By Craig Hull
sports@joplinglobe.com
OSWEGO, Kan. – All Lane Martin wanted was the ball and a chance for last-minute drive.
The 5-foot-9, 155 junior quarterback/safety for Oswego got just that.
Martin’s interception with four minutes left allowed the Indians to make a final, last-ditch effort at a come-from-behind victory.
But three incomplete passes — including two shots into the end zone — from the Olpe 14 was all the resurgent Indians could muster.
Oswego dropped a 20-16 decision to Olpe at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday night in the Kansas Class 2-1A regional championship.
The victory sends the Eagles (11-0) into next Friday’s state quarterfinals against St. Marys, a 42-8 winner at Valley Falls.
The Indians, capping a 10-1 season, celebrated their first undefeated regular season since 1949 and welcomed back members of the 1949 team at halftime.
Oswego trimmed the Olpe lead to 20-16 with 7:44 left in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Martin to tight end Michael Bullard and a two-point conversion pass from Martin to Matthew Dickinson.
On the ensuing possession, Olpe picked up a pair of first downs and had the ball first and 10 at the Oswego 39 before a personal foul penalty after the first down play backed the ball up for a second down and 20 at the Olpe 49.
Olpe quarterback Matt Redeker picked up six yards on second down, but his third-down pass was intercepted by Martin at the Oswego 25 and returned four yards with four minutes left.
“I was playing center field and when I saw the ball go up, I knew it had to be mine,” Martin said. “After that, the only though in my mind was going down and winning this game.”
Martin led the Oswego drive downfield gaining 11 yards on a quarterback counter play, connecting with Stuart Kenner for a 9-yard completion, a fourth-down run of 13 yards followed by a 3-yard run by fullback Nick Billingsley.
“The (keeper) counter play, where I fake it to a couple of guys and boot out to the opposite was working well. We made their defense flow one way, and blocked it well the other way,” Martin said.
Martin then hit Bullard for a 12-yard completion to the Olpe 25 and then ran back-to-back counter plays gaining 6 and 1 yard.
Billingsley’s 5-yard run on third down got the ball to the Olpe 13.
After a loss of a yard on first down, Martin lofted a fade into the far right corner for Hunter Cline and just missed his outstretched arms on second down.
A play-action pass on third down found an open Bullard in the near corner of the end zone only to have the pass sail high over his fingertips.
His fourth-down pass over the middle was broken up with 14 seconds left.
“It was so close, just passed his fingertips,” Martin said of his third down pass attempt. “The fade was for Hunter was probably closer.
“Four points means a lot. It’s frustrating knowing we were that close, but it gives us a lot to work toward for next year.”
Said Olpe coach Chris Schmidt, “It (the interception) wasn’t the worst thing we did in the second half. We had too many drives going and then would commit a penalty and those things hurt us.
“We knew they were big and physical and they were going to make it tough on us to run the ball. We wanted to try a little bit of everything in the first half, and we did and it worked. In the second half, I admit I got a little too conservative.”
Olpe built its 20-8 first half lead on a touchdown run of six yards by tailback Linden Stueve only to have Cline return the ensuing kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown and Caleb Horn add a two point conversion run for an 8-7 lead.
Oswego had a mere three first downs through the first three quarters and 41 yards of offense at halftime before coming to life in the fourth quarter.
Redeker, a 6-foot, 215 pound quarterback, had touchdown runs of 18 and 1 yard, part of his 82 yards rushing on 16 carries. He completed 5 of 12 passes for another 98 yards.
Stueve finished with 103 yards on 23 carries.
Martin led Oswego with 56 yards rushing 12 carries and completed 5 of 12 passes for 55 yards.
