The high school football regular season has wrapped up across much of the country, and the playoffs are already underway in some places. The rest will follow next week. Before long, state champions will be celebrating.
It feels like the season only just began in August. Now, with Thanksgiving less than three weeks away, teams are heading into the games that matter most. Time does move quickly.
There have been plenty of memorable moments this fall: a wild Hail Mary in Florida, a California team suspended after its mascot made an obscene gesture toward fans, a powerful Kentucky running back, and a standout back from Tennessee. Last week, Illinois gave us an 88–84 playoff game. Yes, 88–84.
This week’s remarkable finish came in South Dakota, where a walk-off touchdown sent one team to the 9A state title game. It’s one of the most unusual game-winners I can remember seeing.
The play includes three laterals, though it’s not especially complicated until the final moment. After the last pass, the defense seemed to think the ball had gone forward and that the play was over. Players began to celebrate.
But the pass had clearly gone backward. One player recognized that, scooped up the ball and took off down the sideline for the winning score. A smart, quick decision—and a reminder that you keep playing until the whistle. The officials, not the players, decide when the play is dead.
The kicker then had to make the extra point to seal it. High school extra points are hardly automatic, and with the game on the line, that kick mattered. He put it through.
One more moment from the play: the player who caught the first pass was hit hard after throwing it back. The crowd’s reaction said plenty.
