Springbrook Defeats Paint Branch in OT
By: Jeremy Moreland
SILVER SPRING, MD - Some sports fanatics will say that a goalline play in a must-score situation is the most exciting in sports. Imagine when a goalline play determines the fate of two teams' seasons. This was the case at Springbrook High School where the Blue Devils hosted the Paint Branch Panthers.
In an overtime thriller, the Blue Devils stuffed Panthers quarterback David Smith on a two-point conversion attempt to hold on for a 34-33 win. The matchup between the two 6-3 squads turned out to be a play-in game to the 4A playoffs, and the finish was one that won't be forgotten by either for a long time.
The game started off with David Smith and the Panthers prolific passing attack coming out hot. First, Smith connected with junior wide receiver Sam Cruz for a 18-yard score (PAT was missed). Smith then found senior Michael Bryan for a 20-yard touchdown. Bene't Willis added a 30-yard touchdown run to put the Panthers up 19-0 (PAT was missed).
Springbrook head coach Rob Wendel admitted that he might've focused the defensive game plan too much on stopping the county's leading receiver, Earvin Anumgba, and it was some of the other guys for the Panthers that made them pay.
But one big play started to swing the momentum in Springbrook's favor. Devon Pestano, who missed most of last week's game due to injury, took a handoff 70 yards to get the Blue Devils offense jump-started (PAT was missed). Then the defense was able to sack David Smith and recover a fumble. That led to a long drive capped off with a 6-yard Pestano score to make it 19-13, which was the halftime score.
Midway through the 3rd quarter, Pestano scored his third touchdown of the night on a 15-yard run up the middle that gave Springbrook the lead for the first time. Pestano finished with 177 yards on 28 carries but it might've been his defensive play that was most important to the team on this night.
Pestano, playing at strong safety laid hit after hit on Panthers receivers, including a bone-crushing hit on friend Bene't Willis over the middle. He was also responsible for helping out with the coverage on Anumgba who did have 4 receptions for 90 yards, but was kept out of the endzone. In the 4th quarter he came up with a huge interception where he jumped Anumgba's route and snagged the David Smith pass.
Springbrook couldn't take advantage of the turnover however. They gave the ball right back to the Panthers when a high snap went over quarterback Irvin Smith's head and the Panthers recovered at the Springbrook 30-yard line.
On the fourth play of the ensuing drive, David Smith snuck in from 2 yards out to take back the lead for Paint Branch. A two-point conversion on a Willis run gave the Panthers a 27-20 lead.
But Irvin Smith, the 5-9 quarterback who became the signal-caller in the middle of the season, responded by leading a drive of his own. The Blue Devils marched 58 yards in less than two minutes and tied the game at 27-27 on an 8-yard run from Smith.
Each team had a chance to drive for a game-winning score in regulation but came up short. In overtime, Springbrook got the ball first and Smith snuck it in on the third play. The Panthers scored in two plays despite starting from the 25-yard line due to a penalty. That was when Coach Mike Nesmith elected to go for the win.
Instead of calling a timeout, Springbrook coach Rob Wendel went with his gut feeling.
"The formation they came out in, I felt comfortable we knew what the play was and that they would try to sneak it in," said Wendel.
For the second straight year these two teams played each other in the last week of the regular season with both teams trying to secure a playoff spot. Last year Springbrook shut out Paint Branch but both teams made it in. This year it was almost guaranteed that the winner was in and the loser was out. And once Gaithersburg defeated B-CC, eliminating them from the playoffs, it truly meant the winner was ensured a playoff spot.
Springbrook will travel to #1 seed Sherwood (9-1) for their first round game. Sherwood shut out the Blue Devils when the two teams met just last week.
"We just got to come in hard and battle like we did today. That's the key, gotta battle, don't quit and keep our heads up," said Pestano.
