No. 2 Armwood goes the distance to down No. 9 Gorman

LAS VEGAS – For Armwood (Seffner, Fla.) High School’s second-ranked football team, the 2,500-mile trip to Las Vegas was filled with delays and anxiety.

Thirty-five of the 54 players had never traveled by airplane before and after their Thursday flight was grounded for more than four hours in Tennessee, most of the Hawks didn't hit the sack until after midnight or 3 a.m. Florida time.

"It was pretty scary," said senior tailback Wade Edwards of flying. "The only thing we wanted to do was land on the ground and get some sleep."

But once at Bishop Gorman's state-of-the-art stadium, the Hawks felt right in their element. And after their crisp, exciting and determined 20-17 victory against the country's ninth-ranked team Friday night, they all agreed the trip was well worth the journey.

"This might be the most satisfying victory we've had since I've been here," Edwards said. "That was one long trip and one tough game."

In a contest that lived up to all billing, Edwards rushed for two touchdowns, playmaker Alvin Bailey caught a game-changing touchdown from athletic first-year Armwood quarterback Darryl Richardson and the team's vaunted defense slowed down Gorman's high-powered attack just enough at the end to pull out the hard-earned victory.

Neither team turned the ball over, every possession counted and Armwood handed the Gaels their first home loss in 23 games despite a gallant Gorman comeback.

The home team fought back from a 20-3 deficit late in the third quarter, but a 40-yard field goal attempt on the last play from scrimmage that would have forced overtime was pulled badly left.

“We weren’t going to make excuses win or lose,” Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. “It was a great experience traveling here. Gorman was first-rate hosts. But I tell you what, it feels a lot better with a win.”

The Hawks could chalk most of that up due to a bend-but-not-break defense that limited Gorman to 279 yards and no touchdowns for three quarters.

That seemed improbable considering the Gaels racked up 35 second-half points last week against No. 24 Chaparral and had averaged more than 50 points per game the last two seasons.

They moved the ball well in spots, but converting in the red zone was like trudging through quick sand. 

Even when they finally got into the end zone in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Shaquille Powell (15 carries, 80 yards) and a 2-yard sneak by junior Jarrett Solomon, it took them a combined seven plays inside the 10 to score.

That chewed up precious time they could have used on the final drive.

Gorman took over at its own 38 with 1:55 to play and one timeout.

Solomon converted a fourth-and-13 from the Armwood 42 on a 19-yard reception to Jamir Tillman. But after three incompletions – two were tipped away at the goal line – the Gaels were forced to go for the field goal.

Kline Fielden, who earlier made a 29-yarder to open the scoring, pulled it left and Armwood had survived, setting off a wild celebration.

“We were able to move the ball,” said Gorman coach Tony Sanchez, whose team outgained Armwood 279-240. “It was just a bit of a grind. We knew they weren’t going to give up big plays. They have just too much team speed. We just had to grind.”

Edwards said the Hawks prevailed frankly because of a crushing season-ending 20-17 loss in the state 4A championship last season. That defeat was eight months ago but it was still fresh on their minds.

“That loss was with us tonight,” said Edwards, a shifty 5-foot-10, 185-pound receiver turned running back who spelled one of the nation’s top backs Matt Jones, out with a knee injury. “That loss was so painful, we vowed then we’d never lose again.”

It sure didn’t look good early as Gorman, behind a behemoth offensive line and effective inside running from Powell, carved up the Armwood defense.

The Gaels had 105 yards to just 31 for Armwood in the first quarter, but Gorman held only a 3-0 lead.

“It would have been nice to capitalize on those first two drives but we didn’t,” Sanchez said.

With the strong and physically gifted Richardson (6-5, 230) struggling early – the Hawks didn’t manage a first down until the second quarter.

It took just one play, however, to turn the game completely around.

Richardson avoided heavy pressure and found Bailey in the right flat, who followed a crushing block by Greg Newton and zipped down the sidelines 69 yards for a touchdown.

The loud and large Gorman crowd, almost all clad in bright orange, went silent. The Hawks gained great confidence.

The touchdown came on the second play of the second quarter and Armwood would never trail again.

“That changed the whole game,” said Bailey, who finished with five catches and 113 yards. “When I came to the sideline (after the touchdown), everyone was getting it up. The defense, the offense, the coaches. From there, our defense took over.

"I may have scored the touchdown but (Newton) made it happen (with the block)."

The defense, utilizing a big physical front and fleet, active secondary, allowed just seven second-quarter yards.

Meanwhile, Edwards swept left end for a 12-yard score, making it 14-3 with 18 seconds left in the half.

When Armwood opened the third quarter with a massive 12-play, 80-yard drive that took up 7:04, capped with another touchdown from Edwards, this one appeared over.
 
But somehow, the Gaels made a game of it.

Ultra-talented sophomore Nathan Starks (5-11, 198) broke off Gorman’s longest play of the night, a 41-yard scamper around left end. But like the rest of the night for the Gaels, Starks couldn't go the distance. He was caught from behind at the 10.

The Gaels eventually scored – on a 1-yard plunge by Powell – but it took four plays and an offside call on Armwood to do it. The Hawks thought they had actually stopped Powell short on his fourth-down surge.

Nothing came easy for Gorman.

"Those guys were really good on the defensive front," Sanchez said. "They really explode well off the ball."

After Gorman’s defense held, the offense showed its best drive of the night, a 12-play, 85-yard beauty. Solomon keyed the drive with six completions and three runs, including a 2-yard TD sneak with 2:53 left to close to 20-17.

“I wouldn’t say we let up,” Edwards said. “It was more that Gorman is a really, really tough team.”

They showed that on defense as well, forcing Armwood to punt after three plays. That led to the final frenzied drive.

“That’s a loss we can live with,” Sanchez said. “We fought tooth and nail.”

But Armwood had a smidge more fight and pinch more incentive.

“We were really tired at the end, I could see it,” Edwards said. “But we came too far to lose.”

ARMWOOD 20, BISHOP GORMAN 17

Armwood 0  14  6   0  -  20
Gorman   3    0  0 14  -  17

First quarter
G - Fielden FG, 29, 0:25

Second quarter
A - Alvin Bailey 67 pass from Darryl Richardson (Nick Feely kick), 11:12
A - Edwards 12 run (Feely kick), 0:18

Third quarter
A - Edwards 3 run (kickfailed), 4:56

Fourth quarter
BG - Powell 1 run (Fielden kick), 11:56
BG - Solomon 2 run (Fielden kick), 2:53

RUSHING
A - Edwards 14-74, Richardson 3-39, Bailey 2-6, Greg Newton 2-3 (team total: 21-122). BG - Powell 15-80, Solomon 13-55, Starks 5-51. Totals 33-186.

PASSING
A - Richardson 6-12-0-118. BG - Solomon 10-15-0-93, Starks 1-1-0-11.

RECEIVING
A - Bailey 5-113, Zilbar 1-5. BG - Jamir Tillman 5-55, Powell 3-20, Solomon 1-12, Smith 1-6, Starks 1-1.

TOTAL YARDS
Armwood 240, Bishop Gorman 279.