Blocked Field Goal Attempt Preserves Edgewood Win

EUSTACE—The battle of the Bulldogs, held at Bulldog Stadium in Eustace on Friday night, turned into the dueling two-point conversions. The Edgewood Bulldogs scored the last one, giving them the margin of victory in a 44-42 win.

Eustace drove 47 yards in 1:20 to put themselves in position for a field goal try and the win, but the kick was blocked on the last play of the game.

For Edgewood, two days after being named the Built Ford Tough Class 2A Player of the Week in the state of Texas for his 482-yard passing performance against Canton, quarterback Weston Jameson was held to a paltry 301 yards, but connected on 20 of 25 attempts, threw for four touchdowns and ran for two more.

Eustace running back Shawn Baldwin attended his mother’s funeral earlier in the day, and played the game either inspired by, or despite of the loss, as he gained 218 yards on 36 carries, and scored five touchdowns. Baldwin had 149 yards and four touchdowns in the first half alone.

He started on the first drive of the night, carrying seven times for 49 yards and a touchdown, and Eustace led 7-0 with 5:00 gone in the game.

Edgewood put together a five-minute drive of its own, moving from its 34 in 11 plays, culminating in a 14-yard scoring pass from Jameson to Kevin Rose. The extra point failed, and that would be the last time Edgewood would go for the one.

Eustace only took 1:17 to score again. Trevan Johnson ran for 10, and Baldwin ran for 51 and his second touchdown of the quarter. Zach Arambula added his second point after, and Eustace led 14-6.

Not to be outdone, Edgewood answered in just 31 seconds, as Clay Haltom took a quick screen 53 yards for a touchdown. Jameson scrambled in for two, and the score was tied after one, 14-14.

Edgewood got the first stop of the night when Darrius Rogers picked off a Chris Compton pass and returned in 28 yards to the Eustace 42. Four plays later, Jameson ran it in from the nine. Joseph Read ran in the two-point try, and with 7:30 left in the half, Edgewood led 20-14.

The visitors got another stop of Eustace on the next possession. After a short drive, Eustace punted into the end zone, giving Edgewood the ball at the 20 with 2:23 left in the half.

Eustace struck back though, as a blitzing linebacker caused a Jameson fumble, and Eustace recovered at the 16. Baldwin scored on the next play, but the try for two failed, cutting the lead to 22-20.

Edgewood gambled on the next possession, and it paid of for Eustace. Facing a fourth down-and-three at midfield, Jameson was stopped short, giving the Eustace the ball with :47 remaining.

That would be enough, as Johnson gained 36 yards to the 14-yard line. Two plays later, Baldwin scored from the five, and then scored the two-point conversion, and Eustace led at the half, 28-22.

Following the halftime show, Edgewood only needed 1:22 to take the lead back. Jameson was 4-of-4 passing on the drive, the big play coming on a 35-yard deep ball to Haltom. Jameson then scored from the 6 and hit Haltom for two and a 30-28 lead.

Eustace went for a fourth-and-five at the Edgewood 44, but the Compton pass failed, and Edgewood had a chance to extend the lead. The Eustace defense prevented that from happening though as Jesse Contreras came up with a big sack, forcing the only Edgewood punt of the night.

Taking over at its 17, Eustace moved 83 yards in 12 plays. Compton scored from the 5 with less than a minute gone in the fourth. Caleb Bailey converted a fourth-and-five along the way, running through two defenders at the line of scrimmage for a 7-yard gain. Baldwin converted the two-point play, and Eustace led 36-30.

Edgewood struck back in under two minutes. Rose gained 46 yards on two reception and one shuttle pass, and Rogers finished the drive with a 14-yard post pattern touchdown. This time the two-point try failed, and with 9:31 left, the score was tied at 36.

Eustace then began a 12-play, 54-yard drive that took 6:15 off the clock, and gave them a 42-36 lead. Baldwin carried the ball nine times for 41 yards, including the one-yard touchdown. He also got the call on the two-point try, but the Edgewood defense swarmed him at the line of scrimmage in what would prove to be the biggest stop of the night.

The winning drive was another quick one. Starting at his own 42, Jameson ran for eight, then hit Haltom on a quick screen for 25. Eustace was called for roughing on the next play, giving Edgewood the ball and a first down at the 12.

On second-and-nine from the 11, Jameson threw high and across the field, where Rose made a backward diving catch for the tying score. Rogers then caught a quick out for the go ahead points.

The 1:26 that Edgewood left on the clock was almost too much. After a short kick and good return, Johnson took off on a 32-yard sweep, giving Eustace the ball at the Edgewood 22. Facing a fourth-and-four at the 16, and the clock running down, Compton picked up nine yards setting up the 24-yard field goal attempt with seven seconds left.

The clock ran out with the blocked kick and Edgewood held on for the win.

Eustace falls to 1-2 on the season and will host Quitman for homecoming.

Edgewood moves to 2-1, and will host Mineola.