VIDEO: Hillcrest Rides ‘Bronco’ To Stay Undefeated
The Hillcrest Patriots (4-0, 1-0) took on the Wetumpka Indians (2-2, 1-0) and escaped Hohenburg Field with a 35-30 victory on one of the wildest final plays you'll ever see.
The Patriots used 10 laterals on a play called "Bronco" to score a touchdown with 2.9 seconds left in the game and keep its undefeated season intact.
Each time these schools get together the game seems to end in a dramatic fashion as they met in the 2018 AHSAA playoffs with the Indians prevailing in overtime.
The game was delayed by lightning at halftime but that wasn't the storyline as sophomore quarterback Ethan Crawford ended up with the ball four separate times on the game's final play. Crawford made the initial pass, received the fourth and the sixth lateral passes, made the seventh lateral pass while being tackled by three Indian defenders and scooped up the loose ball and raced into the end zone from the Wetumpka 45-yard line.
"I've never been a part of one like that, never. We've called that play, probably seven times in my seven years here, we've never had it turn out like that, especially not to win a game. It is something that we've practiced, but you never really know how it's going to turn out," said Hillcrest head coach Sam Adams.
Crawford was more than just heroic on the game's final play. He finished with three touchdown passes, two to Andre Siler and one to Terrence Calloway, and rushed for a score in the third quarter, in addition to scoring the game-winner.
According to NFL rules, the original receiver of the lateral receives credit for the reception and the yards he gains, and whoever ends the lateral play gets credit for the additional yards and they are counted as receiving yards. Crawford's initial pass was just one yard forward, therefore he is credited with 59 passing and 58 receiving yards as well as one receiving touchdown on the play.
The Patriots plan to keep the momentum going next week as they take on the Hueytown Golden Gophers in a region matchup.