LINTON — Both teams made plays in the IHSAA Sectional 40 championship game at Linton Friday night.
North Daviess made plays for three-plus quarters; Linton made them late. When the Miners’ late plays combined with the Cougars’ only two turnovers of the game, the result was an 18-16, come-from-behind victory for the Miners.
The win rested on what was possibly the smallest of Linton’s big plays late in the game and ended the Cougars’ season at 8-4.
Ryan Webster had 129 yards rushing and both of the Cougars’ touchdowns. North Daviess also added a safety.
North Daviess was up 14-12 with 4:13 left in the fourth when Linton followed up its second touchdown of the night by squibbing the ensuing on-side kick-off just enough to be legal and recovering it right at the 50- yard line.
From there, Miners running back Mickey Tosti took the ball up the middle of the Cougars defense to the 35. Linton quarterback Keith Cunningham then completed a pass play to the 15 before Tosti tore through the center of the defense again, all the way to the one-yard line.
The Cougars called a timeout with just over 3 minutes remaining to discuss how to try to curb the Linton drive. But Tosti took the pitch from Cunningham and bulled his way from a yard out to put Linton up 18-14. The Miners were stopped on the attempted two-point conversion but Linton had its first lead of the game.
It looked like North Daviess might have a chance to snatch a victory from the Miners in heartbreaking fashion when Cougars quarterback Drew Stuffle completed two straight passes, the third to Jess Tribby at the 8 yard line. But the Cougars’ fortunes changed in a hurry.
North Daviess called Webster’s number and he was stopped just short of the goal line before a Miners defender stripped the ball from his hands and Linton took the fumble.
The Cougars appeared to still have some life when Jano Davis got to Cunningham and sacked him as Cunngingham dropped back in the end zone to pass. The safety put North Daviess in position to possibly win the game after Linton kicked off or even with a field goal if a drive got stymied.
North Daviess’ Dalton Sellers fielded the Linton kick-off at the Cougars’ 40-yard line and returned it to midfield. But Stuffle’s pass on the next play from scrimmage was intercepted by Cunningham and the Miners were able to run out the clock with kneel-downs
Sports
Related Photos
-
North Daviess junior Jano Davis (30) took the Cougars loss to Linton in the sectional finals Friday to heart. North Daviess lost 18-16---Photo By Kelly Overton.
Discussion
Cougars fall to Linton
- Sports
-
-
Local wrap-up for Wednesday
North Posey scored four runs to break a 4-4 tie in the top of the sixth inning to defeat Washington, 10-7, in high school baseball at the Sports Complex Monday. -
Baseball sectional draw out
Washington’s baseball team opens on the first night of the Class 3A Jasper Sectional, while the Class A event at Loogootee has a similar feel to its softball cousin.
-
Helms and Gabhart vie for surveyor
Two local surveyors are asking Daviess County residents to vote for them in Tuesday’s primary election. Current county surveyor, Dennis Helms, is being challenged by Shawn Gabhart.
-
Local wrap-up for Saturday
Madison Decker took wins in the 800 and 1,600 meters in a triangular girls high school track meet Thursday.
-
Cougars win in walk-off fashion
Baseball was far from a thing of beauty for North Daviess at Wayne Davies Field Friday, but after everything was done, baseball really didn’t look all that bad.
The Cougars scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to clip Southwestern Indiana Conference foe White River Valley, 4-3. -
Arvin pitches shutout in WHS win
Washington was looking for a baseball hero, and found it Friday at the Sports Complex in the arm and bat of Pat Arvin.
-
Badgers beat IU in Big 10 tournament
Rob Wilson’s timely shooting put Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan at the head of his class.
Wilson scored a career-high 30 points, leading the 14th-ranked Badgers past No. 15 Indiana 79-71 in Friday’s Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. -
Tyler dominates in Carolina's ACC tourney win
Terrell Stoglin is a good start for Maryland’s rebuilding job.
He’ll need some help, though. -
Braves await No. 2 Barr-Reeve at regional
Barr-Reeve won its first sectional title since 2006 this past Saturday, but the Vikings have had little time to celebrate with the Class A West Washington Regional on the horizon.
-
Area girls have bright short-term and long-term futures
Some random thoughts as the basketball season winds down, and spring is preparing to be sprung.
- More Sports Headlines
-
Local wrap-up for Wednesday
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
