Houston Academy edges Providence

Will Andre squatted and put both hands on top of his helmet as his Houston Academy teammates huddled next to the sidelines.

Providence Christian had called a timeout as the ball rested on the Eagles’ 4-yard line with nine seconds remaining in the game and a 3rd-and-goal situation.

HA had no timeouts remaining.

The game was in the hands — or rather foot — of Andre.

“It was the most nerve-racking thing ever,” Andre said.

Following the timeout, the Houston Academy junior jogged onto the field as spirited Providence fans tried to inspire their defense one more time by chanting: “Block that kick, block that kick, block that kick.”

Andre had an extra-point kick blocked by Preston Jones following the Raiders’ first touchdown. He was short on a 45-yard field goal try early in the second half.

With the game on the line, Andre drilled a 21-yard field goal through the uprights to give Houston Academy a thrilling 17-14 victory over Providence Christian in front of a big crowd at Rip Hewes Stadium.

It marked the first time the two Dothan private schools have played in football.

“They’re icing me,” Andre said while recalling his thoughts during the timeout. “They’re trying to make me mess up.

“It didn’t work, thankfully.”

In the opener for both schools, it was Providence Christian which took the early lead and somewhat dominated play in the first half to take a 14-6 halftime advantage.

The Eagles went 68 yards in 12 plays on the opening drive to score when Ross Eidson went in from 1 yard out. Banks Smith kicked through the extra point for the 7-0 lead.

Chris Crawford was the workhorse in the drive, carrying the ball seven times for 41 yards, and he caught a pass from Nick Plagenhoef for 7 yards.

It only took one play for the Raiders to get in scoring position following the kickoff as Seth McGowan bounced off a would-be tackler at the line of scrimmage, eluded several others, and rambled 53 yards down to the 6. An unsportsmanlike penalty on the Eagles moved the ball to the 3.

On the next play, Andrew Dauphin powered over the middle to make it 7-6, where it stood after the extra point was blocked.

Providence turned right around on the next possession and moved 67 yards in 12 plays to add to its lead when Plagenhoef put the ball right on the money into the hands of Johnny Dowd for a 13-yard TD pass right inside the goal line.

Key plays in the drive included a 22-yard halfback pass from Crawford to Eidson to put Providence on the HA 38, and a 15-yard run by Preston Jones to the 13.
Smith’s extra point made it 14-6, where it stood at intermission.

The second half became a defensive battle with neither offense able to get anything going consistently.
While Providence has struggled in recent years on that side of the ball, the Eagles matched Houston Academy with a physical, fast-hitting defense.

“Defense, this is the first time in the history of our school you bowed up and played defense,” Providence coach Emory Latta told his troops after the game. “I’m proud of you. You sucked it up and played good football,” he said of his entire team.

Houston Academy capitalized on a Providence miscue on the first play of the fourth quarter when a pitch from Plagenhoef didn’t connect with the tailback and the Raiders’ Lit Flowers alertly fell on the loose ball at the 44 of Houston Academy.

The Raiders then worked their way down the field in 12 plays behind the running of Dauphin and McGowan, mixed in with a 12-yard pass from J.H. Johnson to Jo El Bennett. The Raiders scored when Dauphin bulled over from the right side on a first-and-goal play from the 1 to pull to within 14-12 with 5:43 left in the game.

HA then converted a try for 2 when McGowan made it in on second effort after being hit in the backfield, then spinning off and diving over the goal line to tie the game.

Providence was held on the ensuing possession and punted to the Raiders’ Travis Gardner, who returned it to the HA 41 to begin the game-winning march.

Nine plays into the drive, a 12-yard run by Dauphin got HA to the 9. Then, an offsides call on Providence put the ball on the 4 with just under a minute to play.
McGowan was held for no gain, and remained on the ground clutching his stomach as the clocked stopped with 15:8 seconds left due to the injury. HA had no timeouts left.

On second down, Johnson threw the ball to the ground to stop the clock with 9.1 seconds left, setting up the game-winning kick by Andre following the Providence timeout.

McGowan led HA in rushing with 114 yards, while Dauphin added 84.

Crawford led Providence with 59 yards rushing.