Cane Ridge football's circus catch, late field goal lead to revenge win vs. Pearl-Cohn
Shivan Abdullah played a role in each of Cane Ridge's scoring opportunities Thursday night at Pearl-Cohn.
On his two touchdown passes, Abdullah tossed the ball toward his receivers and let them do the hard work. However, when Cane Ridge needed their senior quarterback and kicker to step in the closing seconds to deliver, he did just that.
Abdullah's 39-yard field goal in the final seven seconds lifted Cane Ridge to a 17-14 victory, holding off the Firebirds' second-half comeback and avenging last season's 19-point loss in the season opener.
"This just shows that our heads are on a whole other level," Abdullah said. "We came into this thinking that we were supposed to win. Coach asked me if I could make it and I said, 'Let's get it.'
"My coaches believed in me, my teammates believed in me and I believed in myself. I stepped up and did what I needed to do."
Abdullah got the Ravens going late in the first half with a screen pass to Byron Davis. Instead of a short gain, Davis cut to the edge and found a hole, leading to a 39-yard touchdown.
In the closing minutes of the first half, Abdullah drove the Ravens deep into Firebirds territory. Pump-faking and getting the corner to bite, Abdullah tossed up a pass to 6-foot-4 receiver Jaylon Johnson.
In double coverage, Johnson rose up to snag the ball out of the air with one hand to give the Ravens a two-score lead at the half.
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"I was just trying to get a hand on it so I could bring it in with both hands but I was able to secure it with just the one," Johnson said. "It was a great feeling when I came down. I've honestly never felt anything like that before.
"There was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to make that play."
Pearl-Cohn would even the score in the second half on touchdown runs by Malachi Cromwell and Javion Kinnard.
Then, on the final drive, Abdullah executed the perfect two-minute drill, converting on multiple third downs and a fourth down.
The ball was placed on the opposite hash and at an awkward angle for a kick, but Cane Ridge coach Eddie Woods said that he trusted one of his senior leaders to step up and make the play.
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A second remained following the kick and Pearl-Cohn nearly broke off the return but the Ravens came up with the play to seal the win.
"After how we lost to these guys last year, we took pride in it," Woods said. "We made the offseason very hard and some kids transferred. The guys who made it through, you see how that work paid dividends in the fourth quarter and I'm just so proud of them.
"I did not expect these guys to be that grown right now. The way we gave away games last year and folded in some situations, I would have never expected us to do that but we've been training all offseason for moments like tonight."
Reach Joe Spears at jspears2@gannett.com. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter @joe_spears7.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Cane Ridge beats Pearl-Cohn on Shivan Abdullah's late field goal
