-- This we know; Ty has been here before
Welcome back everyone. Here's how the bracket looks after Team Hansen defeated Team Smith earlier today in part one of our doubleheader.
Today's contest brings the #1 seed Team Henderson against the play-in winner and #8 seed Team Newt.
Team Henderson is led by ...
QB Robbie Bosco DL Jason Buck
RB Curtis Brown DL Chris Hoke
RB Kalin Hall LB Kurt Goiveia
WR Eric Drage LB Brady Poppinga
WR Kaipo Mcguire DB Andrew Rich
WR Devon Blackmon DB Tim McTyer
TE Chris Smith
Team Newt counters with ...
RB Fahu Tahi DL Eathyn Manumaleuna
RB Vai Sikahema LB Butch Pau'u
WR Todd Watkins LB David Nixon
WR Mitch Mathews DB Michael Davis
WR JD Falslev DB Nate Soelberg
TE Dennis Pitta
Date: 8/18/2020
Location: Northridge High
Odds: Team Henderson -6.5
Over/Under: 51
First Half Recap
Team Henderson earned the #1 seed on the strength of his top ranked defensive line and defensive backs. Fortunately for Team Newt, this defense is extremely similar to the one he just went up against in the play-in game. In that contest Team Newt's offense got four quarters of experience going against a strong defensive line (Tonga and Kaufusi) and a strong secondary (Sorenson and Nacua). They know how to cope.
As a result Ty Detmer leads a steady drive on his first possession of the game, featuring a 33-yard jumping grab from Mitch Mathews. Fahu Tahi extends his arm into the end zone on 2nd and goal and it's 7-0 for Team Newt. No slow start this time for Detmer and company.
Team Henderson responds with a diversified offensive attack. Every skill player on the team touches the ball at least once on the drive. On 3rd and goal Robbie Bosco (not to be confused with former head coach Rosco Mendenhall) rolls out and finds Blackmon for his first TD as a Cougar. Oh no! There's a flag on the play. Shades of Blackmon's TD that wasn't from the BYU vs Boise game in 2015 are in the air as the play is called back for holding. Team Henderson settles for a field goal.
It took five quarters but on the next drive Detmer finally connects with Watkins deep. It's a 66-yard TD strike that leaves Andrew Rich flat-footed and propels the #8 seed to a 14-3 lead on the tournament favorite.
Team Henderson comes back showing little signs of panic. It's a ball control offense, a handoff to Curtis Brown, a toss to Kalin Hall, a conversion to Chris Smith. Methodically Team Henderson marches into the redzone until the drive stalls again. The field goal team trots out and who else shows up at the party but the long finger of Eathyn Manumaleuna! The field goal is blocked!
The teams trade scoreless drives in the second quarter. Team Henderson punts the ball away with 18 seconds left and everyone expects Team Newt to kneel on the ball. Guess what? When Ty Detmer is disrespected with the #8 seed in an 8 team tournament, he doesn't kneel.
On the first snap Coach Newt calls for a pass and Detmer finds Pitta for 13 yards. The ball barely clears Goiveia's outstretched hand and in the booth Marc Lyons drops our favorite sporting cliche: "Football is a game of inches, Greg!" After a spike to stop the clock Detmer finds Sikahema down the middle for 22. With three seconds left Team Newt attempts a 49-yard field goal. It's good, making the half time score 17-3.
Second Half Recap
You know when a pitcher is throwing a perfect game and no one in the dugout approaches him or says anything to him during the game? That's the vibe the players on Team Newt's sideline have going with Ty Detmer. Ty isn't throwing a perfect game -- Ty's perfect game started with 4 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD, and 49 straight points in ONE HALF against Utah in 198911. I like to think that much of the joyous nature of Taylor Swift's 1989 album was inspired by this absolute ass stomping Ty gave the Utes. -- but it's clear that he's locked in.
His offensive weapons aren't the best in the tournament, but they all serve a role. Watkins as the deep threat, Mathews as the large target man, Pitta as the intermediate catcher of everything. And don't forget Fahu Tahi caught 41 passes from John Beck in 2005, good for 4th on the team, while Sikahema caught over 500 yards of passes his senior season as well.
Collectively Detmer throws 9 passes on his first drive out of halftime. And his receivers catch 9 passes. Pitta scores the touchdown and its 24-3 for Team Newt.
On the Henderson sideline Eric Drage's head is about to explode. He calls for the ball and immediately good things start happening for Bosco. But good things have happened all game for Team Henderson's offense ... until they get into scoring position. The curse rears its head again this drive. Bosco finds Chris Smith for a 19-yard completion and it's first and goal for Team Henderson. In the huddle Drage wants to finish the drive; he calls for the fade. Bosco lobs the ball into the corner. Michael Davis jumps and deflects the ball ... and its intercepted by Butch Pau'u in the endzone.
The very next drive Buck and Hoke are ramping up the pressure, and the crazy Poppinga brother is coming off the edge unblocked. Unfortunately for Team Henderson, a whole lot of this is occurring on the field:
When Tim McTyer knocks down a pass intended for Mathews to finally force a fourth down, the Henderson defense breaths a sigh of relief.
Until they see Ty huddling with the offense.
Ty finds Pitta on 4th and 7 and the drive ultimately culminates in a Sikahema TD catch on a crossing route. It's 31-3 and the score doesn't get any closer until garbage time.
Late in the fourth quarter Team Henderson scores twice, once on a Curtis Brown rumble from 39 yards away; once on a Bosco to Chris Smith strike. In total Team Henderson manages 497 yards of offense to Team Newt's 525, but Team Henderson only scores 10 points on their six trips into the redzone.
The final score is 34-17 for Team Newt. Ty Detmer notches his second career upset over the #1 team in the land.
Final Score
Team Newt 34
Team Henderson 17
Player of the Game
Ty Detmer 26/41, 486 yards, 3 TDs, 0 interceptions
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