Bloomington High School North football defeated Columbus North High School 31-28 in a game that went down to the wire Friday, with the Cougars running out late winners on senior night.
Bloomington North’s defense started out strong, with Columbus senior tight end Parker Elmore getting stopped on a direct snap on 4th and 2 for an early turnover on downs.
Both offenses struggled out the gates as each team punted following the initial turnover. As the first quarter flew by, the game remained scoreless.
Early in the second quarter, the Cougars found themselves with a turnover on downs on offense, with a run up the middle stuffed on 4th and 1.
After Elmore snagged a catch over the top of a defender inside the red zone, a 1-yard touchdown run from senior running back Sam Perry gave the Bulldogs the first points of the game with only two and a half minutes remaining in the first half.
Bloomington North refused to enter the locker room down points, however. Senior quarterback John Bargen fired a 20-yard touchdown pass to sophomore receiver Blake Davis to tie the game at 7 with 11 seconds remaining in the first half.
With the game staying close, there was no running clock in the second half for the first time in three home games.
A fumble on Bloomington North’s first offensive play of the second half gifted the Bulldogs a great scoring opportunity. Senior offensive lineman Drew Schiefer capitalized, rumbling home for a 3-yard touchdown to restore the Columbus North lead.
A three-and-out for each offense followed the big man touchdown, and the seat started to warm for the Cougars. A completion to junior receiver Nathan Walker on 4th and 7 extended the following drive, allowing sophomore running back Carter Matthew to scamper home for a 20-yard touchdown.
On the next drive, Bloomington North caught a lucky break. With pressure in his face, senior quarterback Asher Ratliff threw a ball straight into the arms of senior linebacker Noah Ferree. The offense cashed in a 35-yard field goal to take its first lead of the game, 17-14.
As the fourth quarter started, both offenses continued to answer each other. Elmore, a three-star prospect committed to Indiana, hauled in a 46-yard pass but suffered a leg injury on the same play.
Elmore, coming back in despite the injury, then ran in an 8-yard score from a direct snap, only to worsen his leg injury. The Hoosier commit needed help to limp off the field.
Down 21-17, Bloomington North found a quick response. Bargen’s throw sailed just over the reach of the defender as Walker ran in a 52-yard touchdown catch.
With the Cougars up 24-21 with seven minutes remaining, each play became more important than the last as the game went down to the wire.
Columbus North was stuffed on a quarterback sneak on 4th and 1, giving Bloomington North the ball on the opposition 44-yard line. After running the ball until 4th and short, a failed fake punt gave the Bulldogs life once more.
With only three minutes to play, the Columbus North offense started driving, finding itself on a 4th and 8 from the Cougar 30-yard line. Ratliff fired a laser to senior receiver Morgan Knapp to the 5-yard line, and Perry scored another 1-yard touchdown run to wrench the lead back.
Down 28-24 with 1:27 left, practice now meant more than ever. Teams practice 2-minute drills every week, but now it was for real.
“We practice it every week,” Bloomington North head coach Brett Cooper said. “You got to have good players as well, but we work on situations like this all the time.”
Bargen started off the drill with a pass to senior receiver Luke Freel for 23 yards. After collecting another first down on a run from Matthew, Bargen found junior receiver Rashon English inside the opposition 30-yard line.
There is where the Cougar offense found gold. Bargen fired a pass to Davis, who caught the pass mid-stride and raced home for a 28-yard go-ahead touchdown with 44 seconds remaining.
However, Columbus North still had time. After collecting multiple first downs through sideline catches, a touchdown-saving defensive pass interference left the Bulldogs on the edge of field goal range with three seconds remaining.
The game-tying field goal attempt barely made its way over the offensive line before being blocked, causing an uproar from the crowd. Bloomington North edged out the senior night win, defeating Columbus North 31-28.
“It means everything,” Cooper said, “Because where we were at five weeks ago, you know, who knows where this season could’ve gone. Those kids stayed true to what we’re doing, and they finally got a huge win this year.”
Bloomington North was 1-3 through the first four weeks, sitting at 0-2 in conference play and staring down the barrel of a poor season to wrap up its time in Conference Indiana. They refused to give up, however, and have now won four straight games with a much more positive picture heading into the playoffs.
Bloomington North, now 5-3 and 2-2 in conference play, travels to Southport High School at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17th.
