The Extra Point means so much- Stallions Flag beat Colts 64 to 62

Adrenaline filled Tom Holzer Ford Field on Sunday October 20th as the Battle for the Shoe was about to take place.  Northville Stallions and Northville Colts Flag Teams rode in for the last regular season game of the year, evenly matched with a 5 and 2 record.  It’s an inner-city battle in which coaches know one another, boys know one another, and for one game, they position themselves on opposite sidelines as rivals.  Orange and Black versus Gold and Black, standing at the starting gate, both hoping to win the coveted “Shoe.”  Last year the Stallions Flag Team triumphed.  This year the Colts were looking for redemption. 

Stallions started on offense and used the first snap for Dominic Minghine to throw a 49 yard reception to Isaac Pace for the first score.  Cooper Hoffman drove in the extra point, Stallions take the lead.  7 to 0.  Two downs later, Colts dash to the end zone and capitalize on the extra point.  7 to 7.  The Derby has begun.  Fans, place your bets.  Coaches, saddle up.  These boys are ready to ride!  Stallions respond with a 65 yard TD pass from Minghine to Pace and do it again to complete a two point conversion for good measure.  15 to 7.  Colts, despite tackles from Brady Couture and Aaron Jeremias, took five snaps to score another 6.  Critical special teams play by the Stallions harnessed the Colts outside of the zone.  15 to 13.  On the bit, Minghine held the ball, ran through holes created by blockers Will Cappaert, Jeremias and Hoffman, hitting the end zone.  Colts stifled the extra point attempt.  21 to 13.  Colts leave their kin in good field position to start the 2nd quarter. 

New herds stomp onto the field.  Penalty flags start flying.  Bodies start crashing.  It’s an epic duel between the beasts.  Devin Shaffer and Robbie Schuckel snare flag upon flag.  Colts still barrel thru for the TD.  A wall of Stallions hold the extra point.  21 to 19.  Stallions ball.  Rushes, pass attempts.  Stopped.  Simply stopped.  Colts ball.  Schuckel and Shaffer continue to snag the flags but Colts push thru scoring on a long run.  The wall, consisting of JJ Rickard, Owen Ross, Shaffer and Schuckel, goes up.  Colts extra point denied.  21 to 25. 

Third quarter starts.  Tempers flaring.  Tension remaining.  Stallions go to Sam Stathas and Jeremias and for movement.  James Redwine pulls out a 4th down run taking the ball 36 yards for the TD.  Extra point by Luke Parinello is good.  28 to 25.  Colts respond quickly with one snap and reclaim the lead, though failing to capitalize on the extra point.  28 to 31.  Stallions plowed forward, slowly and steadily, carrying the weight of the Colts on their shoulders.  Redwine again breaks the barrier and gets another six. 34 to 31.  One snap.  One run.  Colts retrieve the lead.  34 to 38.  Stallions first down.  Another first down.  Another first down.  Time runs out.  Stallions down.

Halftime brings a time to reflect on the penalties, the clashes, the intensity that loomed over the first half of play.  The Stallions were missing three players, Carter Skiver, Max Kamposh and Dhilan Khatiwala for the second half.  Despite absences, this was a true derby with thoroughbred athletes.  The buzzer sounds alarming the teams to prepare to ride again.  Coach Prior telling his steeds he needs just a little bit more from them. 

The fourth quarter Stallions start to slow the Colts momentum.  Penalties, passes broken up and tacklers like Pace and Couture made the Colts work for their next six, and six alone.  34 to 44.  Evan Deak was sitting on a bomb and exploded for 59 yards, getting six for the Stallions.  40 to 44.  Colts were tackled over and over but forged ahead.  40 to 50. 

Fifth quarter begins, Nick Helner flies out of the gate with a 44 yard touchdown run and a pass to Shaffer for an additional 2.  48 to 50.  Colts didn’t need a snap this next round, taking the pigskin to the house on the return.  48 to 56.  Drew Rankin broke free for the Stallions on offense, running for 31 yards.  Helner found Colin Prior in the end zone for another 2 point conversion.  56 to 56.  Defense of Schuckel, Shaffer and Rankin slowed the Colts, but could not contain the TD.  Once again the wall lifted rejecting the EP.  56 to 62.  Buzzer sounds.  Stallions down.  The boys have yet to stop the Colts.  The Colts have only stopped the Stallions one time.  The Derby continues.

The 6th quarter, the final stretch starts with the Stallions on third down.  Chris Shukeireh and Nathan Jones contain the Colts and open up the track for Redwine who delivers the leather to the end zone, tying the game.   Minghine finds Redwine, who was breaking personal records, in the end zone for a two point conversion.  64 to 62.  The Stallions needed to stop the Colts.  Just one time.  Deak, Minghine and Parinello slow the movement and run time off the clock.  Colts out of time outs sprint to the line of scrimmage to snap the ball with 2 seconds left and Parinello fires away from the blockers to seize the flag and secure the Shoe for the Stallions!  The Legacy continues.

Northville Stallions and Colts reunite next week for a post-season game at Tom Holzer Ford Field at 9 am on Sunday October 27th.