December 18, 1999 Championship Tournament Five Golden Rings: Perfect Puke!
Galactic Soup Bowl
#1 Our Lady
30
#5 Puke
35
Puke had nothing but history on its side. Facing overwhelming odds against undefeated Our Lady, who beat them in the regular season, 45-15, the Puke Mess astonishingly won their fifth SCAB championship by pulling off the biggest upset in the history of the final game, and possibly in the history of the tournament. Puke's victory over State Pen. in the Dust Bowl had already preserved their distinction of three championships in the 90s, and now they claim a fourth. And Puke remains unbeaten in championship games.Strangely enough, there were portents in that regular season game. Our Lady's potent offense did not gain lots of yardage, notably passing, but scored off turnovers. In this championship meeting, there were also lots of turnovers, but Puke got as good as they gave. While Our Lady intercepted Puke quarterback Hugh Wish three times, Puke got an interception, a fumble and a blocked punt during their crucial run in the second half that brought them from behind, then put them far enough ahead to withstand Our Lady's scoring. The result was all the more spectacular as Puke did not shut down Our Lady's offense, but scored enough to win. The game came down to the wire, with Our Lady, after recovering an onsides kick, moving to the Puke 14-yard line. It was a matter of one play, the final play had Our Lady's Holly Fame found a receiver further down field or in the end zone, or had wide receiver Lou Sliving gone farther or made it out of bounds to set up another shot.
While Our Lady running back Love Macon rushed for 124 yards and a TD on 14 carries, Puke running back Ivan Ulcer, who gained 97 yards on 14 carries, was named the game's most valuable player. Ulcer had a 31-yard run on Puke's first drive to set up a TD, scored Puke's last TD that put them up 35-24 in the fourth quarter, but also returned a punt 45 yards to start Puke's second scoring drive and had a 38-yard return on a kickoff.
The success of these rushers was part of the quirkiness of the game. A game predominately of rushing was supposed to have favored Our Lady, with Macon and Mel Stripper making up one of the best rushing duos in the league. For Puke, with Wish and all-SCAB tight end Bud Ugly, passing was supposed to be their strong suit, but Our Lady had the second best passing offense in the league. Neither team passed well, each for less than 200 yards, but it was a high-scoring game. Puke's previous tournament victories had been a matter of good defense, shutting down offenses that were supposed to be better.
Puke showed that astute defense on the game's first series. Our Lady gained only one yard on a reverse, and then Fame threw two incomplete passes, leaving the Johns stranded at their own 17. After the punt, Puke had the ball at their own 48-yard line. Ulcer caught an 11-yard pass, then on the next play ripped the 31-yarder to the Our Lady 10. Ulcer carried again to the 6 and on the next play Wish hit Ugly in the end zone for the score.
On Our Lady's next possession, Fame completed an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Luke Sharpe for a first down, but the next series was one 3-yard Stipper run and two more incompletions. Wish was picked off on Puke's next possession, setting up Our Lady at the Puke 22 after the return, but Puke held for a field goal. Our Lady's Billy Dancer hit the 38-yarder to make it 7-3, Puke.
Puke's next possession ended with an interception, but the Mess again forced Our Lady to punt after three plays. That's when Ulcer broke his big return, from his own 11 to the Our Lady 45. On the drive, Ulcer rushed 5 times out of 7 plays, the first one a 16-yard gain. Wish scored, keeping the ball from the Our Lady 3-yard line. Puke was dominating defensively and leading 14-3.
But Our Lady wasn't Little Bighorn, or State Pen., or Kootsville Tech. As the second quarter began, so did Our Lady's next drive. Stripper slammed for 13 yards. Macon slashed for 6, then after a one-yard loss, broke loose for a 39-yard gain to the Puke 23. Tight end Phil Ashio caught a pass on the 6-yard line and three plays later, Sliving caught one in the end zone. One quick display of Our Lady power and Puke's lead was not so secure.
Ulcer returned the kickoff 38 yards to the Puke 48, quickly squelching Our Lady's surge of morale. But the Johns stalled Puke this time, and took over on the 20 after the punt carried into the end zone. Our Lady marched to the end zone again. Fame kept the ball and ran twice on the drive, for 7 and 9 yards. He hit Sliving for a 10-yard gain, Ashio for 15, and, the biggest play of the drive, Ashio again for 19 yards to the Puke 9. From the 5, Fame kept again and scored. After the extra point, Our Lady had taken the lead, 17-14. That's where it stood at the half, looking as if Puke had given a valiant early effort much like their previous tournament play, but Our Lady had finally taken charge.
On the first possession of the second half, Wish threw another interception and the second play following, Macon punched it in from 19 yards out. Our Lady went up 24-14, and their party was under way. But there was another turn in store, one of the most memorable in tournament history, and certainly one that will be a big part of Puke lore.
It began with more bleakness for Puke. It was three plays in and out, as Wish gained six yards but threw two incompletions. Puke was forced to punt and Our Lady had the ball again, on their own 18 after a fair catch. On third and 8, Macon popped a 13-yard gain. Macon took the ball again on the next play, but fumbled. Puke recovered at the Our Lady 32. Wish picked up 9 yards on a draw play and Ulcer ripped 9 more to the Our Lady 14. Three plays later, Wish found wide receiver Bo Dasius open in the end zone, a 12-yard TD pass. After the extra point, Puke had cut Our Lady's lead to 24-21.
Our Lady came right back swinging. To open their next drive, Macon again busted a big gain, 19 yards to the Our Lady 33. A Puke interference penalty moved Our Lady to the 48. But Puke's Dasius picked off Fame on the next play and returned it 19 yards to the Our Layd 45. A big penalty helped kill Puke's drive. They punted back to Our Lady, but this time, after two straight completions for first downs to Sliving, Our Lady was held and forced to punt, Puke's defense doing the job. And this is where Puke's offense rose up, too.
Puke started at their own 24. Wish gained 12 yards on a draw. He passed 11 to Dasius. The next play got Ugly into the game, but on a run, a tight end reverse that picked up 17 yards to the Our Lady 36. Running back Watt Sadam Funny carried for 3. Then Wish went back to pass and found Ugly again, for a 24-yard gain to the Our Lady 8. On the next play Wish threw to Dasius in the end zone, and the Mess had reclaimed the lead, 28-24.
From there it seemed Puke had better than a chance to stay in it. Stripper ran for 9 yards on Our Lady's next play from scrimmage, then picked up the first down on the next play. Would Puke be able to hold down the Johns? On the next two plays, Puke forced incompletions. Sliving caught a pass on third down, but for only 7 yards, and Our Lady had been forced to punt again. And then Puke got perhaps their biggest defensive play of all. Puke lineman Shahawan De Jones blocked the Billy Dancer punt and recovered on the Our Lady 25-yard line. Four plays later, Ulcer scored from 7 yards out. Puke was on top, incredibly, 35-24 in the fourth quarter.
And still they would have to hold on. The Johns were not about to lie down. Starting from their own 20 after the touchback, the Johns drove to the end zone. Stripper caught a pass for a 22-yard completion and Macon gained 21 yards on a run. From the Puke 18, Stripper ran 8 yards, then caught a 9-yard pass. Sharpe caught the 1-yard TD pass. It took Our Lady 9 plays in all. They elected to go for two points, a chance to make Puke's lead a field goal. But the pass was broken up and the score stood 35-30, Puke. Our Lady would have to score a TD.
And they would get the chance right away. The Johns executed a perfect onsides kick, a nice bouncer recovered at the Puke 41. There was 1:07 remaining in the game and Our Lady had two time outs. On the first play, Fame overthrew Sharpe who had room for a big gain. Fame handed to Stripper on a draw on the next play, but Puke held tight, allowing only a 4-yard gain. Our Lady used a time out. On third down, Fame hit Sliving for 11 yards to the Puke 26, but it was straight over the middle, so the clock would run as soon as the chains moved. Our Lady called their final time out. The clock showed 11 seconds. Still enough time for two plays. The Johns returned to the line of scrimmage. Fame went back to pass. He looked to the corner of the end zone. Sharpe was covered. More frantic, he turned and saw Sliving crossing underneath the coverage. He threw, Sliving caught it at about the 15, but well in the center of the field, Sliving turned to look for room to the end zone but saw defenders closing fast. He headed for the sidelines but was pulled down by Dasius before he could make it. There was no time on the clock. Puke had won.
It would take more time for it to sink in with everyone that Puke was the SCAB champions. Again. Even though Puke was the school that had won four championships, more than anyone, and had never lost, this Puke team was an underdog and had just pulled off an incredible upset.
SCAB Championship Tournament
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November 27 Toilet Bowl Beanfest Bowl Finger Bowl Salad Bowl |
December 4 Eucalyptus Leaf Bowl Dust Bowl Punch Bowl Fish Bowl |
December 11
Western Semi
Eastern Semi |
December 18
National
Championship
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Honors
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Pos. |
I.P. All-SCAB Team: |
Second Team: |
Demetrius Points: |
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Pos. |
10 Clan: |
Little 10: |
10 Pack: |
Non-Conference: |