By Keith Brake
Montezuma Magazine Editor
CUBA CITY, Wis. – I could FEEL you people yelling, all the way up here!
Montezuma’s Owen Cook kicked a 28-yard field goal on the last play of the game, and the Braves beat Baxter, 64-62, Friday night, Oct. 7, at Badger-Gabriel Field in the District 7 championship game in Class 8 football.
Each of these teams built a three-touchdown lead and surrendered it: Baxter in the first half and Montezuma in the second.
Montezuma ran a stunning 88 rushing and passing plays. Those served to keep the ball away from Baxter’s offense. Still, the Bolts found time to score.
Things didn’t look good for the Braves when, while leading 62-61, Baxter intercepted a Cook pass for the third time in the game, this time with less than two minutes left.
But the Braves came up with a stop, and took off for Baxter’s end zone again.
Montezuma reached Baxter’s 15-yard line with a first down, but just seconds were left.
Cook, the number five points-after-touchdown kicker in Iowa 8-man history, had tried just one other field goal attempt this season. It missed.
This one didn’t.
Good snap from Alex Black, sure hold by Masin Shearer, and Cook’s winning kick might have been good, even from 20 yards farther back.
The victory left Montezuma with a 6-2 overall record, but a perfect 5-0 mark in district play.
Baxter’s loss was its first after six wins. The Bolts fell to 4-1 in the district.
There is one week of regular season play left, with Montezuma guaranteed a spot in the 8-man playoffs.
Cook the quarterback had a career night, with 32 completions in 49 attempts, good for 427 yards and six touchdowns.
The Braves also rushed 39 times for 137 yards. That’s just 3.5 yards per play. They were tough yards, but essential ones to help keep drives going.
Cook found three receivers for his six scoring tosses. Masin Shearer was a perfect control receiver in this game, grabbing 14 balls for 147 yards and three scores. Garrett Watts was the ever-present deep threat, with 10 catches for 179 yards and one score.
Cruz De Jong was Montezuma’s threat at tight end, with four catches for 74 yards, two of them touchdowns.
Brett Plants caught four passes for 37 yards, and pounded out 78 yards on 19 carries. That’s just 4.1 per carry and his long was 6 yards. But two of them were touchdown runs.
Two first half interceptions set up two Baxter touchdowns. The Bolts led 40-20 midway through the second quarter.
The Bolts looked headed for another one, but the Braves held on fourth down.
After Plants scored on a short run, the Braves faked a conversion kick, and Shearer swung around and scored a two-pointer to cut the deficit to 35-40 with 3:01 left in the half.
Montezuma’s defense got another stop, and a Cook-to-Shearer touchdown put the Braves up 42-40 at halftime.
The Braves looked dominant coming out of halftime. Montezuma killed clock with a drive, then scored on Cook’s pass to Shearer. Montezuma led 49-40 with 7:31 left in the third quarter.
Tod Geiger recovered a Baxter fumble, Plants scored on a short run, and it was 55-40 with 7:13 left in the third.
Cook then passed to De Jong for a 44-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and the Braves had their largest lead at 61-40 with 4:33 left in the third quarter.
Back came Baxter. All the way back. The Bolts scored on a pass and two-point conversion, then on a 70-yard bomb, then on another long pass and catch to lead 62-61 with 5:28 left.
Then came that frantic, memorable ending.
Our thanks to Al Rabenold for providing sideline details.
UP NEXT – Montezuma closes regular season play next Friday, Oct. 14, when the Braves host Woodward Academy.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Baxter 20 20 16 6 – 62
Montezuma 13 29 19 3 – 64