RIGHT TIME OAKS CHRISTIAN GETS CHANCE FOR REVENGE.Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Staff Writer WESTLAKE Westlake, city (1990 pop. 27,018), Cuyahoga co., NE Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland; inc. as a city 1956. A growing city, its various manufactures include ink and plastics. VILLAGE - At Oaks Christian High, it will be remembered as the football victory that happened, then didn't. ``Just an awful, awful feeling,'' is how Oaks Christian defensive lineman Lineman or linesman may refer to:
``We still think about it,'' he said. And they will until the Lions of Westlake Village take the field Saturday at 7 p.m. at Royal High of Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. in the Southern Section Div. XI football championship game against, of all teams, Oak Park. ``We wouldn't want to be playing any other team,'' Oaks Christian defensive end Duke Lemmens said. ``It's worked out perfectly.'' Not that Oaks Christian (11-2) could have predicted that four weeks ago, when victory was ripped RiPPED are an alternative rock band from Burlington, Ontario, Canada on Sextant Records/EMI Distribution. The band formed in 1994, and were originally called "Ripped Emotions". from its hands. At that point, the Lions were trying to figure out the mystifying mys·ti·fy tr.v. mys·ti·fied, mys·ti·fy·ing, mys·ti·fies 1. To confuse or puzzle mentally. See Synonyms at puzzle. 2. To make obscure or mysterious. final seconds of a 27-24 loss to Oak Park, a game the Lions thought they won after stopping Oak Park (12-1) on the apparent last play of the game with a goal-line stand. Here is what happened: With Oaks Christian leading 24-20, Oak Park scored a touchdown with 21 seconds remaining on a run by Anthony Monteleone. But the officials gathered and ruled there was no touchdown and the ball was placed on the 1-yard line. On the next play, with 16 seconds left, Monteleone was stopped for no gain. The clock continued to run as Oak Park lined up for another play. The ball was snapped and quarterback Nolan McNair spiked spike 1 n. 1. a. A long, thick, sharp-pointed piece of wood or metal. b. A heavy nail. 2. A spikelike part or projection, as: a. the ball. When the whistle A simple whistle is a woodwind instrument which produces sound from a stream of forced air. Many types exist, from small police and sports whistles (also called pea whistles), to much larger train whistles, which are steam whistles specifically designed for use on sounded, Oaks Christian players looked at the scoreboard, which showed no time remaining. ``At that point, we felt we won the game,'' said Padden, who was in on the stop of Monteleone two plays before. Lemmens agreed. ``We were running around the field congratulating ourselves because we won the game,'' Lemmens said. ``As far as we were concerned, the game was over.'' They didn't see the officials congregate con·gre·gate tr. & intr.v. con·gre·gat·ed, con·gre·gat·ing, con·gre·gates To bring or come together in a group, crowd, or assembly. See Synonyms at gather. adj. 1. Gathered; assembled. 2. once more, this time to review whether any time was left when McNair spiked the ball. Eventually, officials added one second back on the clock. ``Next thing you know, they're telling us we have to get back out there and play another play,'' Padden said. ``That was pretty tough. I know for me personally, I wasn't exactly ready to go out there again. I mean, a few seconds before we were celebrating a victory.'' Oak Park, with one chance left and sensing Oaks Christian's disorganization disorganization /dis·or·gan·iza·tion/ (-or?gan-i-za´shun) the process of destruction of any organic tissue; any profound change in the tissues of an organ or structure which causes the loss of most or all of its proper characters. , ran the perfect play for the situation. ``You have to give them credit for that,'' Lemmens said. ``They took advantage of where we were mentally.'' McNair pitched the ball to Monteleone going right. ``I totally fell for it,'' said Padden, who flowed toward Monteleone thinking he was closing in on a game-saving tackle. Lemmens, who was lined up on the opposite side, knew something was wrong as soon as he broke past the line of scrimmage line of scrimmage n. pl. lines of scrimmage Football Either of two imaginary lines extending across the field parallel to the goal line at the ends of the ball as it rests prior to being snapped and at which each team lines up for . ``I saw McNair run right past me,'' he said. Monteleone stopped, looked to the other side and threw a pass to McNair, who was breaking toward the end zone. ``I mean, who covers the quarterback after he hands the ball off?'' Padden said. Oaks Christian didn't, that's for sure. McNair caught the ball and crossed the goal line for a touchdown. Game over. This time for real. Vincent Bonsignore, (818) 713-3612 vincent.bonsignore(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Peter Padden, left, and Duke Lemmens have a chance to right what they believe was a wrong against Oak Park. Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer |
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