A game of inches

Football is a game of inches. Yes, there are a hundred yards on a football field, which include 300 feet, but even more important are the 3,600 inches, because just one of them can make a huge difference in a football game.

That became evident Friday night for three area football teams, where an inch or so decided the outcome of football games.

Two of those inches ended the season for Mitchell County and Brooks County, while that inch gave new life to Pelham, which went on to win its game against Emanuel County Institute on Friday night and live for another week in the state football playoffs.

“Football is a game of precision,” Pelham Head Coach Dondrial Pinkins said. “We preach all the time about how important those inches are. When you are going for the line, I tell them all the time to go past the line by an inch. It makes a difference.”

If his players didn’t realize how important it was before Friday night, they do now. Pinkins’ Hornets were in a life and death battle with ECI for survival in the Class A state playoffs. ECI was ahead by three points late in the fourth quarter and was moving down the field again, led by running back Eric Dixon.

The Bulldogs picked up three consecutive first downs but were facing a fourth and four at the 36-yard line with less than four minutes to play. ECI gave the ball to Dixon, who had been tough to stop all night, and the Hornets stopped him right at the 32.

Initially, officials signaled a first down and ECI fans and players were jubilant. Pelham players were adamant it was short.

“I called for a measurement,” Pinkins said. “I squatted down on the field and look at the spot and said, ‘It’s short, it’s short.’ The ref told me to go back to the sideline.”

After a couple of minutes of deliberation, the officials ruled that it was indeed short. Pelham players, coaches and fans were thrilled, the Bulldogs frustrated.

On the next play, junior quarterback and wide receiver Darrell Starling took the ball around right side, down the sideline and in for the touchdown, giving the Hornets a 40-36 win.

If that measurement had not been called, football season in Pelham would have been over. For Mitchell County and Brooks County, officials made the opposite call.

The Eagles of Mitchell County had been down 35-14 in the fourth quarter in their game against Commerce. Led by quarterback James Thomas, running back Malik Barnes and a fumble recovery by Shawndell Smith, the Eagles rallied back and scored on a pass from Thomas to Eric Caison with 1:08 remaining in the game.

Now trailing 35-33, the Eagles handed the ball to Barnes for the two-point conversion. Barnes dove toward the end zone in an attempt to tie the game, but officials ruled he was down before the ball broke the plane of the goal line. That inch secured the win for Commerce and ended the season for the Eagles.

In Quitman, Brooks County looked like it had just scored the winning touchdown in their playoff game against Washington County Friday night. However, officials ruled that the Trojan player was out of bounds before he hit the pylon, leaving the score in favor of Washington County at 34-30.

Those inches make a big difference. Instead of playing in the state quarterfinals this week, the teams that lost this week will be getting ready for basketball season or just being home without football practice because the season is over. In Pelham, players were on the field Monday morning, and will be all week. They are thankful for that inch.