Late field goal sends Owls to title game
■ MUS rallies from 23-point first-half deficit to advance
MUS 46, BRENTWOOD ACA. 45
The Memphis University School football team advanced to its first TSSAA Division 2-AA state championship appearance in three years Friday night.
But not before staging arguably the grandest comeback in school history.
Against a Brentwood Academy team that got off to a fast start in the opening half and seemed well on its way to coasting to a lopsided win, the Owls manufactured a 4645 comeback against the Eagles that left a large contingent of fans in awe as they filed out of MUS’ Stokes Stadium.
Junior kicker Gary Wunderlich connected on a 38-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to end the suspense as the Owls clinched a trip to the state title game for the first time since 2009 when they won back-to-back titles.
With the win, MUS advanced to play defending Div. 2-AA champion Nashville Ensworth, which knocked off Nashville Montgomery Bell, 35-7, in the other Div. 2-AA semifinal on Friday.
In extending its undefeated streak to seven games, MUS (10-2) overcame an early 23-0 deficit and five first-half turnovers against the Eagles (9-3), whose players were left stunned and in tears by game’s end. Three of the Owls’ mishaps resulted in Brentwood Academy scores in the opening half, but MUS exhibited some newfound resilience and never lost its composure.
Instead, the opportunistic Owls, behind the hot arm of senior quarterback Jordan Rodgers, a Mr. Football finalist who completed 17 of 23 passes for 409 yards and three scores, steadily chipped away at its deficit as both teams spent a majority of the second half trading scores. But Friday’s contest was decided by the foot of Wunderlich.
“It seems like a dream,” Wunderlich said. “This is something you dream about. But this game put us in the state championship.”
Trailing 45-30 heading into the fourth quarter, the Owls got a stellar performance from wide receiver Devin Perry. He caught a 32-yard score from Rodgers to make it 45-37 then caught a 96-yarder with 7:26 to go to make it 45-43 after a failed two-point conversion.
Perry finished with seven catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns.
“Well, I’m just thankful to our players and coaches for staying poised and confident through it all,” MUS coach Bobby Alston said. “I’ve been in this for 35 years. I’ve been through quite a few like this.”