DARLINGTON - In heartbreaking fashion, the Darlington football team squandered a 12-point lead and lost a thrilling homecoming game, 21-18, to Iowa-Grant Friday afternoon.
With Darlington clinging to an 18-14 lead, special teams disaster struck when the Redbirds botched a snap on a punt and the Panthers took over at the Redbirds' 35-yard line at 5 minutes, 23 seconds in the fourth quarter. Three plays later, Iowa-Grant senior quarterback Jared Spitzer connected on a go-ahead 34-yard TD pass to Justin Washburn to give the Panthers a 21-18 lead.
Darlington (2-3, 1-2 SWAL) had one last-ditch chance with 3:35 left. Darlington sophomore quarterback Alex Erickson engineered a 35-yard drive, which was thwarted when Iowa-Grant senior Jacob Marshall intercepted his second pass to seal the Panthers' comeback win.
"It's a loss, but homecoming, you don't want to lose those ones; especially when you have about 10 chances to win the game and you don't take advantage of them," Erickson said.
Darlington coach Scott Zywicki didn't buy the notion that a botched snap was the back breaking game changer.
"There were all kinds of plays we had an opportunity to make," Zywicki said. "It wasn't just that play. The timing was not good. That is just one of many mistakes."
The Redbirds have lost two straight games by a combined 10 points.
"Obviously, my goal at the start of the year, and hopefully theirs, was to win the conference," Zywicki said. "That goal is probably out the door. We have to look in the mirror. Are you doing everything you can for yourself and the team? Are you watching film? Are you doing all the little things to help us win?"
The Redbirds cashed in on a 13-play, 93-yard opening drive punctuated when Carson Crist pitched the ball back on a reverse to Erickson, who raced in for a 16-yard TD run.
The Redbirds' second scoring drive was set up by Darlington senior Nik Geissbuhler's leaping 18-yard catch on a pass from Erickson. Darlington senior Adam Reichling capped the drive by darting in for a 3-yard TD run to give the Redbirds a 12-0 lead with 10:40 left in the second quarter.
Iowa-Grant had a golden scoring opportunity in the second quarter when the Redbirds were called for a face mask, which gave the Panthers an automatic first down at the Redbirds' 34-yard line. The Redbirds' defense buckled down and forced the Panthers into a turnover on downs.
Erickson threw an interception later in the quarter, that Marshall returned to the Redbirds' 19-yard line. The Redbirds' defense nearly came up with a goal line stand, though. But on fourth-and-goal, Spitzer spun to escape a sack and scrambled to buy time before sailing a 10-yard TD pass to Washburn to cut the Redbirds' lead to 12-7 at 3:57 in the second quarter.
A Crist interception derailed a Panthers' late second quarter drive to preserve the lead.
The Redbirds' defense stepped up with Darlington senior Ethan Pickett intercepting a pass and running it down to the Panthers' 14-yard line. However, Darlington's offense sputtered in the third quarter with two straight turnover on downs and a three-and-out.
Darlington senior Jeff Reichling rushed for 86 yards on 21 carries.
Erickson, who rushed for 85 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns, knows what bogged down the offense. Erickson also completed 6-of-15 passes for 88 yards.
"We just shot ourselves in the foot and made bad reads," Erickson said. "We beat ourselves. We came out and made mistakes and they took advantage of them."
The Panthers seized the opportunity with Spitzer hitting Sam Livingston with a 38-yard pass. Spitzer again hooked up with Livingston on a 47-yard go-ahead TD pass to give the Panthers a 14-12 lead with 3:16 left in the third quarter.
Spitzer completed 14-of-24 passes for 220 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Livingston finished with seven receptions for 157 yards.
The Redbirds' defense forced a third turnover - a fumble recovery by Pickett - that was cashed in by Darlington's offense when Erickson scored a 27-yard TD run at the start of the fourth quarter to regain the lead at 18-14.
That set the stages for the Panthers' fourth-quarter comeback.
"I think we lost intensity," Pickett said. "That is our problem. We have a team that is capable. We have the talent. We just need to put it all together and finish games."
With Darlington clinging to an 18-14 lead, special teams disaster struck when the Redbirds botched a snap on a punt and the Panthers took over at the Redbirds' 35-yard line at 5 minutes, 23 seconds in the fourth quarter. Three plays later, Iowa-Grant senior quarterback Jared Spitzer connected on a go-ahead 34-yard TD pass to Justin Washburn to give the Panthers a 21-18 lead.
Darlington (2-3, 1-2 SWAL) had one last-ditch chance with 3:35 left. Darlington sophomore quarterback Alex Erickson engineered a 35-yard drive, which was thwarted when Iowa-Grant senior Jacob Marshall intercepted his second pass to seal the Panthers' comeback win.
"It's a loss, but homecoming, you don't want to lose those ones; especially when you have about 10 chances to win the game and you don't take advantage of them," Erickson said.
Darlington coach Scott Zywicki didn't buy the notion that a botched snap was the back breaking game changer.
"There were all kinds of plays we had an opportunity to make," Zywicki said. "It wasn't just that play. The timing was not good. That is just one of many mistakes."
The Redbirds have lost two straight games by a combined 10 points.
"Obviously, my goal at the start of the year, and hopefully theirs, was to win the conference," Zywicki said. "That goal is probably out the door. We have to look in the mirror. Are you doing everything you can for yourself and the team? Are you watching film? Are you doing all the little things to help us win?"
The Redbirds cashed in on a 13-play, 93-yard opening drive punctuated when Carson Crist pitched the ball back on a reverse to Erickson, who raced in for a 16-yard TD run.
The Redbirds' second scoring drive was set up by Darlington senior Nik Geissbuhler's leaping 18-yard catch on a pass from Erickson. Darlington senior Adam Reichling capped the drive by darting in for a 3-yard TD run to give the Redbirds a 12-0 lead with 10:40 left in the second quarter.
Iowa-Grant had a golden scoring opportunity in the second quarter when the Redbirds were called for a face mask, which gave the Panthers an automatic first down at the Redbirds' 34-yard line. The Redbirds' defense buckled down and forced the Panthers into a turnover on downs.
Erickson threw an interception later in the quarter, that Marshall returned to the Redbirds' 19-yard line. The Redbirds' defense nearly came up with a goal line stand, though. But on fourth-and-goal, Spitzer spun to escape a sack and scrambled to buy time before sailing a 10-yard TD pass to Washburn to cut the Redbirds' lead to 12-7 at 3:57 in the second quarter.
A Crist interception derailed a Panthers' late second quarter drive to preserve the lead.
The Redbirds' defense stepped up with Darlington senior Ethan Pickett intercepting a pass and running it down to the Panthers' 14-yard line. However, Darlington's offense sputtered in the third quarter with two straight turnover on downs and a three-and-out.
Darlington senior Jeff Reichling rushed for 86 yards on 21 carries.
Erickson, who rushed for 85 yards on 15 carries and two touchdowns, knows what bogged down the offense. Erickson also completed 6-of-15 passes for 88 yards.
"We just shot ourselves in the foot and made bad reads," Erickson said. "We beat ourselves. We came out and made mistakes and they took advantage of them."
The Panthers seized the opportunity with Spitzer hitting Sam Livingston with a 38-yard pass. Spitzer again hooked up with Livingston on a 47-yard go-ahead TD pass to give the Panthers a 14-12 lead with 3:16 left in the third quarter.
Spitzer completed 14-of-24 passes for 220 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Livingston finished with seven receptions for 157 yards.
The Redbirds' defense forced a third turnover - a fumble recovery by Pickett - that was cashed in by Darlington's offense when Erickson scored a 27-yard TD run at the start of the fourth quarter to regain the lead at 18-14.
That set the stages for the Panthers' fourth-quarter comeback.
"I think we lost intensity," Pickett said. "That is our problem. We have a team that is capable. We have the talent. We just need to put it all together and finish games."
