NLC - 2021

[Prospect]

23 hours ago, Bobref said:

For someone inclined to make excuses, it always seems to come down to “one call,” despite the fact that a typical high school game has close to 150 plays in it.

When it takes what would have been 4th and 14 from the 25 for a team who struggles to throw the ball, or kick a field goal from that distance to a 1st and 10 on the 13 it makes a massive difference. Leo may have converted the 4th down, we won't know and it really doesn't matter, but in my opinion it was still a terrible call that POTENTIALLY altered the outcome of that game. I realize now I should have added the potentially into my original post, but it is what it is. 

[Bobref]

1 hour ago, Prospect said:

When it takes what would have been 4th and 14 from the 25 for a team who struggles to throw the ball, or kick a field goal from that distance to a 1st and 10 on the 13 it makes a massive difference. Leo may have converted the 4th down, we won't know and it really doesn't matter, but in my opinion it was still a terrible call that POTENTIALLY altered the outcome of that game. I realize now I should have added the potentially into my original post, but it is what it is. 

If you require perfection, you will always be disappointed.

[Bobref]

1 hour ago, Prospect said:

When it takes what would have been 4th and 14 from the 25 for a team who struggles to throw the ball, or kick a field goal from that distance to a 1st and 10 on the 13 it makes a massive difference. Leo may have converted the 4th down, we won't know and it really doesn't matter, but in my opinion it was still a terrible call that POTENTIALLY altered the outcome of that game. I realize now I should have added the potentially into my original post, but it is what it is. 

Refresh my recollection as to why the call was “terrible.” All I recall is that it was a personal foul of some sort.

[Prospect]

27 minutes ago, Bobref said:

If you require perfection, you will always be disappointed.

I don't recall asking or requiring perfection at all. The officiating crew in this game is one of if not the best in the Fort Wayne area. I would take them every single Friday night.

 

23 minutes ago, Bobref said:

Refresh my recollection as to why the call was “terrible.” All I recall is that it was a personal foul of some sort.

I will go back later tonight and pull the video so that we have something to visualize with my explanation.

[Bobref]

18 minutes ago, Prospect said:

I will go back later tonight and pull the video so that we have something to visualize with my explanation.

If I could make a suggestion, take the video to the Officiating Forum and start a new thread there. It might be helpful to get several opinions on the video.

[NRRaider2001]

Hoping to represent the NLC well tonight against a great opponent.  Should be a great atmosphere with a trip to Lucas Oil on the line!

[NRRaider2001]

Ken Fox is the Sports Editor of the Elkhart Truth. You may reach him at kfox@elkharttruth.com or @KenFoxTruth on Twitter.

 

NEW CARLISLE — Tag Gott had total faith in Jethro Hochstetler's ability to make a play.

 

It was a brilliant decision that has the Northridge football team going to the state finals.

 

The two juniors hooked-up for a 76-yard touchdown pass with 1:31 to play Friday to give the Raiders an exciting 20-14 victory over New Prairie in the Class 4A north semi-state.

 

It will be the Raiders' first trip to the state finals and they'll see another rookie finalist in Mount Vernon at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the Class 4A title game.

 

But back to Gott and Hochstetler.

 

The Raiders' game-winning touchdown was set-up by Gott — who else — on an interception of New Prairie quarterback Marshall Kmiecik, just as the Cougars appeared to be on their way to a touchdown to take the lead themselves.

 

After a run went nowhere on the Raiders' first play after the interception, Gott stepped up in the face of an onrushing Cougar lineman and found Hochstetler behind the New Prairie defense.

 

Hochstetler cradled the ball in his hands and then easily outraced the New Prairie secondary to the end zone, which brought an eruption from the Northridge faithful that may have been heard back in Middlebury, if anyone was actually still there.

 

"I know Jethro is a playmaker and if it's a jump ball play, he's going to come down with it,'' Gott said. "I put the ball out there and he made a great play and got the touchdown.''

 

Northridge caught the Cougars in man-to-man coverage on the play, without a safety back. So once Gott made the picture-perfect pass, it was just a matter of Hochstetler catching the ball and taking it to paydirt.

 

But the duo wasn't done yet.

 

Even after the Raiders recovered a pooch kick on the ensuing kickoff, New Prairie still had three timeouts left. 

 

Northridge had a pair of running plays that gained five yards, followed by an offside penalty and then an incomplete pass, setting up a fourth-and-10 at the Cougars 32.

 

A first down and the game is over ... if not, New Prairie gets the ball back with a chance to win.

 

To those of us along the sidelines, there was little doubt where Gott would try to go.

 

Hochstetler.

 

After having time initially, Gott was flushed left out of the pocket by the New Prairie defense. But instead of trying to run for a first down, Gott stopped and fired a dart toward Hochstetler.

 

The pass zipped between two Cougar defenders and settled into Hochstetler's hands for a first down, setting off another Northridge celebration.

 

"Man, that was a great throw,'' Hochstetler said with a smile. "When I saw Tagg starting to scramble I moved to try and get open and thankfully he saw me and made the pass.''

 

Two plays from the victory formation later, Northridge and the huge group of fans that found their way to Amzie Miller Field on Friday could begin making reservations for Indianapolis.

 

That's right, the Northridge Raiders ... with a 26-year-old, first-year coach and the team's fourth quarterback of the season ... a team that was 5-4 in the regular season and lost with a running clock in its final two games ... will play for a state title at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday.

 

So the Raiders' adopted mantra of "Why not us?" will continue down U.S. 31 South.

 

For Hochstetler, the opportunity to play for a title is special, but not just for him.

 

Jethro's brother Micah was the Raiders' starting quarterback to start the season and helped Northridge to a 4-0 start.

 

But in the team's Week Four game against Plymouth, Micah Hochstetler suffered a leg injury and was lost for the rest of the season after surgery.

 

"When Micah got hurt, it was really disappointing because we had talked about going to state together this year,'' Jethro admitted. "So for us to win tonight and get the opportunity to play for a title, well I know I'm there for Micah and I both.''

 

Meanwhile, Gott has his own family story.

 

After spending his freshman year at Northridge, Gott's family, including older brother Jett, moved to Schoolcraft, Michigan, for Jett's senior year.

 

Once Jett graduated and moved on to Wheaton College to play football, the Gotts came back to Northridge.

 

And thank Gott he did.

 

Tagg Gott started the year as a running back, before eventually becoming the Raiders' starting quarterback in the final game of the regular season.

 

Now, after rushing for 105 yards and passing for 120 against New Prairie, Tagg will be the starter in a state title game in the stadium that legendary Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning helped build.

 

"It's still pretty surreal,'' Gott said with a big smile after the game. "I'm so happy for my teammates and this great coaching staff. They've made me feel at home from the first practice of the season and I'm proud to be part of this team.''

 

Northridge now has one more week of football ... another week to discover new heroes and for the Raider defense to try and stop a team with gaudy statistics.

 

But no matter what happens in Indy, Northridge fans will not soon forget Tagg to Jethro on a frigid night in New Carlisle.

 

So really, "Why not us?"

 

 Ken Fox is the Sports Editor of the Elkhart Truth. You may reach him at kfox@elkharttruth.com or @KenFoxTruth on Twitter.