National and state football records fell by the wayside Friday night in Texas as
Jacksonville (Jacksonville, Texas) outlasted
Nacogdoches (Nacogdoches, Texas), 84-81, in a staggering 12-overtime thriller. The score was deadlocked at 28 at the end of four quarters.
The game lasted nearly five and one-half hours, ending mercifully at 12:54 a.m. The length of game probably is a national record, too.
The National High School Record Book lists two games that lasted nine overtimes. The first was a 1977 Detroit, Mich., game, with Southeastern defeating Northeastern, 42-36. It was 8-8 after four quarters and lasted 3:43.
That record was tied in 2006 in Washington when Bothell defeated Pasco, 43-40.
The combined point total is not a Texas state record since the National High School Record Book lists Spur defeating Lorenzo 186-0 in 1930.
Jacksonville senior quarterback Ryan Black (6-2, 170) completed 19 of 39 passes for 297 yards and four touchdowns with just one interception. Senior running back Jonathon Session (6-0, 190) carried 40 times for 168 yards and three touchdowns.
After the Dragons fumbled in the 12th overtime, junior Rodrigo Carreon kicked a 19-yard field goal to give Jacksonville the victory. The Dragons' junior backup quarterback, Damion Johnson (6-0, 180), rushed for 255 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Jacob Howard was 20 of 35 for 252 yards and four touchdowns, with five interceptions for Nacogdoches.
Jacksonville coach Steve Wells, who was working on three hours of sleep, told MaxPreps, "It put a new definition on the word 'perseverance.' I've never been involved in a game like that and never want to be again. Both teams were exhausted. Even with the win we were drained."
Jay Neal of the Jacksonville Progress, called it "a war of attrition for everyone – players, coaches, fans, cheerleaders, band members, etc. It was a sigh of relief for everyone (when it ended)."
The state playoffs had a lot to do with the length of the game. The Dragons had to win the game by at least eight points and then win their final game next week to make the playoffs. The Indians just needed to win one of their final two regular-season games.
The state's overtime rules also played into the length because once the game reached the third overtime, it was mandatory to go for two-point conversions. Three times the Dragons missed on their two-point conversions and had to let the Indians score – then stop their two-point conversion attempts – so they still would have a shot at an eight-point victory.
Nacogdoches coach Scott Ford, also dealing with lack of sleep, quipped, "I'm on a ‘death march' (headed for school) to watch the video."
Ford said that once his team had lost its fifth fumble to open the 12th overtime, "There wasn't a lot of feeling. We were just kind of resolved to our fate.
"In the 11th and 12th overtimes, we had two kids hurt. Our overtime system is flawed. We never should have gotten to that point."
Jacksonville prior to a game earlier this season.
Photo by Bruce Crockett
