By Mark Monosky

The North Jefferson News



GARDENDALE — Friday night, the Gardendale Rockets suffered their fifth loss of the season in a heartbreaker to the Spain Park Jaguars, 16-14.

The game was a back and fourth contest that came down to the final play of the game.

“They played well and out-coached us,” said Gardendale head coach Chris Fancher. “We didn’t play well enough at the end. They made fewer mistakes then we did. Hats off to them; they played a great game.”

The scoring started on Gardendale’s second offensive possession of the game. Quarterback Conner McCain ran it in from 18 yards for a touchdown.

The score completed a 7 play, 72-yard drive. Also on this drive, running back Trey Hilliard rushed for 48 yards on 5 carries to help set up the score. After an Adam Anderson point-after kick, the Rockets led 7-0.

Spain Park answered back on the next offensive series. Jaguars running back Alton Daniels ran it in from 7 yards out for the touchdown and after a Ghossein Charbel point-after kick, the game was tied 7-7. The touchdown completed a 15 play, 85-yard drive. Spain Park converted on third down three times on the drive. The drive also took up most of the second quarter.

Neither team was able to move the ball much for the rest of the first half, as both teams’ defenses were able to shut down the opposing side’s offense.

Late in the half, Spain Park had the ball on the Gardendale 27-yard-line, but was stopped on fourth down. The Rockets’ Nick Pogue rushed Spain Park quarterback Graham Craig, forcing him to throw an incompletion on the fourth down.

In the third quarter, Gardendale was able to take the lead. After the Spain Park punt returner fumbled a Rocket punt inside the Jaguars 20-yard-line, it only took four plays for Gardendale to score. The score came when running back Trey Hilliard ran it in from 1 yard out for the touchdown. After another Anderson point-after kick, the Rockets led 14-7.

Midway through fourth quarter, Spain Park answered back. After a Gardendale quick kick on third down, the Jaguars drove the ball all the way to the Rocket’s 5-yard-line. On third down, quarterback Graham Craig threw what looked to be a touchdown to Garrett Grisham, but the referees ruled that Grisham had caught the ball from the back of the end zone. On fourth down, kicker Charbel kicked a 23-yard-field goal to make the score 14-10.

After forcing Gardendale to punt on the next offensive series, Spain Park got the ball back on their own 21-yard-line. The Jaguars drove the ball all the way to the Gardendale 4-yard-line. The Jaguars fumbled the ball on third down pushing the ball back to the 8.

On fourth down, with four seconds to go in the game, quarterback Graham Craig passed to Garrett Grisham for the game winning touchdown with no time left on the clock. The touchdown gave Spain Park the 16-14 win.

“We will come back,” Fancher said. “We will find and solve our solutions. It’s not the kids’ fault, it is mine. It is my job. The coaches did a great job. The players did a great job. The head coach has got to do a better job next week.”

With this loss, Gardendale is now 3-5 on the season. Next week, Gardendale hits the road to take on the Homewood Patriots.