Fumble goes Rolling Meadows' way
Coming into Friday's game against Elk Grove, the Rolling Meadows football team knew it needed to win each of its 3 remaining games to qualify for the playoffs.
It looked like the Mustangs were in danger of not accomplishing that task, trailing 13-12 as the fourth quarter started with the Grenadiers holding possession of the football.
But after a couple of Elk Grove turnovers and a bizarre play that found Meadows center Tommy Davidson pouncing on quarterback Jim Garoppolo's fumble for a touchdown, the Mustangs' playoff hopes stayed alive with a 25-13 victory.
It was fourth-and-inches at Elk Grove's 5-yard line when the fumble occurred.
The Mustangs were trying to run a quarterback sneak and it appeared the ball got to Garoppolo's hands on the snap. From there, it just popped loose.
"Now, Jimmy (Garoppolo) says he planned it that way, but we haven't had much luck this year, and that was lucky," said Meadows' coach Doug Millsaps. "So we'll take it."
There was a large pileup at the line of scrimmage, but somehow the ball squirted into the end zone. Davidson spotted the ball and just dived on it.
"I told Jimmy I was going to get lower in my stance so I could drive," Davidson said. "I was just running forward, and I thought we had got the first (down) because he (Garoppolo) was supposed to be right behind me. And I just looked and saw the ball in the end zone and went and got it."
A big key for the Mustangs (3-4, 1-2) in the second half was running the football with Garoppolo. He only carried twice in the first half but rushed 11 times for 48 yards in the second.
"They (Elk Grove) have so many two-way players, I thought we would stretch the field and make them run in the first half," Millsaps said. "We tried to get it out on the perimeter with our receivers and our running back and then come back with our quarterback a little bit in the second half."
Elk Grove (1-6, 0-3) battled the whole game.
"When we fumbled, they got it," Elk Grove coach Tom Whalen said. "When they fumbled, they got a touchdown."
Whalen said Friday night was a similar game to what Elk Grove has been in all season.
"Our kids have battled valiantly all year," Whalen said. "I can't complain one bit about their effort."
Meadows had lost three games in a row before Friday, and stopping that streak is what needed to be done.
"It feels good to win after coming off that losing streak," Davidson said. "It's just one down, two to go. Now that we're back on track hopefully we got some momentum rolling."