HobbsDailyReport.com
MARION – McDowell High snapped a seven-game losing streak Friday night in a Northwestern 3A-4A football game, nipping visiting West Caldwell 21-14 in overtime.
McDOWELL 21
W. CALDWELL 14, OT
The Titans (2-8, 1-5) surprised the Warriors (6-4, 3-3), beating them on a 10-yard run in overtime by Adam Randolph and a PAT by Chase Baird.
West Caldwell had an overtime possession and got the ball three times to their leading rusher, Taye Dula, but had not scored in overtime.
The Warriors called a timeout and then had to deal with a bad snap that went sailing into the backfield. Elijah Brooks got to the ball and threw an incomplete pass, giving McDowell a win.
Quarterback Ben Ballew led McDowell’s offense, throwing for more than 230 yards by completing 18 passes. He threw for two TDs and had two passes intercepted.
The scoring throws were to Dakota Effler and Andruw Randolph.
Dula had his third straight 300-yard rushing game for West Caldwell but he did not score in Friday’s game. Four of his runs were of greater than 25 yards.
McDowell gained a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Ballew hit Andruw Randolph for a TD.
In the second quarter, Dula’s long TD run set up a scoring run by Nate Brown.
The Titans regained the lead on a scoring pass on the seventh play of a drive.
West Caldwell tied it at 14 on a short-yardage run by Kaleb Dula.
McDowell tried to win it in regulation but Baird missed a field goal from 47 yards.
The Warriors outgained the Titans 418-336 in total yards, with 383 of West Caldwell’s yards coming on the ground.
By winning, McDowell opened a possibility of advancing to the state playoffs. The Titans and South Caldwell are the only two 4A teams in the conference and South Caldwell won the head-to-head game this year.
But if once-beaten Alexander Central beats South Caldwell on Friday night and McDowell was to beat Freedom, the Titans would have the better league record and grab the No. 1 4A bid from the conference.