Collegiate rallies to beat Andale in OT (+video)

As Andale lined up for the two-point conversion trailing by one in overtime Friday night, Collegiate coach Mike Gehrer called timeout.

This was not an attempt to ice Andale, but rather an opportunity for defensive coordinator Troy Black to put in a play that would bring two Spartans from the edge to put more pressure on Andale.

“We knew they were going to gamble, so we gambled,” Gehrer said.

Andale junior Zach Meyer rolled right and was met by two Spartans. He successfully reversed direction, but he was swarmed by two more Collegiate players and tackled to end the game.

Collegiate defeated Andale 46-45 in overtime, successfully rallying from a 16-point deficit in the final six minutes of regulation.

Collegiate, ranked fourth in Class 3A, improved to 3-0, while Andale, ranked third in 4A-II, fell to 1-2.

“Coach told us we had to make a stop right there. No matter what,” Collegiate senior Austin Waddell said. “It was a win or lose situation.”

Andale coach Gary O’Hair frantically tried to call timeout as his team broke the huddle before the two-point conversion attempt because he realized he had sent in the wrong formation.

“It wasn’t what we wanted. The kids were a little confused,” O’Hair said. “Jeff (Ast) is hurt, and he would usually be the guy. We didn’t want him to be the guy. I realized it as we broke the huddle.”

Collegiate’s gamble was crucial.

“We missed (Meyer) initially, but we had other guys there,” Gehrer said. “It’s because we brought two extra guys. They couldn’t block them all. We knew they were going to try and get rid of the ball qiuck. We just had to get there.”

Andale took a 39-23 lead on Meyer’s 69-yard run with 5:43 remaining.

Collegiate was struggling after fumbling on consecutive possessions late in the third quarter — Nathan Burgoyne fumbled on a kickoff, while Waddell had the ball knocked out of his hands with 11 seconds to go in the period.

“We’re not afraid to make those mistakes,” Collegiate junior Cooper Root said. “.... Every time we make those mistakes, we know we have 10 guys ready to pick them up.”

Andale’s Taylor Richter led the Indians on a nine-play, 39-yard scoring drive after Burgoyne’s fumble for the 31-15 lead with 2:26 to go in the third. But after Waddell’s mistake, Collegiate’s Trey Bridwell recovered an Andale fumble with 8:11 remaining.

“We came through a bit of adversity,” Waddell said. “We just had to fight through. We knew we’d have to come through adversity with this team. It’s always a good game, always a close game.”

The knock on Collegiate was that in its first two games, 77-0 and 75-0 wins, the Spartans weren’t tested. The starters played three quarters combined.

Andale had been tested in a loss at Buhler and a win over McPherson.

“We had many opportunities where we could have folded,” Gehrer said.

But Collegiate responded.

Down by 16, Burgoyne ran left and then cut right to escape the defense, racing 62 yards for the touchdown. He finished with 104 rushing yards.

Trailing by eight after the two-point conversion, Collegiate forced Andale to punt from the 29.

Waddell needed six plays, scoring from two yards out with 49 seconds to go. He then found Jack Larsen for the two-point conversion.

“(Waddell) can make the plays,” Root said. “All I see is him rolling out, I see four guys coming at him. All of a sudden he busts it the other way for a TD. No one can do it like him. Best in the state.”

Waddell had 151 passing yards and one touchdown, and he had 71 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also either ran or threw for four two-point conversions.

His final score came on the first play of overtime.

“Austin was the leader I thought he could be,” Gehrer said. “He was really in charge. He was talking to us coaches, ‘How about if we do this, this and this?’ He was that engaged in it.”

Gehrer added that he believes the victory will be a springboard for his team.

Burgoyne agreed.

“Everyone better look out for us because we’re coming,” he said.

This story was originally published September 19, 2015 at 12:24 AM with the headline "Collegiate rallies to beat Andale in OT (+video)."