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Thunder rewrite final scene for Vista Ridge
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| Head coach Shaun Mitchell addresses his 7-1 Discovery Canyon football team after their last-second 29-23 win over Vista Ridge Oct. 23 at District 20 Stadium. Photo by Kelly Walker |
Kelly Walker
For the tight-knit community of Discovery Canyon football supporters, parents and fans, the Oct. 23 game at District 20 Stadium mirrored a “Remember the Titans” storyline— complete with an emotional crescendo that left Thunder coach Shaun Mitchell merely speechless.
“Boys, geez, I don’t even know what to say, unbelievable, just unbelievable,” he said as the team gathered around their coaches and support crew in the end zone post-game, and players excitedly remarked about how their game and outcome was “totally ‘Remember the Titans’.”
The Thunder (7-1, 4-0) who pulled out a 29-23 victory over Vista Ridge (5-3, 2-2) to take command of the Pioneer League standings, opened their performance with a 63-yard run from Michael Ellsworth to put DCC up 7-0 in the first quarter. The momentum continued as Ellsworth commanded attention after a 1-yard punch into the end zone.
Halfback Christian Fournier then played an effective supporting role with a feisty 60-yard run to put Discovery up 19-0 and wide receiver Kyle Nachbar grabbed a pass from quarterback Brady Chambers on a two-point conversion to firmly set the scene at 21-0.
But at some point, all memorable and great scripts reveal the antagonist, and Vista Ridge provided a sweeping cast to fill that role.
With 2:55 left in the second, quarterback Thomas Newman hammered through a tough Thunder defense for the Wolves first touchdown. A successful two-point conversion then put Vista Ridge within 13.
The Wolves would then take over the leading role for the third quarter as tailback Rickey Parker ran for a 39-yard run to pay dirt. With the two-point conversion, the shifting storyline of the game was beginning to grab Mitchell’s attention.
“When they got within seven and we couldn’t convert, I was concerned,” he said. “They blocked a field goal and stopped us cold at key moments. I knew it was going to be a battle.”
The gridiron drama reached its peak in the fourth quarter with 59 seconds to go and the score locked at 23.
Fade-in on Vista Ridge on their own 41-yard line poised to score. The Wolves made consistent progress towards that potential outcome with a pass up the middle to wide receiver Jake Atkinson. The next play would set Vista Ridge in prime scoring position as a strong run by Parker set the ball squarely at the 10-yard line.
What happened next played out with all the Hollywood final-scene drama when Ellsworth, stripped the ball from the Vista Ridge ball carrier at the two. He then dodged to the sideline and covered 98 yards to score the game-winning touchdown with 13 seconds remaining.
Fade-out to a shot of the coach addressing his victorious team. Who thought you had to go to the movie theater to experience great drama.
For the tight-knit community of Discovery Canyon football supporters, parents and fans, the Oct. 23 game at District 20 Stadium mirrored a “Remember the Titans” storyline— complete with an emotional crescendo that left Thunder coach Shaun Mitchell merely speechless.
“Boys, geez, I don’t even know what to say, unbelievable, just unbelievable,” he said as the team gathered around their coaches and support crew in the end zone post-game, and players excitedly remarked about how their game and outcome was “totally ‘Remember the Titans’.”
The Thunder (7-1, 4-0) who pulled out a 29-23 victory over Vista Ridge (5-3, 2-2) to take command of the Pioneer League standings, opened their performance with a 63-yard run from Michael Ellsworth to put DCC up 7-0 in the first quarter. The momentum continued as Ellsworth commanded attention after a 1-yard punch into the end zone.
Halfback Christian Fournier then played an effective supporting role with a feisty 60-yard run to put Discovery up 19-0 and wide receiver Kyle Nachbar grabbed a pass from quarterback Brady Chambers on a two-point conversion to firmly set the scene at 21-0.
But at some point, all memorable and great scripts reveal the antagonist, and Vista Ridge provided a sweeping cast to fill that role.
With 2:55 left in the second, quarterback Thomas Newman hammered through a tough Thunder defense for the Wolves first touchdown. A successful two-point conversion then put Vista Ridge within 13.
The Wolves would then take over the leading role for the third quarter as tailback Rickey Parker ran for a 39-yard run to pay dirt. With the two-point conversion, the shifting storyline of the game was beginning to grab Mitchell’s attention.
“When they got within seven and we couldn’t convert, I was concerned,” he said. “They blocked a field goal and stopped us cold at key moments. I knew it was going to be a battle.”
The gridiron drama reached its peak in the fourth quarter with 59 seconds to go and the score locked at 23.
Fade-in on Vista Ridge on their own 41-yard line poised to score. The Wolves made consistent progress towards that potential outcome with a pass up the middle to wide receiver Jake Atkinson. The next play would set Vista Ridge in prime scoring position as a strong run by Parker set the ball squarely at the 10-yard line.
What happened next played out with all the Hollywood final-scene drama when Ellsworth, stripped the ball from the Vista Ridge ball carrier at the two. He then dodged to the sideline and covered 98 yards to score the game-winning touchdown with 13 seconds remaining.
Fade-out to a shot of the coach addressing his victorious team. Who thought you had to go to the movie theater to experience great drama.
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