Heartbreak on Homecoming after a triple overtime shootout!

After struggling through a long season facing several mismatches, the Soda Springs Cardinals finally got an opponent that they could compete with.  It just so happened that the game was also the Cardinals homecoming game.  The Cardinals opponents in the game were the Wendell Trojans.  The two teams came into the evening without a single win between them.  The two teams are also district opponents this year with the combination of the fourth and fifth districts.  With both teams showing a zero in the win column some would assume that the game would not be all that exciting to watch.  If that was your assumption, you were in for a pleasant surprise as this game was full of drama and excitement.

The excitement kicked off with the delivery of the game ball via helicopter by Air Idaho Rescue.  The ball was pitched to senior Cardinal Ryder Bendtsen.  Following tha,t the introduction of starters took place and the game got underway with the Cardinals kicking to the Trojans.  The Soda Springs defense was then able to make an early stand forcing the Trojans to punt.  On the ensuing possession the Cardinals put together a slow methodical drive getting down inside the thirty yard line before stalling out and turning the ball over on downs.  After forcing another punt, the Cardinal offense was on the move once again.  This time the Cardinals would not stall out as Cole Garbett took the ball off the right side of the line for the games first score followed by a successful extra point and Soda Springs led 7-0.  The first quarter came to a close as the Trojans were putting together a good drive of their own but the Cards still led the game 7-0.  

It did not take long for the Trojans to strike in the second as on their first play the running back broke loose and the game was tied up at seven points each.  Just four plays later, disaster would strike again for the Cardinals when they were forced to punt and the coverage outran the ball giving the Trojans an easy return for their second score in less than two minutes.  The Trojans failed to convert the extra point and took the lead 13-7.  

Following the Trojan score the Cardinals would ride their three headed running game of Bendtsen, Garbett and Garbett down the field on another long drive culminating with Cole Garbett earning his second score of the evening.  The Trojans jumped offsides on the extra point which moved the ball closer, enticing the Cardinals to go for two points.  A bobbled snap put an end to that, however, and the score was once again tied this time at thirteen points a piece.  The next few minutes were a defensive battle.  The first half drama wasn't quite over yet though as Dunford took a reverse handoff down to the fifteen yard line with just twenty-nine seconds left putting Soda in scoring position.  Unfortunately the Cardinals threw an interception in the endzone, turning the ball over.  The Soda defense stepped up though and earned an interception of their own giving the Cardinals one last shot at scoring in the first half but time ran out following two incomplete passes to the endzone.

There was plenty of excitement and entertainment in the second half with turnovers and touchdowns being called back, but the score on the scoreboard did not change as the clock ticked down to zero.  With the game still tied at thirteen the two teams headed to overtime.  

In overtime, Soda won the coin toss, selecting to go on defense first.  The Trojans scored first in overtime on a pass to the back of the endzone.  The extra point came up short and the Trojans took a 19-13 lead.  It was now the Cardinals’ turn to try to score.  Soda Springs would lose yards on first and second down falling back to the thirty yard line.  On third down the Cards heaved the ball into the endzone where it was caught, once again tying the game up with the extra point to come.  Wendell tried icing the kicker by calling a timeout just before the ball was snapped.  Out of the timeout, the kick went go through the uprights but an offsides on the defense would negate the play and the Cardinals would have to make another attempt.  The second attempt was blocked and the game moved to its second overtime.  In the second overtime Soda was on offense first and scored on fourth down with a ten yard pass play.  Once again Wendell jumped offsides on the extra point attempt and Soda elected to go for two after the penalty.  The two point conversion was good and Soda led 27-19.  Wendell answered back quickly with a pass of their own and a two point conversion and once again we were tied.  In the third overtime Wendell was on offense first and punched the ball in for the touchdown and two point conversion taking a 35-27 lead.  The Cardinals now needed to score and get a two point conversion so the game would continue on.  On second down the Cards ran an option play and the ball carrier took the pitch down near the goaline when the ball popped loose rolling towards the end line between two Trojans.  It looked like all was lost when a Cardinal player dove from behind, landing on the ball and it was ruled a Soda touchdown.  Now the Cards needed to convert the two point conversion.  They made their attempt through the air and the pass fell incomplete, handing the game to the Trojans with a final score of 35-33.

Cardinal fans obviously wanted a win but it gave fans a glimmer of pride to see the team fight so hard through three overtimes and given everything they had in the effort.