There’s no play in football quite like a last desperation effort with several laterals. Most end with one of the backward passes getting screwed up comically and the losing team never really making much progress.
This ridiculous high school kick return came up short after the dang kicker ran it down
Cole Mericle kicked a field goal to give his team the lead, then made a ridiculous tackle to save the day.
But it almost worked for St. Francis de Sales High School in Toledo, Ohio on Friday night when the team had one last kick return to erase a 25-24 deficit. Almost.
After five laterals, it looked like it was in the bag, but Lima Senior kicker Cole Mericle did the impossible and saved the day.
High school football produces a lot of crazy things, but that’s one of the best dang plays you’ll ever see.
Let’s break the whole thing down:
1. Mericle already kicked a field goal to give Lima Senior the lead
Mericle was already in line to be the hero after making a chip shot field goal from 19 yards to give his team a 25-24 lead with three seconds left. All he had to do was kick a squib, watch the coverage team make one last tackle, and that’s a wrap.
2. St. Francis de Sales goes straight to the laterals
After fielding the squib kick on about the 10-yard line, there was no question which strategy St. Francis de Sales was going with. The returner jogged slowly to the 24-yard line before throwing back across the field.
And so it begins.
3. After 4 laterals, the kick return has gone nowhere
So far, Lima Senior has done a good job corralling the kick return attempt and has forced St. Francis de Sales inside their own 10. But you can already see a whole lot of room down the far sideline and a couple players waiting for the ball.
4. A returner finds room down the sideline
A fifth lateral finally spring St. Francis de Sales and it’s Zach Bee who has a chance to win it. He beats all 10 players on the Lima Senior coverage team. Now it’s just the kicker to beat.
5. Mericle doesn’t even touch him
The kicker makes a classic error. He sets his feet and waits for the returner to come to him, but instead Bee cuts left and Mericle never touches him.
I’ve seen enough football to know that’s it. Lima Senior’s last chance was the kicker stepping up to make that tackle, and there’s no way anyone will run down the returner now. But wait.
6. MERICLE RUNS HIM DOWN
With less than five yards between St. Francis de Sales and an incredible, come-from-behind win, Mericle somehow tracked him down after chasing him across the field.
What a ... Mericulous play. Ok sorry, I’ll stop.
7. WHERE IS THE DOG PILE?
The game came down to the last play and Mericle saved the day. I know it’s just a middle-of-the-season game in October, but where are his teammates?!
One player runs to give the kicker a big hug (that’s them at the bottom of the screen), but nobody else comes running in before both players calmly walk out of frame and the video ends. GIVE THE GUY SOME LOVE.
Either way, it was a great play by St. Francis de Sales that almost won the game, and an incredible effort by Mericle to save the day. Football is great.
