| 10/25/2008 2:30:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article | |||||
Burkett scores game-winning TD, South wins first sectional game since 2001 By John Groth Sports Editor GREENCASTLE – With the pouring rain coming down on them, Logan Petry and Jordan Burkett leapt into the already packed Southmont football team’s huddle. They could have celebrated in the wet mass for hours. There’s Petry, who pulled a neck muscle in the third quarter but still quarterbacked the Mounties’ to the game-tying second-half score, sore neck and all. Then, there’s Burkett, who with one major stiff-arm, scored the game-winning fourth-quarter touchdown and carried Southmont to its first Indiana High School Athletic Association sectional victory in seven years. Yeah, they had plenty to yell about. Burkett scored on a 23-yard run with 1:37 remaining and visiting Southmont held off Greencastle’s final last-dash effort for a 21-14 victory IHSAA first-round sectional victory Friday night. “I intended to go down the middle, then bumped it to the outside. I happened to get [the defender] with the stiff-arm,” said Burkett, who also caught a touchdown pass. “We feel like we’re a team, once we get to the outside, can beat anyone with our speed . . . This is telling the team that we’re headed in the right direction. I’m really excited for our next game. Words can’t even describe it.” Southmont, which has won five-straight games, will play Sagamore Athletic Conference rival Western Boone at 7 p.m. next Friday in the IHSAA Sectional 21 semifinals. Western Boone defeated conference rival Danville 33-32. Conference and county rival North Montgomery will take on West Vigo in the sectional’s other semifinal. “It’s amazing,” second-year Southmont coach Desson Hannum said. “I can’t say how excited I am for this program and for the kids right now. They fought in the second half and responded to challenges . . . In the second half, I challenged them to come out and play with emotion.” The Mounties (5-5) won their first sectional game since 2001, when they knocked out Crawfordsville 45-14 in the opening round. They achieved their first five-game win season since 2003 and next Friday, they’ll have the chance to win back-to-back sectional games – something they haven’t done since 1998. “I’m in awe right now,” offensive/defensive lineman Tyler Bridge said. “I’ve never felt this good, even when we won regionals in wrestling. Whoever we’ve got next better be ready for Southmont.” Trailing 14-7 at halftime, Southmont recovered. They didn’t let missed short-field opportunities, a partially-blocked punt or a late fourth-quarter fumble inside the Greencastle 10-yard-line foil their success. Instead, they kept making plays of their own – especially in the fourth quarter. After Greencastle blocked a punt, Southmont forced a fumble. After sophomore running back Micah Hatch fumbled inside the Tiger Cubs’ (5-5) 10-yard-line late in the fourth quarter, the Mounties’ defense remained strong again. They stuffed Greencastle back for yardage losses on two-straight plays and ended up forcing a punt. Then, with just over two minutes to go and Southmont with the ball inside the Greencastle 35-yard-line, the Mounties finally got their chance. Tanner Hill raced for a 10-yard run, which set up Burkett’s 23-yard dash and the game-winning score. Southmont pressured Greencastle junior quarterback Jordan Hickam all night and forced him into three straight interceptions – the final one by Austin Burton which ended theTiger Cubs’ comeback attempt. “Our defensive line the last three to four weeks has played better,” Hannum said. “We’ve had better pressure with the defensive front.” Southmont rushed for 191 yards on 43 carries, led by Burkett’s 105 on 14 carries. Petry went 6-of-13 for 94 yards and threw for two scores. Southmont’s defense held Greencastle to just 157 total yards, only 21 through the air. Petry was injured early in the third quarter after running for a first down on a third-and-12 play. He made a quick run to the outside and scampered for 13 yards before pulling a neck muscle. He missed the four plays and then lobbied to get back in the game for a scoring shot. Hannum put him back in, and on a fourth-and-12, Petry threw a bullet to junior running back Tanner Hill at the 10-yard-line. Hill made an over-the-shoulder catch and scored to tie the game. Afterward, Petry was all smiles. “It’s a pretty amazing feeling,” he said. “I was yelling at coach to put me back in [after injuring my neck]. I pulled a muscle in the back of my neck and they worked it out and was begging to be back in. You always feel better after a win. No matter how many hits you take or ho sore you’re going to be tomorrow, you don’t care.” | ||||||
