Hornets sting the Gulls on last play, 22-21
Published 11:57 am Sunday, September 4, 2022
- Kyler McCleary, a junior running back, on the move at the jamboree.
The most thrilling game of the weekend in Oregon 4A football took place Friday night at Broadway Field.
In a matchup between Class 4A powers, the only lead of the night for the Henley Hornets came after time had officially expired.
Luke Bennett caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Shaw Stork on the last play of regulation, and Stork ran in the two-point conversion with :00 on the clock, giving Henley an improbable 22-21 win.
It was the fourth meeting between the two schools since 2017, all four games at Seaside.
A state playoff between the Hornets and Gulls in 2017 featured 1,080 yards in total offense and 47 first downs in a 43-39 Henley win.
Friday’s game was on the milder side, but still exciting.
Late in the first half, Seaside was in complete control, with a 21-6 lead.
Sophomore running back Jake White had 98 yards rushing in the first quarter alone, and scored all three touchdowns for the Gulls, who held a 21-14 halftime lead.
After a scoreless third quarter, the game came down to Henley’s final drive in the fourth, which started at its own 20-yard line with 2:19 left.
The Hornets moved the ball to the Seaside 3-yard line, and with two seconds left, Stork connected with Bennett on a quick slant route, bringing Henley to within 21-20.
The Hornets played for the two-point conversion and the win, and got it when Stork sprinted left and reached the end zone for the game-winning points.
White finished with 180 yards rushing on 27 carries, while Brady Jackson and Tyler McCleary combined for 90 yards on 20 attempts.
Seaside plays Friday at La Salle, one of just two road games for the Gulls this season.