By Chris LaClair
Eagle Times Sports Editor
NEWPORT, NH — In a game that would make the 2017 New England Patriots Superbowl Champions proud of an improbable comeback, the grades 3-5 Claremont Mini Cardinals came back from a 12-0 deficit with less than 3 minutes on the clock to win 14-12 on the road Sunday, Sept. 17.
The Mini Cardinals set the tone early on the first possession with two huge tackles from Wyatt Sibley that forced a long punt off the foot of Tiger Colton Pond. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they would give the ball back on the next play after picking up a huge first down on an Eli Flood run as they fumbled the ball away.
The Cardinals would put the defensive pressure back on the Tigers with another forced fumble by Pond to take over possession at their own 20-yard line. The drive would stall again as they were forced to punt after going three and out.
Pond would take the next carry to the house on a 34-yard touchdown rush into the endzone as he broke several tackle attempts along the way. The Tigers failed on the 2-point conversion for a 6-0 lead.
The Cardinals would get another chance to orchestrate a drive; however, they fumbled again to give the Tigers a chance to extend their lead before halftime. Speedy Jaxon Gosselin would break off a 44-yard run to set the Tigers up with great field position at the 8-yard line. Pond ran to the outside before trying to cut back inside but a determined line of the Cardinals would get a game changing stop at the 1-yard line as time expired. The team went into halftime only down 6-0.
Any momentum gained by the Cardinals on the big goal line before half was negated when they were forced to punt going 3 and out again. Pond would take the first touch again for a 40-yard touchdown run, his second rushing touchdown of the game. They would fail again on the 2-point conversion to settle for a 12-0 lead.
The Cardinals fumbled again on the next possession; turnovers were their downfall. Newport would also fumble on their next possession and the Cardinals would follow with a punt.
This is where the storybook comeback began for the Cardinals. Ray Lewis Jr. would break off a run to the right side of the field with blockers providing the space for a 45-yard touchdown run. Joshua Chaloux would convert the 2-point conversion for a 12-8 Tigers lead.
The Tigers would have a chance to ice the game as the Cardinal coaches used two timeouts earlier in the half. They were stuffed on the line on three consecutive rushing attempts before punting the ball away with only 33 seconds remaining on the clock.
Lewis Jr. would run the halfback option on the next play with a beautiful throw. That throw then slipped through his receiver’s hands.
The crowd felt their fate was sealed but Lewis Jr. had a different approach.He took the next carry and willed his team to victory with a 55-yard touchdown run leaving only 9 seconds left on the clock.
Newport would not be able to score again as the time expired for a Cardinals win.
“I think we played well once all of the nerves were settled,” said Mini Cardinals Head Coach Will Russo. “There is always room for improvement and consistency, which is our next goal. Football is a game of mistakes and learning from them.”
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