By Johnny Wheeler
Special Contributor
A game which started out looking like a Salado Eagles romp ended up being more like a late-November heavyweight playoff match-up. The Malakoff Tigers, ranked #7 in Class 3A, rallied from a two touchdown fourth quarter deficit to pull out a thrilling 29-27 Double Overtime win over Salado Friday at Panther Stadium in Hewitt.
The two teams battled to a 14-14 deadlock in regulation. The Eagles had the ball first in Overtime, and after Quarterback Luke Law hit his cousin Roman on a pass to the 19, he did his impression of the Fosberry Flop high-jump technique, to leap over defenders for a crucial first down. After a pass to Seth Reavis reached the six Law rolled right then threw back to the left corner of the end zone where Kase Maedgen hauled it in. Daniel Chtay added the PAT and Salado led 21-14.
Malakoff’s Bubba Hicks reeled off a 16-yard touchdown run, and the kick sent the game to the second extra session.
The decisive second overtime only lasted a short time. With the Eagles on defense, a holding penalty on Malakoff’s first play pushed the Tigers back to the 35, from where Quarterback Mike Jones connected with Austin Massingill for a touchdown. Hicks, one of three Tiger running backs, powered his way to the two-point conversion and it was 29-21, Malakoff.
It took one play for the Eagles to answer, and Law lofted a perfect scoring pass to Morgan Adams to set up a potential tying two point try. Law rolled right and threw back trying to hit a diving Reavis, whose great effort came up just short of making a circus catch.
Salado was the home team, wearing red jerseys and helmets with white pants. The Eagles started at their 24, and Law engineered a 4 and a half minute scoring drive which was highlighted by a 51-yard pass to Reavis, who evaded two defenders to set the offense up at the Malakoff 13. Law promptly threw a swing pass to Kase Maedgen in the right flat who won the race to the goal line, diving across to put Salado on the scoreboard. Chtay’s PAT made it 7-0 Eagles with 7:36 to play in the first quarter.
The two defenses took over, and both teams traded punts, with Salado taking over at its 42 with :35 left in the first quarter. Law lofted a strike to Maedgen, and a great run by the junior set the Eagles up at Malakoff’s 18 as the first quarter ended with Salado up 7-0.
Law opened play in the second stanza with a scramble to the Tiger 8. Three Maedgen runs set up fourthvand goal at the one. Salado Coach Tom Westerberg, who calls plays from the sideline, took a timeout. Salado went for it on fourth down but the tough Malakoff defense held, taking over at the one with 9:28 to play before halftime.
A big hit by Drew Bird knocked the ball loose, but the Tigers recovered at the 10. Sophomore Tiger running back Jason Tennyson, who came into the game averaging 126 yards per game rushing, reeled off two runs to the 48. A 40-yard connection from White to tight end Zack Studley was called back. Malakoff went back to the running game, and drove to the Salado 15 where Dylan Combs recovered a fumble for the Eagles.
Salado punted back to Malakoff, and the defense closed out the first half with Linebackers Nolan Miller and Adam Benavides standing tall. The half ended with a punt to the Salado 41, and the Eagles took a 7-0 lead to the locker room.
Malakoff’s running game ate up almost half of the third quarter, with Tennyson and Jackson sharing carries. A 35-yard pass to Studley set up first and goal at the 9. The Salado defense rose up and forced a 24-yard field goal try which was no good, and the Eagles retained a 7-0 lead with 6:26 to play in the third quarter.
The ensuing drive started on the Eagles’ 20. Salado drove to the 39, and QB Law connected with WR Law for a 53-yard pass and run to the Malakoff 8. The 80-yard drive ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Law to Reavis. The kick made it 14-0 entering the fourth quarter.
Malakoff answered with its own 80-yard scoring drive, and it was 14-7 early in period four. After a Salado punt, the Tigers took over near midfield. The Tigers employed all three running backs, burning clock and eating up yardage. Hicks finished off the drive from the power set, and his one-yard run made it 14-13, with the kick tying the score at 14 with 6:21 to play. Salado punted on its next possession, and Malakoff did the same, but a booming 62-yard kick and roll pushed the Eagles back to the eight yard line with 3:18 to play. Salado was forced to punt, and it rolled dead at midfield with 1:02 left. The Eagles defense tipped a pass away, then a quarterback scramble set up third down. Drew Bird made a huge hit inside the ten, forcing an incompletion, and the game was headed to overtime.
It was a tough loss for 2-1 Salado, but the team fought to the very end. Academy visits Eagle Field Friday.