Brian Hobson
Sports@mitchellnews.com
The first time the Mitchell Mountaineers faced Draughn High School this season, the game was effectively over heading into the fourth quarter. This time, it was completely different.
Mitchell High School started last week’s game fast, with Kaj Pittman scoring on the opening drive after only four plays to make the game 6-0. After a Draughn punt, Mitchell scored again, moving the ball with ease, and led 12-0 after a failed 2-point conversion.
Draughn fumbled on their next possession, with a recovery by Cole Young, and everything seemed to be going Mitchell’s way.
Unfortunately, as was seen throughout the night, the officials made controversial calls against both teams, and Mitchell was the first to encounter one of many. Kaj Pittman, running the ball at the Draughn 22-yard-line, was firmly sitting on the ground as the ball was stripped from his hands. The called fumble was awarded to Draughn.
The Draughn Wildcats failed to convert a fourth down deep in their own territory, and Mitchell regained the ball, scoring another touchdown, this time by Hayden Webb.
The second quarter started, and soon thereafter, Mitchell’s Alex Wences intercepted a Draughn pass, returning it for an 88-yard touchdown. Or at least, the fans thought it was a touchdown. A holding penalty on Mitchell during the return negated the touchdown run, and Mitchell started with the ball on their own 9-yard line. Thirteen plays and three Draughn penalties later, including a questionable pass interference call, and Mitchell led 25-0.
The entire tone of the game changed on the extra point. The holder of the extra point was hit late, taking a shot to the helmet, and Draughn drew their second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the game.
Tempers flared, and on the ensuing Draughn drive, the officials started calling penalty after penalty. Personal foul, Mitchell. Delay of game, Draughn. False start, Draughn. Delay of game, Draughn.
The Wildcats scored, but the number of penalties started to rise. Frustration was evident.
After a fast Mitchell score, Draughn drove down the field. Yet another controversial penalty, this time a pass interference call against Mitchell in the end zone on fourth down, allowed the Draughn drive to continue and eventually score. At halftime, the score was 32-14.
The Wildcats made some strategic adjustments during halftime and scored on their opening second half drive. After Draughn capitalized on a Caleb Cook interception, the score was 32-28.
After the teams traded interceptions on their next possessions, the strangest play of the night occurred. On a fourth-down-and-1 play at the Wildcat 28-yard line, Cole Young rushed and apparently made the first down.
The referees called a timeout to measure the spot of the ball. For the next 10 minutes, the referees discussed the placement of the ball, moving both teams back toward their sidelines while they conferred. The referee crew eventually had the spot of the ball measured again, and eventually gave Mitchell the first down.
Mitchell failed to score on that possession, but with 3:48 left to go in the game, Hayden Webb scampered for a 73-yard touchdown to give the Mountaineers some breathing room, and Mitchell held on to win, 39-28.
In the game coach Pitman referred to as “Mitchell’s longest game ever,” the Mountaineers showed resolve in the face of adversity. Tempers flared, but Mitchell made it to the finish line under pressure.
The Mountaineers will face Corvian Community High School in Charlotte next Friday in the second round of the playoffs.