It appeared that basketball season had tipped off early Friday in Columbus, Ohio.
After all, the score (West 74, Independence 71) couldn’t have been from a high school football game.
Wrong!
Despite operating on a soggy, chilly field, the spectacular shootout produced the highest-scoring game in central Ohio history. The state record for combined points (165) was set in 1923 during a Medina-Spencer contest.
Independence rushed for an incredible 713 yards – tied for No. 10 in prep history, according to the National High School Record Book. (The record of 893 was set in 2003.) The total of 78 carries ranks even higher, placing No. 4 all-time. (The record, set in 1979, is 85.)
"They couldn’t stop us passing and, unfortunately, we couldn’t stop their running game," West coach Mike Flusche told MaxPreps. "We only stopped them three times."
The game-saving play came with just seven seconds remaining when junior linebacker Malcolm Mitchell caused a fumble and senior defensive end Lamar Fultz pounced on it at the six-yard line.
"It was huge," Flusche said. "Had they had one more play, it could have been different. They run the same play over and over and they just out-man you. From a defensive standpoint, it was embarrassing, because I’m the defensive coordinator."
Courtesy photo
Eric Stewart, West Columbus
Senior quarterback Eric Stewart (6-foot, 185 pounds) was West’s triggerman, completing 11-of-30 passes for 358 yards and a school-record seven touchdowns. Senior tailback Jonathan Parks (5-10, 175), who runs 40 yards in a swift 4.4 seconds, caught six passes for 185 yards and five touchdowns, in addition to scoring on runs of 2 and 50 yards.
The West Cowboys have been strengthened by 10 players who have transferred from area schools that dropped sports because taxpayers voted down a levy.
Devin Clodfelter was unstoppable in a losing effort. The 5-9, 184-pound senior ran 48 times for 484 yards and five touchdowns.
Looking back, Flusche noted, "I told my wife that from a coach’s perspective, people hate (that type of game), but as a fan, people love it."