Controversy marred the end of Hewitt-Trussville’s first-round playoff game against Austin last Friday night at Jack Wood Field. But when the Huskies got a second chance, they made sure to make the most of it.
A 43-yard Austin field goal that would have put the Black Bears ahead was negated by a penalty with 1:06 to play, and Hewitt-Trussville’s Cody Segers blocked a 48-yard field goal attempt on the next play as the Huskies held on for an 18-17 victory in a wild Class 6A playoff finish.
The Region 7 champion Huskies (8-3) move on to the second round and will host their region rival Gadsden City tomorrow after surviving against the Black Bears.
Hewitt quarterback Brett Miller tied the game at 17-17 with 4:38 to play after scrambling and running 18 yards for the score. Cameron Yaw’s PAT then gave the Huskies their first lead of the night at 18-17.
The Black Bears (5-6) then methodically moved the ball down the field on the arm of Stephen Rivers before facing a fourth-and-2 at the Hewitt-Trussville 26.
Austin coach David Norwood began hollering at the officials just before Joshua Lowman’s 43-yard field goal attempt, saying the Huskies had 12 men on the field. Lowman’s kick sailed through the uprights as a penalty was called. Instead of flagging the Huskies, however, Lowman was penalized for a delay of game for not having a mouthpiece.
Norwood was clearly upset after the game.
“I can’t say anything critical about the officiating,” he said. “All I can say is that I never even got an explanation why we were penalized. I do know I’ll be sending a tape of this to the state.”
Hewitt coach Hal Riddle said he didn’t know if the Huskies had 12 men on the field on the first field goal attempt, but he said he’s seen the no-mouthpiece penalty one other time in his career – back in the late 1980s when he was an assistant at Erwin.
“We didn’t call the penalty,” Riddle said. “We caught a break because the kicker didn’t have a mouthpiece in. We’ve had a few breaks go against us this year.
“I’m not going to apologize for our kids blocking a field goal on the second try. We never said die, and the kids found a way to win.”
Austin grabbed a 14-0 lead on touchdown passes of 28 and 30 yards from Rivers to Frederick Moore early in the second quarter.
Miller led the Huskies on a scoring drive late in the quarter, capping it with an 18-yard pass to Noah Wilson for the score. Hewitt then made a two-point conversion when the Black Bear defense didn’t notice Wilson lined up wide of the formation. Miller took the snap and passed to a wide-open Wilson, cutting the lead to 14-8 and ultimately giving the Huskies the winning points.
“How big was that,” Riddle said, “great play, and it was the winning points.”
The Huskies had to continue fighting, however. Austin opened the second half by stuffing the Trussville offense and then driving down the field for a 39-yard Lowman field goal and a 17-8 lead.
Yaw hit the left upright on a 42-yard field goal late in the third, but he connected from 22 yards out on the Huskies next possession to cut the lead to 17-11, setting up the wild finish.
Miller finished the night 15-of-23 passing for 157 yards and one score and rushing for 25 yards and another touchdown for Trussville.
Rivers, the brother of NFL quarterback Phillip Rivers, completed 21-of-33 passes for 210 yards and two scores. He was intercepted twice in the first half.
Despite being visibly distraught over the outcome, Norwood was complementary of the Huskies.
“I’m proud of our guys because they played hard for 48 minutes, giving everything they had,” Norwood said. “We just got beat. We got beat by a fine football team.”
The Huskies now face the Titans in round two. Gadsden City handed Hewitt-Trussville its only region loss this season, winning 24-17 in week eight.
“I don’t think our kids will have any problems getting up for Gadsden City,” Riddle said.
