The Fossil Ridge football team defeated the Legacy Lightning 33-27 in overtime, guaranteeing their first playoff berth since 2015.

Fossil and Legacy played evenly early on, as the teams would head into halftime tied at 13-13. Fossil scored two passing touchdowns in that first half, one by Mac Busteed and the other by Bryce Olson. 

The Sabercats came out of halftime slow, as the Lightning scored two consecutive touchdowns, taking a comfortable 27-13 lead. 

Fossil began to turn the tide with a big special teams play late in the third quarter. Legacy muffed a punt and the Sabercats were able to get a piece of the kick. The kick was picked up by cornerback Ryan Pollyea, who was able to draw a late hit out of bounds penalty on the Lightning. 

Fossil got the ball in Legacy’s territory with a short field, and found a way to score. At the goal line, quarterback Tyler Kubat got a pass to the back of the end zone to Mac Busteed for his second touchdown of the game, as the Sabercats pulled within seven.

After stopping the Legacy attack, Fossil got the ball back in the middle of the fourth quarter at their own twelve yard line. The Sabercats were stopped immediately, forcing a fourth and five deep in their own territory. Facing a difficult decision, head coach Jeff Fulton decided to punt the ball back to Legacy with less than six minutes in the fourth quarter. Fulton put his trust in his defense to come up big and make a stop.

Fossil suffered several bad beats, only punting the ball 23 yards down the field. After a pair of Legacy plays, the Sabercats would commit a late hit of their own, giving the Lightning the ball at the Fossil 15 yard line.

The Sabercats defense made the stop backed up in their own territory, forcing Legacy back six yards. Legacy decided to take a 38-yard field goal, trying to push the lead to ten and out of reach for Fossil Ridge. The Lightning kick went directly above the left upright, which is ruled a miss.

Fossil got the ball with one minute and twenty seconds and a single timeout. The Sabercats would use their dynamic passing game to push the ball down the field and deep into the opponent’s territory. 

Fossil Ridge got the ball down to the ten yard line, with fourth and goal, and four seconds left. On the final and deciding play of regulation, Kubat found junior Domenic Leone in the end zone, to tie the game at 27.

“There was so much adrenaline I was going crazy…I saw the time on the clock I saw that it was fourth down, I had to do something…that play I was supposed to run a hitch but Tyler [Kubat] told me to run a fade. I trust him,” Leone said.

With the game tied at regulation, this forced the teams to go to overtime. For overtime, both teams get the ball ten yards away from the end zone, and get four chances to score.

Legacy got the ball first but were unable to score, as their first play was intercepted by junior linebacker Ryan Black. 

“It doesn’t feel real…it was just the best feeling in the world,” Black said.

Fossil wasted no time, as Tyler Kubat threw his fifth passing touchdown of the night to Mac Busteed.

“I saw the ball coming to me…looked at it and held on as tight as I could,” Busteed said.

Junior Tyler Kubat played spectacular all night, involved on every Fossil touchdown and creating and extending plays with his legs. Kubat couldn’t even believe the incredible comeback he and his team mounted.

“It’s just shocking…I hardly even know what happened…we started out 0-3 and we made it back to 5-5…we were just dogs…it’s a great team win…we came back down fourteen and now we’re in the playoffs baby,” Kubat said.

Coach Jeff Fulton was ecstatic with his team after the win, and was brought to tears after the victory.

“What a miracle win…when these kids welcomed our staff in three years ago when they were freshman…it’s the start of the road to the pinnacle of what Sabercat football can be. I’m humbled, I’m emotional. I just love high school football players at Fossil Ridge High School,” Fulton said.

Fossil will now look towards their first playoff game, the first playoff game for any of the kids on the team. They will take on Cherokee Trail on the road on Friday November 7 at 7 PM.

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