Overton ends with a win

OVERTON — Send the seniors out with a win — that was a goal of the Overton High School Mustangs on Friday, and they were able to do that in the last game of the 2008 campaign.

Jacoba Gardner scored two touchdowns, Draze Kennedy one, and quarterback Peyton Crawford ran in for six and passed for a scoring run to fellow junior Telvin Darden, helping the Mustangs defeat District 20-A rival Cross Roads in Chester Roy Stadium Friday. Overton finished at 4-6 overall and 2-4 in district, ending a four-game skid.

Overton, in its first offensive of the game, moved from its 21-yard-line to the 26 by a Darden run. Gardner carried leather to the 'Stang 37, then again to the 44. Darden, on his next carry, pushed Overton into Cross Roads country at the Bobcat's 42. A penalty on Cross Roads cost the visitors ten yards. Two plays later, Darden threw a lateral pass to Kennedy, who dropped it. But the ball was not blown dead by the referees, so Kennedy scooped it into his hands and trotted another 12 yards. Gardner was given the ball again and wound a trail to the end zone. Senior Robert Gonzales missed the point after touchdown.

The very next time the ball was in Overton's hands began a move from the bottom of the first quarter into the second. Gardner returned Bobcat Victor Waldo's kick across the Mustang field and after two plays, Darden ran close to the Bobcat sideline until going out of bounds at Cross Roads' 38. Darden chose the sideline again for nine yards. Gardner, then John Michael Florey, forced a Bobcat retreat to their 19. Another Mustang snap and Gardner meandered through a crack in the Bobcat middle and scored. The 'Stangs put two more in lights from a Darden toss to Florey.

On third possession, because of a fumble by Bobcat Cody Bass fumble at his 46, the Green Machine advanced 18 yards in successive plays by Gardner and Darden. Casey Rinehart's footwork was good for ten more yards. Darden took to the air for Gardner, but the ball was just over his fingertips. Darden tried again in the succeeding call and this time connected with Gardner for a first down on the 17. Two plays and a 10-yard penalty on Cross Roads later, Crawford beat the 'Cat defense by a whisker into the EZ. Gonzales toed the PAT successfully.

Cross Roads scored six in its second effort of the first half, climaxed by a push from the 3-yard line from Steven Murff. Kicker Victor's Waldo's PAT was blocked.

Overton still led 21-6 through halftime. The Herd was stifled in two charges: first by a Florey fumble and next being forced to punt. The third time was the charm. Casey Rinehart brought back a Bass punt to the Mustang 48. Two plays more and Overton was past midfield. Darden aimed high and perfectly filled the hands of Kennedy, who turned almost unopposed below the uprights. Gonzales tacked on point 28.

A Bobcat fake on fourth down in the last seconds of the third quarter was short of the first down. The Mustangs got two plays done — the last a center scamper by Gardner to the opponent's 39. Darden carried for two more yards, but illegal procedure on the 'Stangs cost them to fall back to their 42. Crawford, stepping in as quarterback, threw to his predecessor Darden and the latter scooted in the last score for Overton. Gonzales kicked again, but his ball hit the goal without result.

Cross Roads answered that TD with their next campaign, beginning at their 45. Murff found Zac Arden via air mail and Arden found open real estate to the ten-yard line. Waldo forced a Bobcat move to yard three, then Murff engineered a quarterback sneak for the touchdown. Craig Ramsey attempted a two-point conversion and got it, with a flawless pass to Loden.

"I'm pleased with this team," said Ty Robinson, completing his debut season as football coach. "We played with intensity and we played well. ...But we had an open week [Oct. 31] and these kids came in with a good week of preparedness. ...We're going to build a program we can be proud of."