Offensive fireworks were on the menu when Ball traveled to Friendswood on Friday night. The game was tied at 28 at halftime as Friendswood quarterback Luke Grden threw for three touchdowns, while Ball quarterback Kristian Dalton rushed for two touchdowns of his own in the first half. Ball jumped out to a 42-28 lead two minutes into the fourth quarter, but Friendswood responded and tied the game at 42 with just under four minutes to play after Grden found his receiver Patrick Elizondo for a 52-yard strike. That’s when the craziness began.
First, a 70-yard touchdown run by Dalton on a quarterback keeper around the left end was immediately answered by a 67-yard touchdown run by Friendswood running back Noah Palitz just 22 seconds later. A two-point conversion reception by receiver Matthew Kovacevich put the Mustangs up 50-49. Ball needed just 51 seconds to answer this time as Dalton broke off a 39-yard touchdown run and then completed a pass to his receiver Preston Lee on a two-point conversion attempt to put the Tornadoes up 57-50 with just under two minutes to go. Friendswood didn’t blink.
Friendswood drove right down the field again, and Grden lofted a beautiful pass from nine yards out right into to the corner of the end zone to his receiver Nolan Smith to level the score at 57 with just 50 seconds to go. With the score still even, the game went to overtime. Ball opened the period with a field goal, leaving the door open for the Mustangs to win it. With the ball on the Ball 19 yard line, Grden bided his time before finding Smith across the middle of the field in the end zone for the game-winning score, sending the Friendswood sideline into absolute jubilation.
Final Score: Friendswood 63 / Ball 60
Grden finished the game with 383 yards passing and six touchdowns in his final home game for the Mustangs. Friendswood and Grden will look to close out their regular season on a high next week out in Port Arthur when the Mustangs travel on the road to square off against Memorial.
Game-winning TD from Grden to Smith (Courtesy of John Grden): https://twitter.com/NeoRiley/status/1330050969401430017
