Panama City Blazing Buffalos versus Crestview Thunderbirds

Win / 12-8

Another nail biter of a game!  Crestview Thunderbirds hosted the Panama City Blazing Buffalos on Davidson Middle Schools field.  With this win, Buffalos secured their spot in the playoffs.  With this win, Crestview Thunderbirds opened up the possibility of us making the playoffs.  Last time we faced the Buffalos was a total embarrassment for the Thunderbird team by having a melt down on the sidelines causing us to have a 38-0 loss.  So we're coming in as the underdog....nothing new there.   (link to first game)   However, it's been almost two months and we have grown a lot and, we have something to prove.  A little redemption wouldn't be so bad either. 

Tony Larkins of Larkins Express started us out with good music.  Jennifer Johnson came out to do the National Anthem with George Katzman of Woodlawn Baptist opening us in prayer.  Heath Childs did the announcing with Mayor Cadle doing the coin toss. 

Thunderbirds received the ball and was moving the ball very well until a fumble gave the Buffalos the opportunity they needed to change momentum.  And for the next two quarters of football, it was a back and forth game with neither team ever scoring.

Coaches give us a "motivational talking" that didn't leave much skin.  We get back on the field and Buffalos are set to receive.  They fumble the ball and we get possession. From there, we score almost immediately with Brody Johnson (#7) throwing a pass to John Wimbley (#31).  Hard for me to understand why the team needs to be motivated in that way but hey, whatever works.  Anywho, score is 6-0 by end of third quarter.

Early fourth quarter and the Buffalos score and get the two point conversion so now we're down 6-8.  Again Brody Johnson (#7) is successful with a pass to Mario Holley (#9) for our second touch down making the score 12-8.  There's about two and a half minutes on the score board and we all know that this may very well be the last drive of the night.  If they score now, it's going to be tough for us to pull out a win.  And after a few time outs and several flags, about ten minutes pass for those two minutes to slowly, ever so slowly, tick off the clock. 

Buffalos were called time after time for off sides with #1 on the team getting visibly angry at the ref.  We get an unnecessary roughness call that I thought was going to cost us the game but it didn't thanks to their false starts.  Fourth down and they go for it, three point kick wouldn't matter anyway.  Their drive is unsuccessful thanks to a sacked quarterback by Nate Sledge (#90).  With about 12 seconds on the clock, we all know the game is over.