MOULTON, Ala. — With high school football season in full swing in Alabama, teams from across the state each week get a chance to show what they are made of. Safe to say, those in Moulton last Friday saw exactly what Alabama high school football is all about.
Everyone in attendance at Red Devil Stadium last Friday night witnessed the Lawrence County Red Devils and East Lawrence Eagles fight tooth and nail right to the very end. After all was said and done the two teams had played 7 overtimes and ended with the Red Devils victorious 62-54.
This game will surely go down in history as one of the state’s most exciting regular-season games, and ties the AHSAA state record for most overtime periods in a single football game (1979).
“It will be remembered by all those in attendance old enough to appreciate what exactly it was they had just witnessed,” wrote The Moulton Advertiser. “Simply put, everyone at Red Devil Stadium Friday night witnessed history.”
“Never as a player, assistant or head coach have I seen a seven-overtime game,” said Lawrence County coach Rich Dutton in a post-game interview.
Lawrence County went 5-5 last year and missed the state playoffs by only one game.
East Lawrence went 0-10 last season and had not defeated Lawrence County since 2010. Though those in attendance Friday found that hard to believe.
“I know that our kids are disappointed, but in a game like this there really are no losers,” said East Lawrence coach Jarrod Helms.
The game made the USA Today High School Sports page, which wrote that East Lawrence, though defeated, can “hold its head high knowing that it set an almost unmeetable standard as the clubhouse leader for game of the year.”
Here’s the play by play of those 7 overtimes by The Moulton Advertiser.
Regulation ends at 26-26. Red Devils and Eagles are going to overtime folks
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Dallas Keenum scores for LCHS on a QB keeper, but Eagles block PAT. Red Devils lead Eagles 32-26 1 OT
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Eagles QB Chase Ratliff flies through the air for a score but Red Devils block PAT, game tied at 32-32 going into 2nd OT
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Ratliff scrambles and scores again for ELHS and does it again on 2pt conversion, Eagles lead Red Devils 40-32 2OT
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Dallas Keenum does it again for Lawrence County, now 40-38 ELHS pending conversion attempt by LCHS
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Keenum ties it again with successful 2pt conversion, teams tied at 40-40 going to 3OT
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Eagles hold LCHS to a field goal…and they miss. If Eagles score at all they win
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Red Devils D holds Eagles, now going to 4th OT tied 40-40
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Ratliff scores again for ELHS, Eagles lead Red Devils 46-40 pending conversion in 4th OT
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Ratliff scores again, ELHS leads LCHS 48-40 in 4OT
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Keenum scores again for LCHS, 48-46 down to LCHS conversion try
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Keenum gets in, STILL TIED now at 48-48. GOING TO 5TH OVERTIME
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Keenum runs in again for LCHS but Eagles stop conversion, LCHS leads 54-48 now Eagles turn in 5OT
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Amadi Bolden scores for ELHS, but now LCHS STOPS THE CONVERSION. Tied 54-54 going into SIXTH OVERTIME
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
A INT by #7 for LCHS STOPS EAGLES ATTEMPT, ANY SCORE WINS IT FOR LCHS #IWANNAGOHOME
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
LCHS on goal line with 2 downs left
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
LCHS FUMBLES AND EAGLES RECOVER, NOW 7TH OT #ALL CAPS
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Jakob Terry scores again for LCHS, 60-54 LCHS pending conversion #7OT
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Keenum gets in on conversion, 62-54 Red Devils Eagles turn. #7OT
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015
Pass on 4th down falls incomplete for Eagles, Red Devils defeat Eagles 62-54 in seven over times
— Moulton Sports (@MA_Sports_Repor) August 29, 2015