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Late Heroics Lift Sebring Over Okeechobee

Mark Pinson/Highlands Today

Sebring junior wide receiver Kevin Wellborn races for the end zone after catching a deflected pass in the final minute of Friday night's game at Okeechobee.

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By Mark  Pinson | Highlands Today

Published: September 16, 2007

Sebring High School Football Photo Gallery

OKEECHOBEE — The gas flame atop the scoreboard in Brahman Stadium was aglow, but the heart and desire of the Sebring football team burned even brighter in Friday night's game against Okeechobee.

Sam Robinson's 21-yard field goal on the last play of the game gave the Blue Streaks a pulsating 13-12 come-from-behind win over the Brahmans and a stunned crowd.

The win improved Class 3A Sebring to 2-1 on the season in a game that saw the Blue Streaks overcome the loss of several key players, including quarterback Jamarle Fletcher on the first series of the game.

"The kids hung in there, came together as a team and overcame a lot of adversity against a good Okeechobee squad on the road," Sebring fourth-year coach Jared Hamlin said. "This is a huge win for us and gives us a lot of confidence."

The disappointing loss dropped the Class 4A Brahmans to 1-2 on the season.

Sebring, led by a swarming, physical defense that contained Okeechobee's elusive tailback Lonnie Pryor, dominated the first quarter, but Robinson's 35-yard field goal attempt fell short.

Okeechobee took over and took just two plays to cover 80 yards.

Pryor, who finished with 166 yards on 23 carries, ran for four yards and then the junior displayed his game-breaking speed on a 76-yard scoring run down the right sideline.

The extra point by Skyler Cruz was partially blocked and the Brahmans led 6-0 with 2:32 remaining in the first period.

That missed extra point would come back to haunt Okeechobee.

Hamlin stressed all week about how important it was for Sebring's special teams to make plays and they responded with two blocked punts.

The Blue Streaks failed to capitalize on the first one, but the second block gave Sebring excellent field position at the Brahmans 34-yard line with under three minutes to play in the first half.

"We preach special teams every week and we thought we saw something that we could exploit in their coverage," Hamlin said. "The kids executed and we were able to make a couple of big plays."

Senior tailback T.J. Williams moved to quarterback to replace Fletcher, who turned an ankle, and sophomore Daniel Burnett moved to tailback.

The new-look Blue Streak offense moved down the field on the legs of Burnett, who finished with 73 yards on 19 carries to a first-and-goal.

Two running plays were stuffed and on third-and-goal Williams rolled out to his right and found senior tight end Clifton Fennell all alone in the corner of the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown pass.

"That was a heck of a play by T.J.," Hamlin said. "He can play any position on the field and did a tremendous job at quarterback after not getting any snaps during practice."

Robinson's point after gave Sebring a 7-6 lead at the half.

Sebring took the second half kickoff and marched to the Okeechobee 39.

But Williams, who completed 4 of 7 passes for 99 yards, was intercepted by Pryor, who had two picks on the night, to kill the drive.

The Brahmans took 11 plays to cover 67 yards and fullback Timmy Williams scored on a 5-yard run up the middle.

Okeechobee went for two points, but quarterback Garrett Madrigal's pass was incomplete and the Brahmans led 12-7 with 1:51 remaining in the third period.

Sebring went three and out on its next possession, but Robinson boomed a punt and the Blue Streaks downed the ball inside the Okeechobee 10.

Sebring's defense which had two interceptions, forced a punt and the Blue Streaks took over at the Brahman 32.

The offense couldn't pick up a first down, but Robinson came in and booted a 41-yard field goal to trim the deficit to 12-10 with 7:51 remaining in the game.

Okeechobee went backward on its next possession, but a pass interference penalty against Sebring gave the Brahmans a first down as the clock continued to run.

The Blue Streaks stiffened and defensive back Jack Howard intercepted Madrigal's third-down pass at the Sebring 28.

With three minutes to play and 72 yards to cover, the Blue Streaks were in a tough situation.

Fletcher bravely returned with his ankle taped up, but an incomplete pass and a run left Sebring facing third-and-12.

Williams, back at quarterback, found Robinson on a corner route down the left sideline for 43 yards and a first down at the Okeechobee 26.

A couple of penalties moved Sebring back, but on third-and-long, a pass over the middle intended for Robinson was batted up in the air and junior wide out Kevin Wellborn caught the ball and raced toward the end zone.

Wellborn was finally brought down at the Brahman 1-yard line.

"You expect Kevin to make that play because of the way he works everyday in practice," Hamlin said. "He's always around the ball, gives 100 percent and he earned a start this week and made the most of it."

A penalty moved the Blue Streaks back five yards, but a pair of runs by Williams, who gained 52 yards on 19 carries, moved the ball inside the two.

Sebring called its last time out with two seconds remaining and Robinson came in to attempt the game-winner.

The snap and hold were good and Robinson's kick sailed through the uprights as time expired to give the Blue Streaks a win for the ages.

"My whole stomach dropped when coach told me to kick the field goal," Robinson said. "But I stayed focused and the line blocked and it went straight through.

"This is a big win for us and now we need to get on a roll."

As long as the fire burns, anything is possible.

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