quarterback went down late, another one stepped up and the LCI Rams football team is moving on.
In a wild overtime showdown, the fourth-ranked Rams defeated the thirdseeded Calgary Notre Dame Pride 28-21 during the Alberta Schools Athletic Association Tier I Regional semifinals Saturday afternoon at the University of Lethbridge Stadium.
With starting Rams quarterback John Evans knocked out of the game following a hit in the final minute and the score deadlocked at 21-21, LCI handed the ball to backup quarterback Zach Jacobs for the overtime session.
The Rams elected to go on offence first and the Grade 11 backup wasted no time going to work, hitting Will Boehme on a pass over the middle that drove the ball to the shadow of the Pride’s goal post before Grade 12 receiver Jack Halvorson punched the ball in for the 28-21 lead.
Going back the other way, the Rams defence shut down Notre Dame on three straight plays to earn a storybook win in which Calgary battled back from an 18-7 halftime deficit to take a brief 21-18 lead before Halvorson tied it back up with a field goal with 3:37 to go.
“I think it was a special day for our program,” said Rams assistant coach Connor Ralph. “The kids fought, and win or lose, I was proud of their effort. They tried right to the end. Some things went against them, some things went for them. Bottom line, we ask these kids to do something and they do it for us. It’s just an awesome group of kids that I love coaching because they just go to work, shut up and play. So that was what I was most proud.”
Rams receiver Derek McNabb hit for two touchdowns — including a pick-six in the first half before Evans and Halvorson added the other majors.
“It was crazy,” said Halvorson. “We came together as a team and that’s what it’s about. When one of us falls, we did it for John, and now we’re moving forward and back to practice Monday.”
Down at the half, the Pride rallied for a pair of majors, including a 60-yard romp from Javier Williams for the brief lead.
“I just said ‘Don’t quit.’ I said ‘We’re going to win this game,’” said Ralph. “I was saying it and I believed it at the time. I was right. We put in an effort and kept fighting. The third quarter almost cost us. But hopefully that doesn’t happen again and we can play a complete four quarters.”
With time winding down, Halvorson split the uprights to knot the score at 21-21 and set the table for overtime.
“He’s a super-athletic kid,” said Ralph of Halvorson. “Mentally, he’s gotten a lot tougher this year and I think he’s really turning into a football player. He’s turning into a darn good football player and we’re going to need him for the next two games, hopefully. So he did a great job down stretch.”
With Evans sidelined in the final 33 seconds, the Rams turned to Jacobs.
“The thing I admire about him is no matter what you ask him to do or tell him to do, no matter what the situation, he’s confident,” said Ralph. “He truly believes in himself and it showed there. To have a quarter who’s full of confidence is good and it won the game because we came in and ran the same play as we ran with John and we executed. So I’m proud of him. He’s a kid who has confidence and I thought he could do it.”
Halvorson punched in the winning touchdown, but credited Jacobs for setting up the drive to get him there.
“Zach is an amazing kid, he has lots of talent,” said Halvorson. “Especially for a backup quarterback coming in in this big of a game in overtime. It was crazy, an excellent job.”
With the win, the Rams will advance to the south final and take on the number-one ranked St. Francis Browns Saturday at Shouldice Park in Calgary at 1 p.m.
After Saturday’s game, Evans’ status was uncertain.
Following the hit late in the game, the quarterback lay motionless on the field while being attended to by trainers and coaches before being helped off the field.
“All I can say is I think number five (Evans) is the best football player in the province,” said Ralph. “I may be a bit biased, but I truly believe that. I hope we have him next week, but the kids’ safety always comes first. But we’re hoping to have him.”
On Friday, the Cardston Cougars advanced to the Tier III South Regional final thanks to a 57-7 win over the Sylvan Lake Lakers and will take on the top-ranked Cochrane Cobras next Saturday at 1 p.m. in Cochrane.
In Tier IV action Saturday, the first-seeded Claresholm Willow Creek Cobras downed the Canmore Wolverines 36-6, while the second-seeded Taber W.R. Myers Rebels beat the Calgary Rundle College Cobras 28-14.
The Cobras and Rebels will play each other in the South Regional final on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Claresholm.