Defense and the running game send Simley to the Prep Bowl

The Simley Spartans ended the game with nearly a three-to-one advantage in scrimmage yards. They dominated time of possession. Still, they trailed the Rocori Spartans 16-14 in the fourth quarter. With all that dominance, the game essentially came down to the foot of Reid Remackle. The senior kicker had just enough leg to clear the crossbar from 33 yards out. Leading 17-16, the Simley defense did what it did the entire game – shut down the Rocori offense.   Simley's offense took the opening kickoff deep into Rocori territory on the strength of two third down conversions. After being on the field for over five minutes, Rocori linebacker Jackson Primus – who would finish the game with a game-high thirteen tackles - made a pair of huge defensive plays. First, he stuffed a run on third down for a short gain, and then Primus got into the backfield to make a fourth down stop short of the first down.   Rocori's defense was right back on the field, however. Keyed by defensive backs David Gogins – reading a reverse and making a tackle for a short gain and then Dez Smith deflecting a pass on the sidelines – Simley's defense was off the field.   A quick pass to the outside to Tay'vion McCoy picked up a first down for Simley, and then the running game went to work. Simley quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='313271' first='Caden' last='Renslow'] used a run/pass option to get the corner for eight yards. Then, McCoy made a series of moves to get down the sidelines for forty yards. Running back [player_tooltip player_id='19029' first='Gavin' last='Nelson'] kept the chains moving by bouncing a run to the outside to get inside the five. McCoy finished the drive with an end-around for a short touchdown run.   Both offenses traded three and outs, but Rocori did manage to flip field position. That would be key as the Rocori offense finally started to move the ball. Simley had great coverage downfield the entire first half, but Rocori's [player_tooltip player_id='383740' first='Adam' last='Langer'] made a great catch on third and long, giving Rocori their initial first down – nearly halfway through the second quarter. Simley's great coverage became their own worst enemy as the Simley secondary deflected a pass on the goal line. The tipped ball popped into the air and into the waiting hands of Rocori's [player_tooltip player_id='313236' first='Gabe' last='Johnson'] for a twenty two yard touchdown. The two point conversion gave Rocori an 8-7 lead.   It didn't take long for Simley to respond. Renslow went up top to McCoy on third and long for a 69 yard touchdown pass – perfectly thrown - for the Simley Spartans. The deep shot allowed Simley to regain the lead – 14-8.   A good kickoff return and some great work by quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='295821' first='Jack' last='Spanier'] had Rocori inside the five with less than a minute to go in the half. Spanier would finish the job on a quarterback draw to tie the score. Despite being badly outgained, the two-point conversion was good, and Rocori took a 16-14 lead into the half.   Both defenses dominated in the second half. Great kick coverage pinned Rocori inside their twenty yard line. After a punt, Simley moved the ball on the ground into Rocori territory. Faced with a third and long, a slant to Simley's Smith on third and long set up a fourth and short at the Rocori 31. Rocori's Grady Minnerath beat his blocker and stuffed an inside run, giving the ball back to his offense.   After their defense forced another punt, a 20 yard run by Nelson got Simley into Rocori's territory. McCoy used his quickness to pick up a first down, and Nelson powered his way for ten more yards. It looked like the Simley was about to take the lead, but the Rocori defense came up big when it needed to – stopping Simley short on a fourth and short inside the fifteen yard line.   Highlighted by a second down sack by Nelson, Rocori was eventually forced to punt from deep in their own territory. Simley had flipped the field and had a short field – taking over at Rocori's 32 yard line.   Simley's Smith made a huge catch and run to pick up a first down to keep the Simley drive alive, but a holding penalty a few plays later backed them up. On third and long, Rocori's [player_tooltip player_id='392533' first='Grant' last='Tylutki'] made a great play on the ball to deflect the ball, setting up Remackle to hit his 37 yard field goal.   The Simley Spartans finished the game the way they started it – with defense and a punishing running game. Defensive lineman Hunter Collins and linebacker Danny Martin stuffed a run for a big loss. Pressure by Nelson up the middle resulted in a minimal gain for Rocori. Finally, on fourth and three from the Rocori 41, pressure by Lane Oduwaiye forced Spanier into a sack by Martin.   The game was all but won, but Nelson capped off the game by bouncing two big runs to the outside – both for first downs and the last one that could have resulted in a touchdown if he wouldn't have done the smart thing – giving himself up short of the goal line so they could run out the clock and secure a spot in the Prep Bowl with a 17-16 win.