The McEachern Indians secured the No. 3 seed in the 7A playoffs by narrowly beating the Pebblebrook Falcons, 15-13.
This was a battle for playoff seeding. The winner would secure the third seed, while the loser would settle for fourth. Seeding wasn’t all that was at stake though. McEachern had been riding a 21-game winning streak over Pebblebrook.
This was as good of a year for the Falcons to break that streak because McEachern had to cease football activity for two weeks due to COVID-19 concerns. This game was moved from Friday to Saturday to allow the Indians to have a day to practice before the game.
If the lack of practice had an impact on the game, the first half could have been used as evidence to prove it. After each team scored on their first drives of the game, Pebblebrook had a 7-6 lead.
The rest of the half was dominated by penalties and punts. As the penalties piled up, frustration began to mount for coaches, players, and fans. Groans from the stands grew louder, and the referees were adorned with complaints.
Play on the field was contentious as frustrations for both teams began to mount.
Towards the end of the half, McEachern broke the extended scoring drought with a touchdown pass from Bryce Archie to Caleb Brown. The Indians took a 12-7 lead to halftime.
The first half was choppy to say the least. For sticking through it, everyone was treated to an electric second half.
Pebblebrook opened the half with quarterback Craig Adams running for a touchdown. The Falcons regained the lead, as the score updated to 13-12.
This score maintained throughout the third quarter. With each passing second, nervous energy built throughout the stadium.
In the fourth quarter, McEachern recovered a Pebblebrook fumble to gain possession. The ensuing drive resulted in an Indians field goal kicked by Kyle Hill. McEachern took back the lead, 15-13.
The buzz in the stadium kept growing as the game entered its final few possessions.
Pebblebrook’s next drive was thwarted by untimely dropped passes. The clock became the focal point as it continued to count down.
Unsatisfied with their lead, McEachern was aggressive on their next drive. The approach resulted in a turnover on downs. The anxiety in the stadium was palpable.
With 1:37 left in the game, Pebblebrook’s offense took over with favorable field position. The stadium’s energy turned into a frenzy. Craig Adams led the Falcons down field. Pebblebrook elected to spike the ball, with four seconds left on the clock, to set up their final chance at winning the game.
During the timeout, the crowd reached a feverish peak. The attendance was limited, but it mustered up as much noise as it could.
When play resumed, Craig Adams scanned the field for an open receiver. McEachern’s defense had them all locked up. Adams did what he could and took off running. He was swarmed by McEachern defenders, and the home crowd erupted with joy.
The Indians kept their winning streak against the Falcons alive, and notched their playoff ticket as the No. 3 seed in Region 2-7A.
Both teams look ahead to their first-round playoff opponents next week. McEachern travels to Walton and Pebblebrook heads to Region 3-7A champ North Cobb.