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SKYLINE FOOTBALL COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

Won for one

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Photos by Burrill Strong/ HERITAGE MEDIA

The Skyline varsity football team celebrates the rst win in program history last Friday night. Skyline defeated Hartland 28-25 at Eastern Michigan University.

Skyline gets rst varisty win

By Terry Jacoby
A2 Journal

The win seemed to be fading as quickly as the sun. But then again firsts never come easy, now do they? After building a commanding 28-3 lead early in the third quarter, the Skyline Eagles looked to be well on their way to an impressive and dominating victory over Hartland in the Big Day Prep Showdown at Eastern Michigan University on Friday. The Carolina blue Eagles appeared to be well on their way to their first varsity victory in school history. But the other Eagles dressed as Wolverines began to slowly chip away. With the score 28-17 and 7:10 to play in the game, Hartland recovered an onside kick. And with 6:09 left, Hartlands Travis Spears ran into the end zone to make it a one possession game. But the score was called back because of a holding penalty. On the very next play, Skylines Theron Wilson remember that name intercepted a pass in the end zone to end the scoring threat with 5:56 to play.

Still, Hartland kept coming. Skyline botched a punt again setting up Hartland deep in Skyline territory. Stephen Milarch scored on a quarterback sneak from the 2-yard line and the Eagles converted the two-point conversion to make it 28-25 with 2:31 to play. The Skyline offense was able to move the ball and run the clock down to 44 seconds before punting. Still, Hartland kept coming. Skyline had 44 seconds to go 89 yards. Impossible, right? The first play was a bomb to midfield with 37 seconds left. The next play was a pass to the 29-yard line with 27 seconds left. Hartland then completed a pass to the 16-yard line with 3 seconds left. Hartland rushed out the field-goal unit and tried a 33-yard line field goal that sailed just wide left. Finally, Hartland stopped coming. And the Skyline Eagles had their historic win in dramatic fashion. It was exciting, Skyline coach Rod Jones said. Hartland is a good team and they have some real hart. We got them down early and they battled back. Jones said he thought his team came out too fired up, which led to the breakdowns later in the game.

We were so excited, he said. I think we were so excited we came out and burned ourselves out in the first half. Then we started to have some mental errors, but Ill work on that part. Ill get them in better shape. The coach said that even when things started to get rough, he never gave up on his team. I just told (his team) to be patient, he said. This is our first win as a varsity team, so you have to fight through those tough times. That really tested our mettle. And thats what we need. We need to be tested early so we can be even better next week. Skyline took a 7-0 lead on a 75-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Copp to Jordan Woods on the Eagles second possession. Woods, the highly prized senior wideout, beat double coverage along the right sideline and Copp dropped a perfect pass
PLEASE SEE WON/2-B

ith 9:59 one expect from a left in first-year football prothe gram with no seniors third on the roster. The quarter, last time these two Skyline was leadteams met, Hartland ing Hartland 28-3 pounded the new kids in the Big Day Prep on the block 64-26. The Showdown on Ann Arbor Skyline Friday at Eastern Eagles would lose all Michigans nine games and in Rynearson seven of those losses, Stadium. It was they would allow 40 or tough not to think more points. back to the Eagles Now their was some inaugural season. improvement. After TERRY Lets see how allowing more than JACOBY best to describe 60 points in three of last year. Rough. their first four games, Lets just keep it at that. the defense tightened up and And really what else would didnt allow another team over

Skyline proves making history doesnt come easy

HAVING A BALL
60 the rest of the season. See what I mean. It was rough. Even Bill OReilly couldnt spin last year. So when the Eagles went up 25 points the Skyline faithful couldnt help but smile and cheer and clap and carry on like a group of kids waiting for the ice cream truck to turn the corner. This was sweet. And they were going to enjoy every second of it. Unfortunately, Hartland wasnt ready to bow and surrender no matter what the scoreboard said. You could call them HEARTland because this team showed plenty of heart and determination in a dramatic second half comeback that ended with the clock running out and the potential tying field goal sailing wide left. This is not a game about numbers. Its more a game about emotions. It didnt matter that one
PLEASE SEE HISTORY/2-B
Pboto by Burrill Strong/A2 JOURNAL

Skylines Drew Graham celebrates Skylines rst varsity win.