»RELATED: Saturday’s playoff scores, boxscores
»RELATED: Saturday’s regional semifinal roundup
“I even said when we went to the middle of the field [after the game], ‘I have never played in a crazier game than this,’” said Cradlebaugh, who rushed for 195 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 98 yards and a touchdown. “Just the amount of emotion swings and momentum shifts — it’s crazy.”
The last two swings belonged to Valley View (10-2), which will play in its first regional final since 2005 on Saturday against unbeaten and top-seeded Cincinnati Wyoming, a 27-7 winner over Cincinnati Indian Hill.
Trailing by a point, Bacon (10-2) faced a fourth-and-goal at the Valley 4-yard line and handed the ball to running back Corey Kiner, whose speed was hard to contain while rushing for 221 yards on 22 carries. Kiner attacked the left side and dove for the end zone, but he was stopped at the 1 with 2:23 left. Valley View soon punted from its end zone, and Bacon had the ball at the Valley View 25 with 2:02 left. Kiner ran to the 13 on the next play, and it seemed inevitable that he would score this time.
“Every time he got the ball — it didn’t matter where he was on the field — you think it’s possible he’s going to score,” Valley View coach Bob Skidmore said. “He’s just a great player.”
Then a snap sailed past the quarterback and Bacon was suddenly back at the 28. A catch in the back of the end zone was ruled out of bounds on third down, and Bacon’s reaction added an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and pushed it back to the 43. Kiner caught a screen pass on fourth down and danced past a couple defenders before he was tackled at the 25.
“It’s extremely nerve-wracking knowing the game is up in the air and you’re not on the field to make a play,” Cradlebaugh said. “Hats off to the defense.”
Valley View, which led 21-14 at halftime, scored first in the second half and had a chance to go up by three touchdowns in the third quarter after reaching the Bacon 3. But the Spartans went backward from there and had a field goal blocked.
Bacon responded with two touchdowns in the next 61 seconds. Kiner scored on a 40-yard run with 2:13 left in the third quarter. On Valley View’s next play, Cradlebaugh’s backward pass was knocked down and scooped up and returned 28 yards for a touchdown by Tyler Bullock. Valley View kept the lead when Dylan Branham blocked the extra point.
Valley View had another chance to add to the lead. Noah Harrison sacked the Bacon quarterback at the Bacon 28 while Justin Bromagen stripped the ball and ran toward the end zone. He was caught from behind and fumbled at the 3. Bacon recovered in the end zone for a touchback.
“We just have tough kids,” Skidmore said. “They’ve been through a lot this year, and they just weren’t going to give up. They were going to have to get beat. They weren’t going to give it away.”
About the Author