Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth
PORTSMOUTH — Put simply, there may not have been another game in the state with an ending like the one that Portsmouth and Fairland shared on Friday.
The Ohio Valley Conference’s top two teams renewed their rivalry at Trojan Coliseum and churned out an instant classic — a contest that featured multiple twists, momentum-shifting turns and, yes, controversy.
But when the dust had settled and the final whistle had sounded, the Dragons (7-0, 4-0 OVC) had escaped with a wild 22-21 victory to stay perfect.
Those are the facts.
“We had some hard practices this week,” Fairland’s Keegan Smith said. “No one knows it but we went over 40 minutes every day this week. That was for times like this. We work hard, day in and day out, for times like this, and to finish.”
Smith certainly left his mark on the night’s eventual outcome, but out of the gates, defense was name of the game.
For much of the first two quarters, each team’s offensive production came to a halt — which was a sudden change based on the season’s first six weeks.
However, Fairland was finally able to light up the scoreboard with just 21 seconds left before halftime. Quarterback Ethan Wall found fellow senior Jack Hayden for an 18-yard strike to give the Dragons a slim 8-0 lead at the break.
With a half to play and sole possession of first place in the OVC on the line, both teams made sure they left everything — and then some — on the field.
The third quarter started with an old school Portsmouth drive that chewed up over five minutes of clock and 62 yards. It ended with a one-yard touchdown plunge from Chase Heiland, cutting the Dragons’ lead to 8-6.
The Trojans (5-2, 3-1 OVC) started to seize momentum as their defense stood tall and stuffed a fourth down run to setup a second straight scoring drive.
Once again, on the legs of Heiland, they methodically sliced into the Dragons’ defense to the tune of a 14-play, 75-yard drive. It was finished with a five-yard draw from JT Williams.
After converting the ensuing two-point conversion, Portsmouth had every ounce of momentum and a 14-8 lead with just 7:16 to play.
After struggling mightily in the first half, Wall and company finally found some consistency through the air late in the fourth. Wall hit Kam Kitts for a 35-yard gain, setting up a 1-yard touchdown toss to Conner Black, forcing a 14-14 deadlock with 5:20 to play.
“This was really the first time all year Ethan faced the kind of pressure [Portsmouth] was putting on him,” Fairland coach Mike Jackson said of his signal caller. “But we just kept telling him that we weren’t going away from him no matter what, and he came through for us.”
CREDIT: Baylee Harris/SOSA
When Portsmouth’s offense got the ball with five minutes left, it felt like fans were in for some magic. But Nostradamus couldn’t have predicted the last five minutes.
Portsmouth did what it has done so many times this year — they punished the opposing defense to the tune of 71 more yards, leading to another JT Williams score, this time from a yard out with a measly 27 seconds until the final buzzer.
You could feel the life leave Fairland’s stands. But the Dragons never blinked.
The final drive went like this: Wall threw a strike to his favorite target, Jack Hayden, for a 19-yard gain across midfield. He then found Conner Black for an eight-yard gain before Portsmouth’s defense came up with a monstrous sack.
But on the game’s final play — or thought to be its final play — a defensive pass interference call gave the Dragons new life. With the game clock expired, they were awarded one untimed down from the 30-yard line.
So with no time on the clock, and trailing 21-14 on the road with an undefeated season on life support, Fairland’s offense lined up one more time.
Wall threw up a prayer and the football gods answered.
The whole stadium held their breath as the senior unloaded one final heave into the end zone. Seemingly in slow motion, senior Keegan Smith picked the perfect time to be a hero. He leapt over three Portsmouth defenders to haul in the game’s final touchdown, making it a 21-20 ballgame.
“The final play was just, Keegan, Jack, get one-on-one, go deep and go make a play,” Jackson said of the final play call. “That is what those two guys can do. They just make plays. We never doubted, even with 27 seconds left, that our guys could go win a ball game.”
The Dragons had scored but they hadn’t forced a tie or taken a lead. Jackson and his coaching staff had a choice to make and they chose to try and steal a win from the jaws of defeat.
Needing one more play to win, Fairland’s offense trotted back onto the field for a two-point try.
Wall lined up in a shotgun formation and an intended shovel pass fell to the ground, appearing to give Portsmouth a victory. But with a flag on the field, referees gathered near the end zone and called a sideline warning on the Trojans’ bench — the team’s second of the game, resulting in a penalty and giving the Dragons yet another breath to breathe.
There would be no misfire on Fairland’s second crack at a two-point try.
Wall found Hayden on a quick slant to cap off an instant classic, securing a 22-21 final and sending waves of shock, bewilderment and celebration into the stands.
“We’ve got 16 seniors and they’ve been playing together for a long time,” Jackson said of his team’s resilience. “We saw it last year. These guys have bought into my system since day one. They practice so hard and they are so bought in that we knew we could get it done in a game like this.”
Statistically, the Dragons were led by Kitts, who hauled in four passes for 86 yards and ran for another 57 on just nine carries. Wall finished 15-of-26 through the air for 178 yards and three scores and Hayden helped out with five catches for 46 yards and a touchdown. Smith and Black each had a receiving score.
The Trojans were led by their workhorse, Heiland, who carried the ball 36 times for 198 yards and a touchdown. Williams completed 5-of-9 pass attempts for 52 yards while running for 45 additional yards and two scores.
Fairland now looks towards a matchup with another rival as hosts Ironton in Week 8. Meanwhile, Portsmouth will look to get back in the win column against Rock Hill at home.
SPONSORED BY SCHMIDT FAMILY RESTAURANT GROUP
