They got absolutely hosed today. First of all, Chadron blew a 24-3 lead. But anyway, Chadron was up 31-24 with 2:36 left, Mesa with the ball on their own 2 yardline. First play, they hit a bomb down the middle of the field to the 50. Mesa hit many bombs, you would think Chadron's defenders would learn not to allow the receiver get behind them, but that happened at least 5 or 7 times. So, Mesa has a first down from around Chadron's 8 with about 1 minute left, a draw play and a Chadron defender tackles the Mesa player about 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage, but he picked up the running back and slammed him into the turf, a very hard tackle. An official tossed a flag, personal foul half the distance to the goal. The crowd was incensed, but I have seen this called before and other times, I have not seen this called. It was an unnecessarily hard tackle. So, Mesa gets 1st down at Chadron 5 yardline. On 3rd and goal from 5 with 45 seconds left, a pass interference was called on Chadron defender. It didn't look obvious, although it did look like the receiver was hooked as he broke on his route. So, Mesa gets another new set of downs. After a running play, Mesa wastes a spike on 2nd down with 30 seconds left and still having 1 timeout. On the 3rd down play from the 2 incomplete pass. On 4th down with about 20 seconds left, the qb scrambles up the middle and as he's approaching the endzone, he fumbles and Chadron recovers in the endzone. Officials ruled the qb broke the plane of the goalline before fumbling. I was standing right on the goalline and could clearly see the ball was out at the 1/2 yardline, maybe even a full yard before the endzone. This was a bad bad call. On the extra point, Chadron gets a hand on the extra point, but the ball still sneaks over the crossbar.
So, we go to overtime. After a 3 minute intermission, they do the coin toss, Chadron wins, goes on defense. Mesa about to line up, and the official signal timeout for injured player. Strange, to have a timeout for injured player AFTER a 3 minute intermission with no injury happening on the previous play (the extra point). Anyway, the Mesa team was huddled all around someone on their sideline, someone must have collapsed or something. Hope whoever was injured will be alright.
Mesa with ball gets quick touchdown with a receiver all alone in the endzone wide open. Mesa gets extra point, 38-31. Chadron responds with chunk running plays up the middle and score a quick touchdown, Jalen Starks leaped into the endzone, and stretching the ball over the goalline in mid-air, he fumbled, but he was clearly across goalline by 2 whole yards. That would have been something if that was ruled a fumble especially after the Mesa touchdown that was not ruled a fumble. On the Starks touchdown, Mesa was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Chadron, opts to take half the distance to go for the win. Starks was called for a draw up the middle and was stopped short, not even close. Didn't ever get to the line of scrimmage.
Game over Chadron lost 38-37.
Postgame comments, Jay Long said that he'd seen this officiating crew had questionable calls from previous games, and once he saw that it was this officiating crew, he said he knew what Chadron was in for. The radio guy said he didn't have to say anything else, don't want to the coach fined.
So, we go to overtime. After a 3 minute intermission, they do the coin toss, Chadron wins, goes on defense. Mesa about to line up, and the official signal timeout for injured player. Strange, to have a timeout for injured player AFTER a 3 minute intermission with no injury happening on the previous play (the extra point). Anyway, the Mesa team was huddled all around someone on their sideline, someone must have collapsed or something. Hope whoever was injured will be alright.
Mesa with ball gets quick touchdown with a receiver all alone in the endzone wide open. Mesa gets extra point, 38-31. Chadron responds with chunk running plays up the middle and score a quick touchdown, Jalen Starks leaped into the endzone, and stretching the ball over the goalline in mid-air, he fumbled, but he was clearly across goalline by 2 whole yards. That would have been something if that was ruled a fumble especially after the Mesa touchdown that was not ruled a fumble. On the Starks touchdown, Mesa was called for unsportsmanlike conduct. Chadron, opts to take half the distance to go for the win. Starks was called for a draw up the middle and was stopped short, not even close. Didn't ever get to the line of scrimmage.
Game over Chadron lost 38-37.
Postgame comments, Jay Long said that he'd seen this officiating crew had questionable calls from previous games, and once he saw that it was this officiating crew, he said he knew what Chadron was in for. The radio guy said he didn't have to say anything else, don't want to the coach fined.
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