Late-Game Turnaround Favors Fortunate Ferris
Football optimists love to say that every problem one faces on the field merely is an opportunity. From now on, when Ferris High School coach Clarence Hough says that, it would be a good idea to listen. With barely 3-1/2 minutes to play Friday night at University, the Saxons faced an 87-yard opportunity which they eventually turned into a football miracle, a 22-19 Greater Spokane League victory over the Titans.
Quarterback Justin Bursch connected with junior wide receiver Jonathon Parker for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds left to finish the drive and hand U-High an agonizing defeat after the Titans made two crucial fourth-quarter mistakes.
“You just have to believe it can happen,” Hough said at midfield as the Saxons (1-1) wrapped up an off-key version of the Ferris fight song. “We played a great third quarter, but the wheels sort of came off in the fourth until the end. Can you believe that finish?”
The Saxons had taken a 14-13 lead on Joe Bourg’s one-yard run and Bursch’s two-point conversion with 40 seconds left in the third period, and Ferris dodged a bullet when University’s Kelly Tift missed a field goal chance from 48 yards after booting two in the first half.
On the Saxons’ next series, though, Bursch was intercepted by Titan Jason Bright, and Tim Buchanan bulled over on a two-yard run 12 plays later for a 19-14 University lead with 3:50 to play.
Two plays later, the Saxons were facing the gloomy prospect of an 0-2 GSL start when Bursch was picked again, this time by Damon Foreman, who returned the interception to the Ferris 13.
Presented with a great opportunity of their own, the Titans lost the ball on the first play when Buchanan fumbled, and the events that followed were enough to convince any Saxon fan that the glass is always at least half full.
On fourth-and-inches at the Saxon 25, Bursch swept for 16 yards. Several plays later, after an offensive pass interference call and the Titans’ third sack of the game, Ferris faced fourth-and-30 at the Saxon 38.
Bursch’s bomb fell short, but University had drawn a flag for roughing the passer, giving Ferris an automatic first down near midfield. Then, in the last minute, the Saxon QB connected with sophomore Nick Bozo to the Titan 29, hit Parker for a gain to University’s 16 and finally lofted the game-winner on third-and-10.
Ty Williams rushed for 150 yards on 12 carries for Ferris and Buchanan gained 139 for the Titans. U-High’s Jason Berger caught nine passes for 94 yards.
, DataTimes