“I had the whole student section roaring behind me, but knew I can always rely on my guys. I was confident with the work I put in; confident with the work they put in. I'm just really glad we could get that through the uprights,” said DePaul Prep Rams senior kicker Emmett McCue.
McCue had just kicked a playoff game winning 30-yard field goal in overtime to win to lift the Rams to a 37-34 win over Hampshire on Saturday evening.
In fact, McCue kicked three field goals in the game.
“I've actually attempted only four [field goals] this season total. Three in this game is a lot more than I have kicked pretty much all season,” McCue added.
Three field goals in a game is a lot for a high school kicker. But it was only the total team effort that got the Rams to the point of McCue finishing it off. The big plays are a lot to go through: a pick-six by George Farrell, big runs by Tyson Hooks and Zach Stewart, great passes by Andrew Campbell, a blocked field goal on special teams, a huge sack in OT by Hayes McGuire. I could go on. Without this total team effort, they would get three field goals or three field goals would not matter.
It was a great win after a tough 3-6 regular season. It was a testament to these boys and their coaches that there was no quit. They get knocked down and get back up.
It wasn’t a one sided game. Hampshire played an inspired game. The amazing effort of Whip-Purs senior quarterback Griffin Chamberlain was remarkable. With 32.3 seconds on the clock, 4th down and 20, on the Rams’ 29-yard line, Chamberlain lays out a perfect pass down sideline which some how, some way, senior wide receiver Tyler Lache caught while blanketed by double coverage. That lead to the tying touchdown.
In this era of playoff blowouts, it was fun to have a game come down to the last play. This time, the Rams come out on top.
