The Gordon Longhorns came into the game with the Highland Hornets supporting a perfect record. They left town with a perfect record but they were battered and bruised and lucky. There is an old saying, "sometimes it is better to be lucky than good". This was one of those times.
Gordon just last week beat their arch rival Strawn 57-50 in a come from behind fashion. That victory took a lot out of the Longhorns. They came out flat in the game with Highland. The Hornets scored first at the 5:33 mark in the first quarter to lead 8-0. They forced a turn over on downs and scored again to lead 16-0 with 4:09 left in the 1st Quarter.
Gordon managed to cut the lead to 16-8 with 3:31 left in the 1st Quarter only to see Highland take the lead 24-8. After back and forth possessions that would lead to scores by both teams, Highland lead 32-16 at the half.
Gordon did exactly what they needed to do at the beginning of the second half. They won the coin toss to begin the game and elected to defer. Receiving the ball at the start of the third quarter, the Longhorns returned the kick off for a touchdown. For the first time in this game the PAT was unsuccessful. The new score read 32-22 Highland. Gordon would score again and once again missed the PAT to draw within 4 points, 32-28. They could not hold Highland. The Hornets would lead 40-28. Gordon would score again and one more time miss the PAT trailing 40-34. Highland would answer themselves and extend the lead to 48-34 with 3:34 left in the third.
The problem was becoming more and more obvious. Gordon was not only needing to put more points on the board they also needed some defensive stops. Solving part of the equation, Gordon would come back with another score and yet again miss the PAT to trail 48-40. It is difficult to make every PAT. Four missed PAT's in a row is never a good thing. This game could have been tied at this point. Highland continued to press the Gordon defense and scored yet again to lead 56-40 as the 3rd Quarter closed.
Highland came into this game as a 45 point dog by the Guru. I had the Hornets as 24 point dogs myself. Regardless the Highland Hornets came to play football. Honestly, the Longhorns came out flat. We are talking FLAT. Overcoming much adversity, Gordon would score again and keeping the unmentionable streak going, missed the PAT. Highland still lead 56-46 with 8:27 left in the game.
With 5:21 left Gordon scores and CONVERTS to trail by 2 points 56-54. Amazingly enough Gordon gets a last chance and scores with 1:37 left to lead for the first time in this game 62-56, which would be the final score.
What's that old saying about better to be lucky than good? Gordon could have given up several times during the course of this game but they didn't. Missed PAT's, missed opportunity, missed calls all plenty of reason to throw in the towel. Gordon didn't quit nor did Highland for that matter. Gordon got lucky. It is ok to get lucky but don't depend on being or getting lucky. If Gordon had taken care of business this would have easily been a 24 point or more victory.
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