LINTON — Linton completed the comeback few believed possible Friday night, coming from behind in the fourth quarter to upset Class A No. 5-ranked North Daviess 28-24 at Roy Williams Field in Linton.
Trailing 24-14 in the third quarter, the same Miners that lost to North Daviess 34-6 on Sept. 25, scored touchdowns in the third and fourth quarter, then made two huge defensive plays to win their third straight Sectional 40 football championship.
“Especially this year. We started out slow, we were supposed to be rebuilding and to come out here and change [our offense and defense] in week seven and win the sectional for the third time in a row, it’s something special,” Linton running back Stefan Sparks said.
Trailing 24-21 with 2:58 left in the game, Linton faced a fourth down and four. Kaleb Bridge took the football straight up the middle for a 25-yard touchdown play that put the Miners ahead.
Dyllanne Deischer, Linton’s freshman kicker, capped a perfect 4-for-4 kicking night that put the Miners up 28-24.
North Daviess, led by quarterback Jano Davis, who threw for 104 yards and rushed for 68, broke loose for a 32-yard run across and up the field to the Linton 14-yard line.
On second-and-10 from the Linton 14, senior tackle Kyle Smith and sophomore Blake Scarbrough sacked Davis for a five-yard loss. Looking at third-and-15, the Cougars tried a pass and Linton’s Evan Magni made the biggest interception of his record-setting career with 49 seconds left on the clock.
“My eyes got huge. I got a good break on the ball. I ran my butt off, got to it and made the play,” Magni said.
In the third quarter, it sure looked like a rebuilding year for the Miners. Linton led 14-12 at halftime, but North Daviess scored on the opening possession of the second half, then capitalized on a Linton fumble to go ahead 24-21 with 4:54 left in the third period.
“I told the team right before the third quarter was over one big play could turn this game around. Sure enough the next play they fumble the ball, we get it and score,” Magni said.
With 49 seconds left in the third period, Linton quarterback Tylor Scott, not known for his passing, hooked up with Magni for a 40-yard touchdown pass play. It was Scott’s second TD pass of the night, as he found Reid Firestone for a 14-yard score in the first quarter.
“We haven’t thrown the ball forever. We knew they were going to stop our powers with something so we needed something else. So we started passing [in practice] this week. So it worked out for us big time,” Scott said.
With just under 10 minutes left to play, Bridges, who led the balanced Miner offense with 86 rushing yards, sacked North Daviess’ Davis for a five-yard loss, forcing a punt.
Starting from their own 27-yard line, the Miners put together a 14-play touchdown drive. Sparks came through with the big plays on the drive, running for 13 yards on third-and-five, then converting on a fourth-and-inches, that eventually led to Bridges’ 25-yard touchdown run.
“The guys don’t believe that [rebuilding year story]. They don’t buy into that. They played hard. I’m more proud of this team of any team I’ve had so far [and] we’ve had some great teams here,” Linton coach Steve Weber said.
Linton 28, North Daviess 24
North Daviess 0 12 12 0 — 24
Linton 7 7 7 7 — 28
L — Reid Firestone 14 pass from Tylor Scott (Dyllanne Deischer kick) 8:56 1Q.
ND — Jess Tribby 33 pass from Jano Davis (kick failed) 11:34 2Q.
ND — Tribby 91 run (pass failed) 4:43 2Q.
L — Evan Magni 30 run (Deischer kick) :51 2Q.
ND — Ryan Webster 5 run (pass failed) 7:53 3Q.
ND — Davis 1 run (pass failed) 4:54 3Q.
L — Magni 40 pass from Scott (Deischer kick) :49 3Q.
L — Kaleb Bridges 25 run (Deischer kick) 2:58 4Q.
ND L
First downs 16 17
Rushes-yards 45-296 43-236
Passing yards 104 109
Com-Att-Int 6-13-1 4-7-1
Total offense 58-400 50-345
Return yards 59 36
Punts-avg. 2-29 2-28.5
Fumbles lost 3-2 3-3
Penalties-yards 2-13 3-15
Individual statistics
Rushing — North Daviess: Webster 27-126, Davis 13-68, Tribby 2-98, Sellers 3-4. Linton: Bridges 14-86, S. Sparks 12-85, Magni 11-46, Scott 6-19.
Passing — North Daviess: Davis 6-13-1--104; Linton: Scott 4-7-1--109.
Receiving — North Daviess: Tribby 3-59, Harkness 1-28, Wittmer 1-12, Sellers 1-5; Linton: Magni 1-40, Ivey 1-35, Morin 1-20, Firestone 1-14.
Next — Linton (9-3) will host Fountain Central next Friday. North Daviess finished 10-2.
High School
Transformed Miners take out No. 5 Cougars for third straight sectional title
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PREP ROUNDUP: Rox clinch WRC
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THN SECTIONAL: Braves to play Mooresville for sectional title tonight
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OWEN VALLEY SECTIONAL: Eagles bring Vikes down to earth
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BLOOMFIELD SECTIONAL: Sullivan jumps to early lead in sectional victory
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North Vermillion Sectional: Panthers, Falcons to meet for NV title
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South swimmers don’t advance at Finals
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But they tried anyway. -
BASKETBALL ROUNDUP: Duncan’s OT free throws help Marshall down H-P
Jacob Duncan hit four free throws in overtime Friday night as visiting Marshall defeated Hutsonville-Palestine 51-49 in Little Illini Conference action.
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O'Leary pours in career-high 34 for Terre Haute North
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Sullivan stays on top of WIC for third straight year
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South girls looking for solid performances at swimming state finals
One individual and one relay team, which includes that same individual, will represent Terre Haute South in the IHSAA girls swimming state finals today and possibly Saturday at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
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PREP ROUNDUP: Cesinger, Jones each score 24 in Clay City win
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Teutopolis knocks off record-setting Marshall girls in regional championship
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Sullivan wins battle in low post
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State wrestling berths won't come easily
If high school wrestlers thought regional competition was tough last weekend, they can expect the competition, as Keegan Michael Key used to say on MADtv, taken to “a whole notha level” on Saturday.
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South pulls upset
Plainfield’s 16-5 record made the Quakers the team to beat in the Class 4A Terre Haute North Sectional.
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Vikings break long sectional drought
You’ll have to forgive West Vigo for celebrating just a wee bit prior to the postgame handshake with South Vermillion, but its first victory in a sectional game in 11 years was worthy of celebrating.
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PREP ROUNDUP: RP rolls past Attica
Riverton Parke jumped to a 20-point halftime lead and easily defeated Attica 59-34 in the Class A North Vermillion girls basketball sectional on Tuesday.
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They’re the pride of Marshall
With a 24-1 record, coach Kathy Miller’s Marshall team earned the top seed in the Class 2A Teutopolis Regional.
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Union season more fun with Talpas around
The Union boys basketball team has had its share of fun moments in the past, arguably the most fun being its Class A state runner-up in 2000.
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Injury bug follows girls into postseason
Who’s healthy is the question at least three of the four teams will be asking tonight when Class 4A girls high school basketball sectional play begins at Terre Haute North.
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Rockville needs late run to stop West Vigo
It was a game of fits and starts, but host Rockville finally overcame a stiff challenge from visiting West Vigo in a 53-46 victory in boys high basketball action on Saturday.
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Northview holds off Plainfield
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PREP ROUNDUP: Cloverdale helps Rady to career win No. 714
Brandon Dorman and Joe Fidler combined for 37 points and six 3-pointers Saturday night as visiting Cloverdale defeated Turkey Run 63-45 in boys high school basketball.
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