Forced fumble helps Scott City football team to overtime victory

Scott City sophomore Jake Elders sent home Herculaneum fans reeling when he denied the Blackcats what appeared to be the game-winning score Friday night.

Herculaneum turned to star running back Dustin Johnson for his 27th carry of the game on first-and-goal from the 5.

Johnson powered through the line and was just feet from the end zone when Elders stripped the junior tailback, which sent the ball rolling into the end zone.

Senior Travis Phillips hopped on the ball to close out the 9-6 win for the host Rams.

"I was thinking how many times can they run that play and us not tackle?" Scott City coach Jim May said. "We had a sophomore who was filling in for Gordon Bradley, who got hurt. He pops him, fumbles the ball and Phillips recovers it.

"That's the ballgame. It was a great play."

The goal-line stand made good on a tough decision Scott City was forced to make when it faced fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line during its previous possession.

Scott City had been as close as the 1-yard line on third down when the Blackcats busted through on a run play and forced a loss of 4 yards.

The Rams elected for a field goal, which senior Jonathan McFall hit from 22 yards out from the left hash mark to give his team the lead.

Herculaneum defender London Lowe hangs on to Scott City’s Travis Phillips during Friday’s game at William Wilfong Field in Scott City. (CHRIS POBST ~ Sikeston Standard Democrat)

"If we wouldn't have lost 4 yards, I probably would have went for it," May said. "But once we did that, it was time to kick a field goal."

Herculaneum turned to Johnson to shoulder the load on its ensuing possession in overtime. He broke off an 11-yard run on fourth-and-1 from the 16 to keep his team's hopes alive.

Fortune turned the Rams' way on the next play when Phillips pounced on the loose ball.

"I was going in there and was going to try to stop him, so I lowered my shoulder," Phillips said. "The ball just came out, so I jumped on top of it."

Johnson accounted for 199 yards of his team's 264 yards from scrimmage and scored his team's only touchdown just before the half.

Johnson's score came on the heels of Scott City taking its first lead with 3 minutes, 58 seconds left in the first half.

Phillips gave the Rams the lead on a 10-yard run up the middle, but the run failed for a 6-0 lead. Phillips rushed for 165 yards on 31 carries after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the sixth game of 2011.

Scott City quarterback Jonathan McFall eyes his receiver Travis Phillips before tossing to him during Friday’s game against Herculaneum at William Wilfong Field in Scott City. (CHRIS POBST ~ Sikeston Standard Democrat)

The Rams nearly were able to take that lead into the half, but a fumbled handoff as they tried to run down the final minutes before the break allowed Herculaneum to recover on Scott City's 15-yard line.

Johnson ran in from 21 yards out to tie the game with 31 seconds remaining in the half.

Scott City missed a pair of big opportunities where it closed within 2 yards of the end zone. The first came on the Rams' opening drive on a dropped pass on fourth-and-goal from the 2.

A 2-yard run from Phillips gave the Rams first-and-goal from the 1 in the third quarter, but penalties and unproductive plays had the Rams backed out to the 20. An interception eventually ended the drive.

"I got some stuff to work on this week," McFall said. "Everybody has stuff to work on. But overall I'm just pumped we got our first win."

Herculaneum 0 6 0 0 0 -- 6

Scott City 0 6 0 0 3 -- 9

Second Quarter

SC -- Travis Phillips 10 run (run failed), 3:58

H -- Dustin Johnson 21 run (kick failed), 0:31

Overtime

SC -- Jonathan McFall 22 FG

H SC

Rushes-yards 50-196 41-215

Passing yards 68 121

Passing 7-18-1 8-24-2

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Herculaneum, Dustin Johnson 27-185, Billy Duncan 14-12, Nico Brown 2-0, Joshua Church 7-(-1). Scott City, Travis Phillips 31-165, Logan Farmer 3-24, Jonathan McFall 3-17, Zach Haynes 4-9.

PASSING -- Herculaneum, Billy Duncan 7-18-68. Scott City, Jonathan McFall 7-23-90, Travis Phillips 1-1-31.

RECEIVING -- Herculaneum, Sean Hudson 1-10, Brady Womacks 2-23, Aaron Fuller 2-19, Dustin Johnson 1-14, Shaquon Brass 1-2. Scott City, Travis Phillips 3-26, Ryan Fortner 3-34, Brett Dirnberger 2-61.