Rockies lose heartbreaker in final minute

GOSHEN — It was a different show but unfortunately the same finale as Goshen scored in the final minute to take a 7-6 lead.

The script was a good one to start, a reprise of the last few games, with Plymouth moving the ball on offense and punching in a score on their second possession. The Rockies ended the night with 258 yards on offense, allowing Goshen just 137 yards.

“It’s frustrating to move the ball all over the place and your defense plays their butts off and aside from a ‘hey good job, good effort’ there’s nothing to show for it,” said Plymouth head coach Adam Handley. The Rockies took the opening kickoff on a solid drive well into Goshen territory but the negative plot line in the story reared its ugly head. A crucial penalty killed a promising opening drive.

“We had way too many offensive penalties,” said Handley. “Maybe we’ve been that way all season and they just didn’t call it. Those are drive killers. Move the ball and move the ball and then you do that.”

Several holding calls at crucial moments really hurt an offense that was able to move the ball in various ways.

“We haven’t had those kinds of penalties all season,” said Handley. “It’s hard to win football games with that many penalties.”

After the early score, the Rockies still were able to move the ball and a revived and vital Plymouth defense helped the Rockies dominate much of the game.

“They were on their thirdstring quarterback (sophomore Elliot Frey) and he is a converted middle linebacker and we knew they weren’t going to want to throw a lot and we were able to get home,” said Handley of

a very strong defensive performance. “The unfortunate thing is that all that anybody is going to remember is that last drive. Our defense played their buts off.”

The Plymouth defense not only stifled the Red Hawk offense but had a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery as well.

Goshen punter Noah

Alford had a great night helping his team out by changing field position with long kicks and dueled with Plymouth punter Justin Garrett over who could change field position for their team the best.

Alford’s almost perfect punt at around the 7-minute mark in the fourth quarter pinned Plymouth inside the one.

Plymouth was able to move the ball out of the shadow of their end zone before giving the ball back to the Red Hawks at their 45 and with under four minutes to play Goshen started on the drive that would give them their first lead of the game, and the win with 1:08 to play.

Plymouth made a run, taking the ball all the way to the Goshen 18 but a fumble by Plymouth QB Exsander Ramirez — hit from behind escaping pressure — would essentially end it with :33 left.

“From what I saw was almost a ‘when is something bad going to happen’ instead of continuing to do what we are doing,” said Handley. “We have to learn to keep doing what we are doing and finish the game.”

Plymouth is now 0-7 and will return home next week to take on Northridge. •GOSHEN 7, PLYMOUTH 6 at Goshen

Plymouth 6 0 0 0 — 6 Goshen 0 0 0 7 — 7 Scoring summary

First quarter

P — Exzander Ramirez pass complete to Maxwell Lewandowski for 11 yards. (Carrillo kick, no good.) Fourth quarter

G — Thomas Castillo pass complete to Jace Hersberger for 6 yards. (Caden Hodge kick is good.) Rushing — (Plymouth 38-130) Ramirez 25-116, Blalock 4-11, Gibbons 9-3. (Goshen 25-57) Elliot 6-34, Fry 8-11, Castillo 6-8, Ellison 1-8.

Passing — Ramirez 19-28, 128 TD. Fry 13-21, 80 TD.