It happened again. Same teams. Same game. Same site. Even the same side of the field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Was it Groundhog Day?
Sunday in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship, DeMatha handed Good Counsel a third straight excruciating defeat, 20-14, as Stags quarterback Chester Stewart fired a 25-yard touchdown strike on the first play of overtime to Rodney McLeod and Good Counsel saw its hopes vanish on the ensuing series with a fumbled snap. The previous two seasons, Good Counsel lost this game due to fumbled snaps as well.
“I’ve been on the team three years and they just always find a way to win,” said Good Counsel senior Collin Stevens. “I don’t know what to say. We did everything we could. We thought the ball would finally bounce our way. It’s heartbreaking.”
Despite a 42-13 loss to DeMatha two weeks ago, Good Counsel (10-2) hung with the heavily favored Stags as quarterback Zack Ingle completed 11 of 23 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown and ran 15 times for 77 yards and another score.
But with 3 minutes left in regulation and Good Counsel threatening to take the lead, Ingle threw an interception to DeMatha star Kenny Tate. Then in overtime, on fourth and 7 from the DeMatha 22, Ingle failed to get the snap from center and DeMatha (12-0) celebrated its fourth straight WCAC title.
“We say the true mark of a champion is someone who overcomes adversity,” said DeMatha coach Bill McGregor who won his 15th WCAC title in 25 years.
DeMatha did it with the help of a strange play in the first half as Stevens, playing punter for the first time in two months, went to his knee to take a snap and was ruled down on the DeMatha 3. On the next play, Ashby Christian scored to give DeMatha a 14-6 lead.
“That’s a big call to make in a game like that,” said Good Counsel coach Bob Milloy.
