Huge defensive play lifts Woodmen to final

BRAZIL

Greenwood Community High School coach Mike Campbell joked it was just the way his defensive coordinator drew up the end-of-the-game defense.

“Let them get to the 1 and then rip the ball out and go score,” Campbell said. “It was an unbelievable play, though. It was kids playing within the system and making plays when it counted.”

Greenwood defensive back Will Wolf stripped the ball from Northview running back Ben Girton on the 1-yard line and junior defensive back Dylan Rosado scooped up the fumble and ran 99 yards for the score with 6.2 seconds left. That sealed Greenwood’s 29-17 victory against Class 4A No. 2 Northview (10-1) in a sectional semifinal.

The Woodmen (7-4) will host Roncalli (7-4) on Friday.

“The ball was a few inches away from the goal line and the ball was rolling, and I picked it up and took off running,” Rosado said. “If he didn’t stop that, we would have lost that game. It was an all-out team effort.

“People are giving me the credit, but that was all on Will. I just cleaned it up for him.”

Rosado had given the Woodmen a 22-17 lead by catching a 65-yard TD pass from quarterback Seth Gallman with 1:31 left on fourth down and 10.

“They were playing a little deep,” Rosado said. “I told Seth I was going to try to bend it a little bit, their safeties were split. The ball was there. I made a play and took it to the house.”

Earlier, Greenwood had picked up a fourth down to keep the drive alive.

“Seth Gallman made a heck of a play on fourth-and-2, he got it by about six inches,” Campbell said. “I’m proud to be a coach of this team. Unbelievable win.”

Campbell loved how his team responded to adversity.

“Things didn’t go our way a lot of times, and they kept fighting,” Campbell said. “That’s the character these guys have shown since we started putting this team together.”

Greenwood senior receiver Jackson Daughtery, who had five catches for 101 yards, caught two touchdown passes. The second one a 40-yarder from Seth Gallman gave Greenwood a 16-10 lead in the third quarter.

“The line blocked well, everything clicked, and it just worked,” Daugherty said.

Daugherty intercepted two passes in the first half for the Woodmen, the first one in their own end zone that killed Northview’s 13-play opening drive.

Seth Gallman, who completed his first five passes, connected with Daugherty for 28-yard TD pass in the first quarter.

Spencer Schmidt slipped, and his punt was blocked. Northview’s Hunter Ragan picked it up and ran 25 yards for the touchdown as the teams were tied at 7-all.

The two teams then traded field goals in the third quarter.

“The game was insane,” Daugherty said. “I don’t even know what to think now. I’m a wreck. It’s awesome, though. It’s the best feeling in the world.”