Round One: BC over Northside

If I'd decided to do this earlier, I'd have posted this one last weekend, with all the pre-game coverage and hype, but because we're technically already in "Week 2" for historical purposes, I have to rush things a little. Either way, there wasn't much coverage in the SMN leading up to this game anyway, just a tiny preview capsule. So let's take a little trip back to November 22nd of '96.

Number one song in the country: "Head Over Feet" - Alanis Morrisette

Number one movie at the box office: "Space Jam"

And it was the Cadets who stunned the Eagles head over feet in overtime, winning on penetration. Here's how the front page of the sports section read that Saturday morning. And below that is the actual write-up, which I realize was already posted on Will's blog a few months ago, but it's worth posting again.



"BC IN OT"

By John Clayton
Savannah Morning News
November 23, 1996

At a school so cognizant of tradition that football practice can easily turn into a lesson in Benedictine football lore, it was appropriate Friday night that history repeat itself.

The Cadets downed Northside 11-10 in overtime in the opening round of the Class AAAA state playoffs at Memorial Stadium. The last time the two teams met - in the 1979 state playoffs - BC also came away witha one-point victory.

BC (10-1) - after gaining the penetration advantage on the final play of the first overtime period - kept the ball more than four minutes in the second five-minute overtime period. The Cadets used their wishbone attack to mount a nine-play drive that reached the Northside 34 before turning the ball over on downs with 52 seconds remaining.

BC's Walter Simmons intercepted an Anthony Sessions pass at his own 25 and returned it 50 yards to the Northside 25 with 15 seconds to play to seal the victory.

"We just knew we had the yardage we needed and we wanted to milk the clock," said BC coach Tommy Brackett, whose team will travel to LaGrange Friday for the second round. "Our defense rose to the occasion and it was just great for our kids. This is a great win for Benedictine."

The BC defense, which had hardly been flexible at all this season against Region 3-AAAA competition, bent but did not break under the constant pressure of Sessions. The highly-touted Northside quarterback finished with 176 rushing yards.

"It was a great defensive effort. Our kids played hard," Brackett said. "Don't ever count us out."

The Eagles (6-5) who had won six of their last seven games coming into the playoffs, rolled up a statistical advantage in the first half with 10 first downs and 192 yards rushing - 106 beloning to Sessions.

But five penalties on one possession and three Northside fumbles kept the Eagles from winning the battle on the scoreboard, as the first half ended 7-7.

BC cornerback Donald Doan, who was on crutches at Thursday's practice returned to action Friday night, said the Cadet defense got the job done in the face of Sessions' onslaught.

"We meshed together and played as a family," said Doan. "When you get to the playoffs, I think that's the main thing - to mesh when things get rough."

Scott Shelton's 18-yard field goal, which capped a BC drive that began on its own 37, gave the Cadets a 10-7 lead with 9:13 to play in the fourth quarter.

A late-hit penalty against BC on a Northside punt return helped set up a 39-yard field goal by Brian Davis with 2:52 left in regulation to tie it at 10-10.

BC, which was finally able to move the ball on the ground in overtime, was held to just 18 yards rushing in the first half.

The Cadets' only touchdown was set up by a botched punt attempt, which traveled only five yards to the Northside 25. The Eagles were flagged for interfering with the punt reception and BC took over at the Northside 10.

Following a pass interference call in the endzone, Simmons went in from the 5 to tie the game at 7-7.

Sessions gave Northside 7-0 lead on the game's opening drive. His two-yard run capped the seven-play, 67-yard drive with 8:34 left in the opening quarter.

"We came up a little bit short, but I think our guys tried," said Northside coach Conrad Nix. "You try the best you can and sometimes it works out and sometimes it don't."

The Eagles were unable to mix up there offensive attack. All 283 of their total yards came on the ground and Sessions was0-6 passing with an interception.