Friday night the 2009 Somerset Briar Jumper football team did something the tradition rich program hadn’t done in 21 years.

They did something that hadn’t been accomplished since coaching legend John Cain commanded the Jumpers sideline, leading the purple and gold on a decade of relative dominance. They did something that hadn’t been done since the Bengals were in the Super Bowl.

They punched themselves a ticket to the State Championship game.

“I’m very excited for these kids and for our community,” said first year Head Coach Rob Lucas. “It wasn’t the prettiest game, but we accomplished what we needed to, which was to survive and advance. Sheldon Clark is a great football team. You don’t get to this point of the playoffs by accident. They came in here and battled us to the end, after having to take a four hour bus ride. I take my hat off to them for coming in here ready to battle like this.”

The Briar Jumpers, by taking care of their business methodically, thoroughly focusing on one opponent at a time, finished the regular season undefeated, giving the home field advantage for all four of their playoff games. It was this kind of game that made what they accomplished earlier this season so important. Instead of driving 160 miles to their place, they had to come into a rocking Briar Patch that was hungry for a trip to Bowling Green.

Shawn Hager’s Cardinals came in with a reputation for stingy defense. They showed the faith they had in their defense by winning the coin toss and deferring to the second half. More times than not this season, that plan would have resulted in trailing Somerset 7-0 by the time you got the ball.

Erik Manning and his offense started right to work, driving it 50 yards on six plays, including one 23-yard completion to J. P. Henderlight. But on a 1st and 10 from the Cardinal 30, Manning’s pass was intercepted by Cody Slone. It seemed the Jumper threat was over, but, in the timeless words of that football immortal Lee Corso…”Not so fast, my friends.”

Sheldon Clark fumbled the exchange on their first play from scrimmage, and the Jumper recovery gave them the ball back at the exact same spot from where they lost it. After failing to capitalize on the first three plays, Somerset went for it on a 4th and 15. Manning lofted a screen pass to Storm Wilson who was wrapped up behind the line of scrimmage. No…wait…he broke free and scrambled for a few more yards before they rode him out of bounds…no…wait…he planted at the last second and reversed field, made a few beautiful cuts, and broke into open pasture, where he bobbed and weaved one last time before crossing the end zone with a patented 35-yard Storm Wilson, ‘how the heck did he do that?’ touchdown.

The reliable Justin Bivens nailed the PAT to make it 7-0. It may have occurred in a roundabout way, but the Jumpers made them pay for giving them the ball first. The Cardinals looked to counter but Somerset was anxious to finally play some defense. Back-to-back sacks by Otie Manning and Billy Roberts forced Sheldon Clark to punt. After scoring with their offense, and stifling with their defense, it was time for the Jumpers special teams to step up. After the Jumper drive stalled, sophomore punter Alex Lange placed a 40-yard punt that was downed at the Cardinal 5-yard line. On 2nd and 10 the Cardinals laid the ball on the ground again. That’s not something you want to do against this Jumper squad, especially with Rob Stevenson and Jordy Jones on the field. Each of them recovered a pair of fumbles on the night.

SHS took over on the Cardinal 8, and the Jumpers secret weapon, Clayton Stringer, went high over a defender to bring down a perfectly lofted pass from Manning for his first TD of the season. 14-0 Jumpers.

Up to this point Somerset had given Sheldon Clark a royal thrashing. Surely it wouldn’t be this easy would it?

Not by a long shot. Sheldon Clark finally showed the play that brought them to the brink of a state championship game in their next drive. They ran the ball right down the Jumpers throat on a 13-play scoring drive that was kept alive with a 27- yard completion to Mikie Moore on a 4th and 16. Somerset’s line stiffened to force a 4th and goal, but quarterback Austin Stepp snuck it in from the 1, closing the gap to 14-6.

After forcing a three and out, the Cardinals got the ball back. Sophomore Kristian Skyles  busted free through the line and raced 60 yards to the end zone. But Somerset held onto the lead when Taylor Sears and Jake Williams combined to sack Stepp on the 2-point conversion attempt to preserve a fragile 14-12 lead.

“When you’re coaching these games you want everything to go right for your

team,” said Lucas. “But the truth is that you need games like this to build your character. These kids have faced adversity all season and have come through it with great class and accomplishment. We were at a point in the game where we needed that character if we wanted to stay alive.”

Somerset responded. First Manning hit Wilson again for a 32-yard gain. Then on a 4th and 10, he hit Henderlight again for a 19-yard gain and a first down. J. P. took a big hit on the play, then sprung to his feet showing he was ready for the challenge all night. Thomas Boyle carried it for 12 more yards before Manning hit Wilson again in the corner of the end zone to give the Jumpers a 21-12 lead going into the break.

Sheldon Clark opened the second half like they finished the first, on the move again. On just five running plays they moved it 56 yards, deep into Jumper territory. But a pair of unsung defensive heroes stood tall again for Somerset. Safety Taylor Sears saved TD runs on three separate occasions on the drive by using great pursuit angles and flawless open field tackling. If not for Sears, this season might have a different story line, as he has saved at least a dozen touchdowns this season. Then, it was that man again, Rob Stevenson, scooping up the third Cardinal fumble at the Jumper 18.

The Cardinals got it back again and drove it 56 yard on 11 plays before the gutsy Jumpers stonewalled Matt Slone for a 3-yard loss on a fouth and four at the Somerset 16.

The Jumpers seemed to answer when Josh Troxtle, coming off a 4 TD performance, gave one of the greatest efforts of the season on a 76 yard TD run that was so creative in its elusiveness that its path, if were drawn on a sheet of paper, would look right at home on a 3-year old’s Etch-A-Sketch. (Am I showing my age?) But the play was called back for a holding penalty that occurred about 13 seconds before Troxtell scored.

Then they thought they’d broken through again when Rob Stevenson made a perfect break on a Stepp pass, intercepted it and raced into the end zone. But a bevy of flags erased the score and ended up giving the Jumpers the ball on the Cardinal 34. Again the cardinal defense stiffened to overcome an offensive turnover. But there was one last mistake that would break Sheldon Clark’s back for good.

Quarterback Austin Stepp was pressured out of the pocket and scrambled for yardage, but the ball once again popped free rolling forward, into the arms of Jordy Jones who scooped it up and raced down the sideline, going out of bounds at the Cardinal 4.

So what do you do with five minutes left and only four yard to go to secure a trip to the state finals? That’s right, ladies and gentlemen…you give it to Otie Manning. If a team can keep the 152 pound torpedo out of the end zone for four straight carries from the four, they deserve to win. Sheldon Clark couldn’t. Otie pounded it in for his team-high 15th TD of the season. Bivens made it 28-12. Sheldon Clark had four minutes to score two TDs and convert two 2-pt. conversions. They brought on a purer passing QB in sophomore BJ Jarrell. But Somerset linebacker Jordan Perdue would have none of that. He put an emphatic punctuation mark on the victory by making an incredible, one-handed interception to seal the victory.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said a joyful Coach Chris Perdue. “Of all my boys, Jordan’s the one who couldn’t catch a cold, let alone a pass.”

Perdue’s Jerry Rice imitation made it official. The Somerset Briar Jumpers would make a date to meet Paducah-Tilghman in Bowling Green next Saturday at 11 a.m. Central time, noon eastern.

“I am so proud of these young men,” said Lucas. “These kids had to overcome adversity again tonight, just like they have all season. And I want to take this opportunity to thank Coach Cobb, and say I’m so proud of what he’s built here over the last 12 years. I want people to understand that this is his team, and I know how hard it’s been on him not being able to experience this with them. But I know how proud he is of these kids.

“We’ve got a big week ahead of us, no doubt about it. But right now I just want to enjoy the moment.”