Bluejays survive two-overtime thriller
Two-point conversion gives No. 14 Tabor first ever KCAC title in 43-42 finish
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
With the chance of boldly doing what no Bluejay football team has ever done — winning a KCAC title — relying on a successful PAT, Tabor coach Mike Gardner decided to go for the win.
Trailing Saturday afternoon in Newton against the Bethel Threshers, 42-41, the Bluejays could either force a third overtime with a good kick, or win their first ever KCAC crown pending a two-point conversion.
In big game situations, the unlikeliest often emerge as the hero.
Don't expect the Bethel Threshers or their fans, to forget Bluejay tight end John Garcia soon.
The most noise Garcia has made on the field this season is catching a touchdown.
Rolling to the right on the PAT attempt on the final play of the second overtime, Tabor quarterback Ricky Ishida hit Garcia in the end zone for the two-point conversion.
Garcia's catch drove the dagger right through the Threshers' heart, securing the league title for the Bluejays (8-0, 7-0 KCAC) with an incredible 43-42 win.
"Our kids hung in just like they have all year, we showed a lot of resolve and a lot of resiliency," said an exhausted Gardner. "We did a really good job when we had to and Ricky Ishida made a great play there at the end.
"The unlikeliest of guys in the world caught the football, John Garcia, and it was pandemonium after that."
Tabor faced pandemonium most of the game in not being able to close the deal on the Threshers and being hampered by questionable calls. The Bluejays were hit 15 times for 101 yards worth of infractions.
Lone senior CJ Hill picked off two Bethel passes, both setting up Tabor touchdowns. Hill had a whale of a game, adding a 67-yard kickoff return to help the Bluejays take a 21-10 lead in the first half.
The first helped the Bluejays jump to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter with Ishida finding Caleb Marsh for a 10-yard score.
Ishida was 14-for-34 for 190 yards passing and a trio of TDs, again being named the KCAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time while carrying 10 times for 53 yards and three more touchdowns.
For the first time this season, Tabor was outdone offensively with the Threshers putting up 442 yards, 253 through the air.
While the Tabor defense was running out of gas, the Threshers seemed to get stronger as the game wore on, trimming the Bluejay lead to 14-10 late in the first half.
Layne Frick's 20-yard catch from Ishida gave the Bluejays some breathing room at halftime, 21-20. Frick finished with three catches for a team-high 53 yards. One week removed from arguably the best special teams game of the year, Tabor couldn't duplicate its performance.
Brian Kimsey had two punts blocked, both allowing Bethel stay in the neighborhood, eventually slicing what had been a 28-10 game to 10 points.
Philip Barron stung the Tabor defense, carrying 31 times for a game-high 109 yards and two touchdowns while throwing for one. One touchdown run cut Tabor's lead to 28-25 with 5:12 left in regulation.
The Bluejays had a chance to again make it a two-possession game for the Threshers, but their drive stalled at the Bethel 41, forcing a Kimsey punt.
The Threshers forced overtime with 23 seconds left. Michael Montez coolly split the uprights on a 25-yard field goal.
Starting both overtimes on offense, Ishida aired it out for Ben Brown on second down for a 22-yard touchdown. Marcus Manny's kick put the Bluejays in front, 35-28.
Barron sent the game into a second overtime, scoring on a four-yard run.
A one-yard sneak by Victor Flores gave the Threshers their first lead of the game against a winded Bluejay defense, 42-35.
Facing a fourth-and-four, Tabor's undefeated season was hanging in the balance before Ishida found Caleb Marsh for a 12-yard completion to keep it alive.
Ted Telemaque paced the Bluejay ground attack, carrying 29 times for 94 yards. Five of the 94 got Tabor two yards away from tying, or potentially winning.
The Bluejays once again stared death in the face on fourth-and-one.
It appeared Ishida was stopped on the run, but he cleared the plane with a second push.
Originally, Gardner sent the kicking team out to go for the tie but a Bethel timeout changed his mind.
"Our defense was tired," Gardner said of his choice to go for the win. "I didn't think if we sent our guys back out there again that we were going to be able to (hold on.)
"Bethel had all the momentum and they were fresher than we were. They're a good football team, there's no question about it."
Garcia's catch sent the Bluejays rushing onto the field and many of the players, including Gardner, in tears.
The Bluejays close out the home-portion of their schedule Saturday, hosting the Bethany Swedes and their high-powered defense.
Game time is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Reimer Field.
