Presented By
Orange Crush Football Boosters Club
NETWORK
Hoover Vikings Football
Hoover Vikings Football
2007 Toledo St. John's Review
Regional Quarterfinal Game
REACH FOR THE PYLON Matt Wakulchik dives
in for Hoover’s first touchdown
Hoover wins in 5 thrilling OTs
Sunday, November 4, 2007
By Chris Beaven
Repository sports writer
NORTH CANTON Knocked down at halftime and nearly counted out in regulation, the Hoover High School football team would not quit.
Not when they needed big play after big play late into the fourth quarter and not through five grueling overtimes, where twice their season could have ended.
The Vikings were going to keep playing until they finally found a way to win.
Erick Howard's 1-yard touchdown run and one final defensive stand finally gave the Vikings their 40-33 win over Toledo St. John's in a Division I playoff game Saturday.
Everyone who attended the game at North Canton Memorial Stadium will remember this five-overtime classic for a long time - especially the players.
"It was intense," said junior cornerback Jeff Meek, who broke up three passes and made a tackle for loss in the overtimes. "You had to play hard every play in that overtime. ..."
Meek's voice trailed off there, probably from exhaustion.
Senior linebacker Kevin Dahl, standing to Meek's right, grabbed his teammate by the shoulders and said, "I feel you."
All of the Vikings were stunned by the four-hour game. The five overtimes took just more than an hour to play alone. The final two minutes of regulation took just less than 30 minutes.
Three times in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter, St. John's had chances to put the game away, but each time Hoover found a way to stay alive.
Dahl said the thought of losing never entered their minds.
"You can't think of it like that," he said. "You've got to keep fighting, keep playing."
The last time came in the final minute, when the Titans were unable to run out the clock with the ball inside their own 10. St. John's was forced to punt and popped up a 19-yarder that gave Hoover a chance to force overtime. The Vikings took over at the Titan 25 with 29.9 seconds left, trailing 16-8, and scored in four plays.
Quarterback Jared Wackerly, who attempted 51 passes, threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Dahl over the middle with 7.2 seconds left. The Vikings then had to make a 2-point conversion play to force overtime. Wackerly found Matt Wakulchik on that play.
The teams traded touchdowns in the first two overtimes, with Hoover's coming on two of Wackerly's four TD passes. He hit Greg Beck for 6 yards and Wakulchik for 9. Wakulchik finished with 12 catches for 140 yards and two scores.
The teams traded field goals in the third overtime, Wakulchik hitting from 36 yards. In the fourth overtime, each team missed a field goal, with Dahl blocking St. John's attempt first. The Vikings saw their attempt at a win sail wide right.
Hoover had the ball first in the fifth overtime. Wackerly threw a 15-yard pass to fullback Mitch Rose to get them to the 5. Howard ran the ball the next three plays, scoring from the 1. Wakulchik added the PAT.
The Titans, who outgained the Vikings, 336-244, in regulation, finally ran out of gas on their last possession.
Meek made a tackle for a 2-yard loss on a first-down pass to Mike White. Three straight incompletions followed ending the game and sending the entire Hoover team sprinting around the field.
Dahl could tell by looking in the eyes of his teammates that there was no quit in them - ever - throughout the overtimes.
"We could have played another five. I'm sure of it."
Box Score
Hoover 40, Toledo St. John's 33 (5 overtimes)
at North Canton Memorial Stadium
St. John's - 3 6 7 0 OT 7 7 3 0 0 - 33
Hoover - 0 0 8 8 OT 7 7 3 0 7 - 40
1st Qtr
SJ FG Noward 23
SJ FG Noward 26
2nd Qtr
SJ FG Noward 21
3rd Qtr
SJ Ball 35 run (Noward kick)
H Wakulchik 4 pass from Wackerly (E. Howard run)
4th Qtr
H Dahl 15 pass from Wackerly (Wakulchik pass from Wackerly)
OT #1
H Beck 6 pass from Wackerly (Wakulchik kick)
SJ White 18 pass from Anderson (Noward kick)
OT #2
SJ Anderson 1 run (Noward kick)
H Wakulchik 9 pass from Wackerly (Wakulchik kick)
OT #3
H FG Wakulchik 36
SJ FG Noward 37
OT #4
Neither team scored
OT #5
H Eric Howard 1 run (Wakulchik kick)
Game Stats
FD SJ - 16, Hoover - 15
Rushing Yards SJ - 50 for 217, Hoover 24 for 78
Comp - Att - Int SJ - 17 for 34 no Int, Hoover - 20 for 51 w/ 3 Int
Passing Yards SJ - 195, Hoover - 232
Total Yards SJ - 412, Hoover 310
Fumbles Lost SJ - 4-2, Hoover 0-0
St. John's (6-5), Hoover (9-2)
Source: Canton Repository
