Trick or treat? A day after Halloween, the Argyle Pipers chose to trick the John Barsby Bulldogs on a crucial play late in the game that changed the game's tide and led the Pipers to a 15-14 victory.
The Bulldogs had all the momentum early. Using their ground-and-pound approach early and often, Barsby led 14-7 at the half after beaking two long runs for scores.
In the second half, the Piper's defense stepped up and found an answer to the Bulldog's running game. Beating the bulldogs at their own game, the Pipers were more physical than the Bulldogs all second half. Their defense held Barsby off the board and gave the ball back to their offense for a chance to tie the game with under five minutes remaining.
With only three minutes left, the Pipers were faced with a dilemma. On a fourth down in their own territory, should they punt the ball back to the Bulldogs and rely on their defense to come up with another stop? or should their offense stay on the field and try to move the chains?
The Pipers appeared to take the conservative approach and lined up to punt. Little known to the Bulldogs, the Pipers had a trick up their sleeve. Argyle faked their punt and picked up a first down to keep their drive and the game alive.
Argyle's offense used that massive shift in momentum to their advantage. Pipers quarterback Lucas Yaskowich drove his team downfield on a couple of chunk plays before the Pipers found the endzone and cut the lead to just one.
Rather than kicking the extra point and tying the game, the Pipers elected to go for two and the win. Yaskowich dropped back to pass and found slot receiver Noah Noordmans in the endzone to complete the two-point conversion and put the Pipers up 15-14 with just forty seconds to go.
With under a minute to go, the Bulldogs had one more chance to win the game. The Pipers denied that opportunity and sealed the win with a Connor Schick interception. The Pipers took a knee, and the game was all but over 15-14 in the Piper's favor.
Pipers Coach Mac Ward was impressed with both teams' physicality post-game.
It was another hard-hitting and physical game, as it always is when Argyle and Barsby play," said Ward. "We're proud of the way our team played for all 60 minutes."
Argyle and Barsby finish the regular season with identical 4-2 records.
