Hook and lateral, Hail Mary, blown call (maybe?) and overtime help decide Class 2A sectional game.
Where do we even start here?
Eastbrook (Marion) advanced in Indiana's Class 2A state football playoffs Friday night in truly improbable fashion, using a hook and lateral, Hail Mary on an untimed down at the end of regulation, a potentially blown call and ultimately overtime to knock off
Alexandria-Monroe (Alexandria) 37-36.
The drama begins with 4.4 seconds remaining in the game, Eastbrook down 29-21 and more than 80 yards from the end zone. The Panthers ran a hook and lateral with the ball eventually winding up back in the hands of senior quarterback
Bodie Howell, who retreated inside his own 10-yard line before turning it back the other way and miraculously finding the end zone.
But wait. Flag on the play against Eastbrook. Broadcasters and both teams believed the game was over, with players even lining up on both sides of the field for the traditional postgame handshake. Officials interpreted the penalty differently and awarded an untimed down to the Panthers at the Alexandria-Monroe 42-yard line.
Howell once again delivered a miracle with a touchdown strike to senior
Matthew Slater. After a delay of game on the two-point conversion, Howell pulled a rabbit out of his hat again once more on a rollout pass to junior
Miles Brown to tie the game at 29.
At this point, just take five minutes of your life and watch the finish here:
Howell scored a touchdown and two-point conversion on runs in overtime to help Eastbrook (10-0) pull it out and advance to the sectional semifinals, where it will meet
Rochester (9-1).
The result will live in infamy at Alexandria-Monroe (7-3), which believed it had secured a massive victory over an unbeaten opponent in the state playoffs.
