Barnwell blocks field goal to preserve win over Ridgeland

With three seconds left and Ridgeland High School just a 25-yard field goal from victory, fate's demand didn't seem like much. But for a Jaguar team that hadn't made a field goal all season, reaching the recently elusive playoffs would require stretching its limits.

Ultimately, both Jerry Scott's kick and Ridgeland's postseason bid were blocked, allowing Region 5-AA rival Barnwell to hold on for a 2-0 victory at Jasper County Stadium on Friday and turning next week's finale into a must-win for the Jaguars.

"When you're in that instant, you figure the best thing to do is kick the field goal," Jaguars coach Richard Kirkland said. "But after it was blocked, I looked at the other coaches and we said that maybe we should have got in our offense and took a shot at the end zone.

"It's frustrating, but we battled hard against a good Barnwell team and this isn't the end for us."

And even after giving up a second-quarter safety on a punt snap that sailed into the end zone, the Jaguars' happy ending remained in sight.

Aiding Ridgeland's cause was a defense that held Warhorse rushing duo Colby Carter and Antwan Hiers to just 149 yards, and an offense that shook off the first-half absence of top rusher Brent Walker (disciplinary reasons) and a fourth-down interception in the Warhorse red zone to set up the potential game-winning drive.

With 4:40 left and 88 yards to go, the Jaguars' (5-4, 2-2 in region) run-heavy offense gave way to halfback-option passes. Malik Mitchell responded, completing a 13-yard throw on third down and a 12-yard strike on fourth down to keep the drive alive.

Then on the subsequent play, when Mitchell heaved a pass into a crowd of players, a sure interception became an immaculate reception as the ball fell out of Barnwell's hands and bobbled out of Brent Walker's grasp before Ridgeland teammate Tyrone Mikell swooped in for the catch.

The sophomore stumbled at the 8-yard line with three seconds left, pitting Kirkland with a familiar yet tough decision for the game's final play.

"We had the same thing last year in our last game against Edisto where we needed a field goal to win and it could have put us in the playoffs," Kirkland recalled of that 7-6 loss. "I can't sit here and second-guess myself, though, because you just never know."

About 50 yards away on the opposing sideline, Warhorses coach Joey Still nervously awaited Kirkland's call, wondering if Ridgeland's tricks would once again prevail.

"You doggone right I was nervous after that catch and with them just a field goal away," said Still, whose team goes to 2-7 overall and 2-2 in the region. "I didn't think they had kicked many field goals this year, but anything can happen. But unlike Brett Favre, I actually watched them kick the field goal."

The loss drops Ridgeland into a tie for third place with Barnwell entering next week's finale at second-place Edisto. A victory would put the Jaguars into the postseason, and should Barnwell fall to first-place Silver Bluff, the Jaguars would also host a first-round playoff game.