- November 14, 2024
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It was a night that could not have been written any more perfectly.
After a 2016 season that saw Edgewater struggle their way through an 0-10 season and another coaching change, the Eagles (9-1, 5-0) turned it all around on their senior night in a nerve-racking 28-25 win over Hagerty (6-3, 4-1) to seal up a district title and playoff berth.
"There's going to be a new number right up there," said Eagles' coach Cameron Duke as he pointed to the banner showing off Edgewater's district titles. "I told you guys at half time, I know each and every one of you what's pumping through your body – that heart of yours is what led us to a win tonight."
It took every ounce of blood and sweat for the Eagles to pull out the win, as within the first five minutes of the game they found themselves down 9-0 after Hagerty found the redzone on a short touchdown run and a 37-yard field goal. The Huskies went for two after the touchdown, but failed to convert.
About a minute and a half after, with 4:08 to go in the first quarter, quarterback Robert Harvey Jr. weaved through defenders on a long touchdown run to bring the Eagles to within two.
On their next drive, the Huskies marched downfield and into the red zone, before a huge pick at the one-yard line by corner back Malik Prioleau snuffed the drive out. Unfortunately for the Eagles, the pick set the offense up with their backs to the goal line, and an intentional grounding call in the end zone led to a safety to build the Huskies' lead to 11-7.
That 11-7 lead is where the score would remain until halftime.
Despite being generally outplayed by the Huskies, Duke and his Eagles weren't worried.
"We had been here, we had been down, and had been in this situation and found ways to come back and win," Duke said. "That instills confidence when you've been in a situation and it wasn't panic, it was 'let's make some corrections.' We were able to get some explosive plays there that were able to get the momentum back."
That whole was about to get a little deeper to start off the second half as the Huskies, once again, went right downfield on a drive that was capped off by a short run – making it 18-7 with 5:35 left in the third.
Less than a minute later, the Eagles took a huge swing on an 80-yard touchdown pass from Harvey to receiver Mahmoud Lutfi to cut the lead down to 18-14. This would be the play that changed everything.
The following Huskies' possession saw the away side fumble the ball away in their own red zone, but the Eagles failed to convert on fourth-and-goal.
Just as the Eagles had given the ball back to the Huskies, the offense fumbled the ball again in their own red zone – this time within the 15-yard line.
Unlike the previous attempt, the Eagles punched their way into the end zone with a short touchdown grab to make it 21-18 – taking the lead for the first time on the night with 2:02 to go in the third.
Not wanting to go down without a fight, the Huskies came back with a quick response on a long touchdown catch with 10:40 left in the game to retake the lead at 25-21.
Unlike earlier in the game, there was a frantic tension that ran through the crowd as fans cheered on their Eagles – which fueled the players on the field.
Just as he had done earlier, Harvey took over the game at the 8:27 mark with a quick sprint down the right side of the field, making it 28-25 and giving the lead right back to the Eagles.
After marching downfield on what would be the final drive of the game for the Huskies, Eagles' safety Jahsimeon Campblin flew into the air and picked of an errant pass that came his way – sealing the game and moving the Eagles into the playoffs.
"Guys, you know there were times when we didn't play very good football, but at the end of the day there was zero quit, and there was a team that play together – you were the team that kept believing, and you were the team that kept persevering," Duke said to his team after the game. "You earned yourself (a) 2017 district championship."
Edgewater will take on Boone (6-2, 2-1) in a rivalry game to cap off the regular season before going into post season play.