September 8, 2012

Michael Langston
FlaVarsity.com

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JACKSONVILLE -- The Bolles Bulldogs wrote another new chapter as why they are so difficult to beat at home.

Despite having a lot of youth on this year's team and losing their starting quarterback Colby Peters last week, the Bulldogs found a way once again, scoring in the final minute to hang on for a 30-27 win over Plantation American Heritage to stay unbeaten.

Bolles head coach Corky Rogers has seen his share of craziness on the high school football front in his over 30 years of coaching. However, even Friday night's win over American Heritage had to surprise the legendary coach after the Bulldogs seemingly looked dead in the water trailing 27-23 with just 1:08 to go and Heritage with the ball.

But one play after Bolles running back Arterrious Mitchell slipped on 4th and 1, the Bulldogs then got a huge gift after a bad exchange between quarterback Tyler Cogswell and running back Sony Michel caused a fumble and the Bulldogs recovered at the American Heritage 38.

Then one play later, the Bulldogs delivered an even bigger dagger to the heart for American Heritage when junior QB Mikkel Jordahn dropped back to pass and threw a perfect pass down the left sideline to Austin Kirksey for the go ahead score on a 32 yard strike with just 54 seconds left in the game.

Then on the kickoff, American Heritage had the kick bounce off one of the lineman and into the hands of Bolles on a squib kick. Victory seemed in the bag, but American Heritage had one last gasp with 10 seconds left forcing the Bulldogs into a punt.

Back to receive the punt was Michel, the all-everything running back

The Bulldogs nearly made a mistake as they made a direct kick to Michel, who then took the kick and scooted 61 yards up the sideline. He got all the way to the Bolles 15 yard line before he ran out of room and fell forward at the 10 yard line as time expired, giving Bolles the 30-27 win.

"All I wanted to do was keep fighting for extra yards and make a play. I do everything I could. It's a really tough loss and hurts," said Michel.

American Heritage's last efforts overshadowed a strong performance by Michel, who led all rushers with 151 yards on 16 carries, two touchdowns. He scored early in the first half on a 73 yard scamper and later on a 3 yard touchdown run.

Bolles jumped out to a 17-7 lead early into the first half when RB Gianlucca Heatherley scored on a 28 yard run for the Bulldogs. Then, a field goal extended the lead to early in the 1st half. Michel cut the lead to 17-13 on that short yard scamper.

The Patriots then took their first lead of the game on a short touchdown run to jump out to a 20-17 lead. Bolles answered back on a 1 yard run by Arterrious Mitchell to reclaim a 23-20 advantage.

Then on the next kick-off, American Heritage recaptured that lead yet again on an 85 yard kick-off return. But in the end it wasn't enough after a key fumble by Michel led to the winning grab by Kirksley.

With the win, Bolles improved to 2-0 on the season and American Heritage dropped to 1-1.