BPH wins 27-26 thriller in final minute

Blooming Prairie/Hayfield (BPH) had to dig deep last week to pull out a 27-26 late-game comeback against JWP, scoring its do-or-die touchdown with 39 seconds left and nailing the game-winning two-point conversion to come out on top.

Both teams exchanged leads multiple times over the course of the game, but neither side was able to establish a two-possession advantage – a valuable statistic in a game that came down to a few key plays.

The first quarter started quickly with BPH kicking off, getting an early defensive stop and taking over possession on the Bulldogs’ 40-yard line following a botched snap on JWP’s punt attempt.

BPH used its strong starting field position to string together a seven-play, 40-yard drive that was punctuated by a three-yard rushing touchdown by runningback Easton Johnson to put his team up 7-0.

The early portion of the drive featured a few chunk gains, but the real difference maker was a 29-yard rush by Eliot Gimbel that set BPH up at the four-yard line and eventually set up the opening score.

JWP worked the ball down to the opposing 13 on its next possession, but BPH defensive back Bentley Miller made a timely play by intercepting an errant pass to kill the drive and give his team the ball back.

BPH was unable to capitalize on the turnover and instead had to punt following a three-and-out possession that gained just two yards.

A fair catch gave JWP the ball at the BPH 48, immediately setting the team up in plus territory again.

The Bulldogs found similar success to their previous drive and moved the ball downfield at will, eventually scoring on a one-yard quarterback sneak.

BPH had multiple chances to get its defense off the field, but JWP was able to convert on third-and-nine and second-and-23 scenarios to extend the drive and find the endzone.

The Bulldogs attempted to tie the game with an extra point, but the attempt missed to keep BPH in the lead at 7-6 with 7:35 remaining in the first half.

BPH began its next drive at its own 43-yard line following a 23-yard return by Johnson and went to work regaining its lead behind strong play from quarterback Chase Escamilla.

The senior gunslinger helped his team march down the field by throwing for 36 yards on three completions and adding 21 rushing yards and a touchdown to account for all 57 yards of BPH’s scoring drive.

Escamilla’s touchdown run came on a nine-yard keeper up the middle to put BPH up 13-7 with 4:13 left in the half.

BPH opted to go for two, but Escamilla was dragged down short of the goal line to keep it a six-point game.

JWP began its final drive of the half from its own 48-yard line and initially struggled to find any success, eventually falling into a third-and-19 situation following a penalty for a block in the back.

BPH looked primed to get its defense off the field with 1:42 left until halftime, but the Bulldogs had the perfect play call to catch the defense off guard.

After calling a timeout to talk over the situation, JWP lined up for its final play of the half with two wide receivers on each side of the formation, spreading out the BPH defense that showed a 3-3-5 formation with a five-defensive back shell aiming to prevent any deep shot opportunities.

With the ball on the left hashmark, JWP opted to use a double-post concept to the field side to force slot safety Jesse Mealy into a difficult decision.

When the slot receiver crossed in front of his face, Mealy bit on the break, allowing the outside receiver to gain leverage between the corner, Miller, and free safety, Gimbel, as the latter recognized the play and tried to adjust.

However, JWP’s Gavin Bauer had already used the space vacated by Mealy to blow the top off of the coverage and Bulldogs’ quarterback Seth Dahlberg hit him in stride for a 60-yard touchdown.

JWP opted to go for two, but were denied by the BPH defense to keep the game at 13-13; where it would remain until halftime.

BPH started the second half with the ball, but gained only one yard and punted quickly.

JWP kept its momentum rolling and moved the ball 36 yards in six plays, but a fumble on a high snap was recovered by Escamilla at the JWP 26-yard line to give BPH a short field.

Just four plays later, Escamilla called his own number and rushed to the outside edge, finding some space and running through multiple tacklers before diving and extending the ball over the goal line to give his team a 19-13 lead.

BPH attempted the extra point, but the kick sailed wide left to keep the team’s lead at six points with 7:06 left in the third.

JWP fielded the ensuing kickoff at its own 29 and quickly moved the ball 29 yards on four plays before Christian Mealy made a massive interception to stop the Bulldogs’ momentum.

BPH’s offense took the field with an opportunity to extend the lead, but instead fell victim to a turnover of its own.

After faking a handoff to Johnson, Escamilla turned to throw a screen pass to the slot, but his throw was tipped by a Bulldogs’ defensive end and fell into the arms of a JWP defender who jumped the route an easy pick-six play to tie the game.

JWP tacked on the extra point to take a 20-19 lead with 2:47 left in the third.

Stunned, BPH tried to get back into its offensive groove, but a quick five-play, five-yard drive resulted in a punt to give the ball back to JWP with the lead.

JWP kept its foot on the gas by stringing together a nine-play, 59-yard scoring drive on the ensuing possession that gave the team its biggest lead of the day at 26-19.

Once again it was the aerial attack that got JWP in the endzone with a 23-yard pass earning the Bulldogs six points.

However, another missed extra point kept JWP’s lead at seven points and would prove to be monumental in the late stages of the match.

On its final drive of the game, BPH was tasked with going 57 yards knowing only a touchdown and successful two-point conversion could win the game in regulation.

It took the team nine plays to get the ball to the six-yard line with 51 seconds left on the clock.

With a goal-to-go scenario, Escamilla called his own number again and took a quarterback keeper into the endzone to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 26-25.

BPH chose to go for two points and the win, and were rewarded when Escamilla found Gimbel open in the endzone for a successful conversion to take the lead at 27-26 win 39 seconds remaining.

JWP was unable to answer, completing BPH’s comeback and earning the team another crucial win in the Mid-South – Silver Division.

BPH played its final game of the regular season on the road against Medford on Tuesday, Oct. 20; however, stats and results from the game were not available at the time of press.

Player Stats

BPH

Passing

#12 Chase Escamilla – 23/38 243 1 Int.

Rushing

#12 Escamilla – 15 att. 77 yards 3 TD; #18 Easton Johnson – 4 att. 9 yards 1 TD; #5 Jesse Mealy – 1 att. 9 yards; #44 Lukas DenHerder – 3 att. 8 yards

Receiving

#7 Eliot Gimbel – 7 rec. 88 yards; #4 Christian Mealy – 7 rec. 65 yards; #44 DenHerder – 3 rec. 42 yards; #5 Mealy – 3 rec. 29 yards; #18 Johnson – 1 rec. 8 yards; #11 Derek Miner – 1 rec. 7 yards; #0 Wyatt Naylor – 1 rec. 4 yards