Best Sixman Game Ever

After a week of work, we drove 3.5 hours to watch a sixman football game in Happy, TX. The game featured the #5 Valley Patriots vs. #9 Happy Cowboys. The game turned out to be one of the most exciting games I have seen ever. (A close call between this game and the Valley v. Paducah 54-53 game a couple of years ago in the playoffs.) The Patriots were leading most of the game and were ahead 20-14 at halftime. The Patriots could have had a more commanding lead had they not had two drives stall inside the 20 yard line.

After halftime, the tides turned. Valley continued to lead throughout the second half, but Happy was finding it easier to score. Valley would drive 4 yards at a time, working really hard to score and extend the lead. Happy however, would score quickly after 3-4 plays to close the gap again.

Finally it happened, one of Valley's drives stalled and Happy struck quickly to take a 36-33 lead with 5:00 remaining in the game. Now it was Valley's turn to try to methodically drive down the field to regain the lead. After reaching the 15 yard line and running 2 plays, Valley was faced with a 3rd down play with 0:40 remaining in the game. FUMBLE!! The ball is snapped over the QB's head and Happy recovers! 0:38 remaining.

Happy wins, right!? Happy is celebrating like crazy, because they now have the ball and can simply take a knee to end the game and win their homecoming. First down, routine kneel down, and Valley timeout to extend the game. 0:36 remaining. Second down, routine kneel down again, but wait FUMBLE!!! Valley recovers with 0:31 seconds remaining.

Valley runs 3 plays that go nowhere and are faced with a 4th down play with 0:13 remaining. After calling their last timeout, Valley heads back onto the field for one last shot at winning. Valley throws a misdirection screen pass to SCORE A TD! After the extra point, Valley 41 Happy 36 with 0:05 remaining in the game.

Happy has one last shot after the kick off and manage to run down to the 30 yard line before fumbling the ball. That's the ball game. Click Here for the article from the Amarillo Globe News.

I had almost posted the final score online as Happy 36 Valley 33 when the first fumble occurred. Thankfully, I hadn't yet submitted the score. I can only image how it would feel to lose a game, much less homecoming, on a fumbled kneel down. The question remains: "How do you fumble a kneel down?"