Senior Ethan Mills scored on a 11-yard pass from Carter Creasy to end a five-overtime game that was the longest in Tazewell High School football history.
“I’ve never seen a game like this,” said Tazewell coach J’me Harris. “I’m so excited for our kids.”
The game was tied 22-22 after regulation. Emotion teetered back and forth on a combination of inspired defensive stands, great offensive plays, interceptions, and blocked field goals.
High School overtime rules call for the teams to exchange possessions starting at the opponents’ 10-yard.
In the first OT, both teams were intercepted. In the second, Tazewell was intercepted again, but Fort’s field goal attempt was blocked by Jaime Rizo. In the third overtime, Ethan Mills intercepted a Fort pass to end their drive, but Tazewell went four and out.
In the fourth overtime, Carter Creasy found the end zone for Tazewell on a six-yard run. The two-point conversion failed. Fort Chiswell’s Kennedy scored on a 6-yard run, but the extra point sailed wide left.
In overtime five, Fort’s drive again ended with a blocked FG attempt. That set the stage for Ethan Mills heroics. After two runs, netted the Bulldogs negative 1 yard, Carter Creasy lofted a pass to the back of the end zone and Ethan Mills pulled it in for the score.
Tazewell finished the game with 329 yards in total offense, with 315 of those yards coming in the air.
Carter Creasy finished 21 of 37 for 315 yards and three touchdowns. Ethan Mills led all receivers with five catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Cassius Harris added five receptions for 103 yards.
The Tazewell defense had 11 tackles for loss, 4 sacks and two interceptions in the game. They held the Fort Chiswell offense to 2.8 yards per play. Kazion Taylor led the Tazewell defense with 14 tackles including 4 tackles for loss. Brock Alley added 12 tackles. Jacob Witt, Octavius Pridgen, Brock Alley, and Jaime Rizo each had one sack. Tyler Gillespie and Ethan Mills had the interceptions.
