As planned, Krug was driving the play from the back end, standard fare in 3-on-3 overtime hockey. OT turns hockey into a game of slingshot. And the Wild were about to be shot.

Im just trying to be open right away, said Bergeron, reciting how the play was designed. We had a play set up on that particular instance.

Per design, Krug was supposed to toss the puck to Bergeron, who in turn would bump it back to Krug, who in turn would laser a pass to Marchand breaking wide on the wing. Add a little travelin music ... and away we go.

Its precisely that play that the Wilds three skaters anticipated in their man-to-man coverage. Zach Parise would force Krug to give it up near mid-ice, and the two back defenders, Brad Hunt on the right and Luke Kunin on the left, would pick up either Bergeron or Marchand.

If the play were covered properly, it might force a low-percentage shot from outside, or perhaps force Marchand to circle back out of the zone with the puck and try to generate a different entry, recreate the slingshot.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. Parise eased off his coverage of Krug in the neutral zone, opening wide the center of the ice, with a Waze-like track there for Krug to follow straight down Broadway. Parise never had chance to recalculate.

Up on the ninth floor, in his customary perch, team president Cam Neely spotted the open path.

I was a little surprised by the two defenders, how wide they got, a diplomatic Neely said Sunday, following a World Trade Center event at which he unveiled the clubs new third sweater. Then I was thinking, I hope Torey sees the opening there. Thankfully, he did, and he turned on the jets. You always wonder, if theyre seeing at ice level what were seeing on the ninth floor, right? Its all a little slower when youre watching from up there.

Neely, not unlike the Wild defenders, was thinking, OK, Krugs going to pick it up and give it one of his wingers, March or Bergy, on the fly, so they can have speed on the entry.

Instead, Hunt and Kunin morphed into ... wait for it ... Laurel and Hardy, and Krug took all the space they offered. As he zipped down the slot, all three Wild skaters waved their extended sticks his way, with astonished goaltender Alex Stalock aware of the doom about to be dropped at his doorstep.

I mean, not often you go end to end, right? said Neely. Not even on 3-on-3, when you think you might be able to do a little bit more.

Krug read the play perfectly, as if he, too, were sitting in a comfy roller chair on the ninth floor. He was not near full flight as he left the defensive zone.

Came up the left side a little bit to mess with Parises gap, he recalled. Once I took a couple of hard strides I realized I could beat him, parting of the sea. Marchy and Bergy drew some attention as well, and all of a sudden I was in alone.

As Krug closed down the slot and angled toward the right post, Stalock dropped to his knees. Just as he neared the blue paint in the crease, Krug shoveled off a backhander and the puck squeezed through the tenders pads and bled over the line.

The clock frozen with 2:19 left in overtime. Krug wasnt aware hed won it until he curled out of the right offensive corner and saw his teammates spilling over the boards like schoolboys set free at the recess bell.

I heard the crowd,said Krug, who looked akin to drum major leading a marching band during his goal celebration. Then I heard Bergy and Marchy scream, so all of a sudden someone is off the bench and hugging me. Right there, when you score those goals, its just natural emotion and energy.

Somewhat overshadowed in the drama was that David Krejci, both times on velvety feeds from Bergeron, scored a pair of third-period goals in span of 48 seconds, erasing the Wilds 4-2 lead. On both strikes, the Bruins had pulled goalie Tuukka Rask for an extra attacker. On the 4-4 equalizer, which had the Bruins skating with a 6-on-4 advantage, Bergeron first had to race back to the bench to replace a broken stick. He returned and fed deep on the wing for Krejci to hammer home a one-time slapper from a sharp angle.

Combined, including the pair of Krejci strikes and then Krugs wizardry, the Bruins transformed standard-cut NHL hockey into what felt more like the stuff that is played on streets and ponds. It lacked only someone yelling, Car! or a black lab chasing down a puck that had skittered over a snowbank.

Everyone in the crowd of 17,850 should have been offered a cup of moms hot chocolate as they headed home.

Having the celebration after the [Krejci] goal that tied the game, those are great feelings, said Krug.

Those are moments that bring a team together throughout a season. That group of guys on the ice take a lot of pride in making things happen. To come back and celebrate on the bench with those guys, and see how excited they are, thats a special thing. Those are moments that bring a group together, and well try to embrace it.

Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at kevin.dupont@ globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeKPD.

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Anatomy of a game-winner: How Torey Krug went off-script to lift the Bruins - The Boston Globe

Lets paint a picture for a moment. On a mid-November evening, youre a player on a power conference team preparing to play a game. Your coach has scheduled a game against a school you may not have even heard of before until tonight. They play in the WAC, or, is it the SWAC? You cant remember, but you know that you are expected to win this game. 40 minutes of basketball later, youre sitting in the locker room trying to figure out how your team became the victim of a mid-major upset.

Through the first 15 days of the college basketball season, there have been 15 instances of mid-major teams taking down teams from power conferences. Unless theyre of monumental value (looking at you Kentucky), they go largely unnoticed to the general public. However, for fans of both schools, there is either euphoria or heartbreak at the sound of the final buzzer. While it feels like these upsets come out of nowhere, there is a method to the madness. Whether its a hot night from the three-point line or crashing the boards hard, there are a few trends that have shown up in analyzing the box scores of those 15 upsets.

The first key to pulling off an upset seems to be a bit clich. Ever since the three-point line was adopted for the 1986-87 season, teams have been using it to their advantage. When three-point shots seem to start going in with ease, the NCAA continually pushes the line back. The most recent update was for the current season, as the rules committee pushed it to the FIBA line, which is 22 feet and 1.75 inches from the basket. Schools from mid-major conferences are often undersized when they match up with power conference schools. Thus, the best thing they can often do is keep the ball out of the paint and knock down three balls.

Across the 15 upsets this season, mid-major schools are shooting an average of 38 percent from behind the arc. Their power conference counterparts are shooting an average of just 28.8 percent. Its not as if the importance of the three-point shot is ignored either. After Connecticuts 96-87 defeat to Saint Josephs, Huskies head man Dan Hurley said, guarding the three-point shot was a point of emphasis all week at practice. Saint Bonaventure nailed 11 three-pointers in their defeat of Rutgers. Belmonts 15 made threes were the most ever made at Boston Colleges current arena. Nicholls State shot the three-ball 20 percentage points better than Pittsburgh in their victory over the Panthers.

In not defending well behind the arc, power conference teams open the door for mid-major teams to hang around. And, if they arent careful, that weakness just might have them leaving the gym with a loss. After all, the math tells that three points are more than two points.

How important are they? This is a question that is often heard when teams struggle to make their free throws towards the end of a close game. The free throw is supposed to be the easiest shot to make during a game. You are free of a defender being able to oppose your shot. If youre a mid-major school that can capitalize on your attempts from the free-throw line, then youve got a shot to pull off an upset.

While power conference teams have a slight edge in the average number of free-throw attempts in the 15 upsets, mid-major schools are making their attempts count. David shot an average of 77.8 percent from the charity stripe compared to Goliaths 68.3 percent clip in those 15 games. For example, Alabamas Kira Lewis Jr. missed both of his free-throw attempts with just 2.4 seconds left, sealing Penns one-point victory over the Crimson Tide. Merrimack hit 10 of 11 and Radford hit nine of ten free throws respectively to seal their victories over Northwestern. Rhode Island went 12-12 from the line in the second half during their 14 point victory over Alabama.

There are plenty more examples that could be listed above. However, the bottom line is that mid-major schools did not waste their opportunities for free points. When the average margin of victory is 5.8 points, every point matters, no matter where they come from.

Its no secret that teams should value every possession they get during a game. It can be considered extra important for mid-majors, as not having good possessions can lead to disastrous runs by the opponent that create insurmountable advantages. Thus, mid-major schools need to take as many high-quality shots as possible.

In the case of the seasons first 15 upsets, mid-majors shot an average of 44 percent from the floor compared to 41.3 percent by their opponents. Shooting as close to the rim as possible increases the chances of a made bucket. For example, South Carolina often settled for three-point shots, gong 4-22 from behind the arc in their loss to Boston University. Working the offense from the inside out can lead to success in all three of the areas mentioned so far. Driving the ball into the lane leads to layups and fouls, putting players on the free-throw line. If the defense collapses, theres a good chance a shooter is wide open for an uncontested three-point attempt. In all of those cases, a team is getting the best possible shot on their possession.

The average points-per-possession for the mid-majors in these 15 games is 1.06. Their opponents are only averaging 0.96 points-per-possession. Over 100 possessions, that leads a ten-point advantage for mid-majors. A mid-major upset is made more viable when teams dont waste their offensive touches.

In the one-and-done era, college basketball fans have gotten accustomed to getting one season out of future NBA stars. However, a high percentage of these one-and-done players are taking their talents to power conference schools. At the mid-major level, teams are often built around a strong core of four-year players. That experience can help when it comes to playing in these big games.

Based on KenPoms experience ratings, mid-majors had a 0.36 advantage inexperience in the 15 upsets. While it can be tough to quantify, it is easy for coaches to see when their players experience plays a role in the outcome of a game. Pittsburghs head coach Jeff Capel said his teams maturity just wasnt there yet, and that they needed to grow up during his postgame press conference. Northwestern had five players make their college basketball debuts during their season-opening loss to Merrimack. Many pundits pointed to Kentuckys lack of experience as to why they failed to make a comeback against Evansville during the games final minute.

It truly is a luxury for a coach to have older players on their roster. Three and four-year players have a comfort level with the systems in place with their team. There isnt much that those players havent seen in most game situations. An experienced mid-major can feast off of the inexperience of power conference teams.

The formula above has allowed a mid-major upset to occur 15 times through November 20th. These victories can be program changing when it comes to recruiting and boosting the confidence of the team. Southern Utah got its first victory ever over a Big Ten opponent. Boston University got its first victory ever over an SEC school. In the biggest upset of the year thus far, Evansville picked up their first win ever over the number one ranked team in the AP poll. These victories create lifetime memories for the players and cause a swell of pride amongst alumni everywhere.

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The Mid-Major Upset: An Anatomy - Last Word on Pro Basketball

Its no lie that our hearts have been broken for Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) since McDreamys (Patrick Dempsey) tragic death in season 11 ofGreys Anatomy. However, the show wouldnt be the same drama if Meredith didnt somehow try to get back inthe dating scene.

Thelatest potential love interestfor Meredith has fans wondering if the producers are purposely copying old episodes. Lets take a look at the similarities between McWidow (Shameless Richard Flood) and Riggs (Martin Henderson) to see if the writers just reused old material. Warning: Season 16 Spoilers

The character that is lovingly referred to as McWidow is Dr. Cormac Hayes. He is the new chief of pediatric surgery at Grey-Sloan Hospital. We first meet him during the fall finale of Greys Anatomy.

However, we did not know until the last few minutes of the episode that he was sent to the hospital byCristina Yang(Sandra Oh) as a package for Meredith. Although Cristina left the show in season 10, she and Meredith continually talk and remain twisted sisters.

Hayes and Meredith do not exactly hit it off. The new peds surgeon fights with Meredith about everything the entire day. However, in the last few minutes of the episode, fans are handed an exquisite twist. We find out during an elevator scene that the sexy new doctor with an attractive Irish accent is also a widow.

This new revelation changes everything. We knew that extensive arguing was sexy back and forth banter. Fans sensed the sparks were flying between these two, and the fact that Hayes is a widow, too, is the icing on the cake.

Viewers began an entire discussion about Riggs versus McWidow shortly after the fall finale. Riggs was from New Zealand, so he also had a sexy accent that drove fans wild.

In the middle of season 12 of Greys Anatomy, Riggs came to Grey-Sloan as a new cardio attending surgeon. Meredith and Riggs had the same dysfunctional relationship at their first meeting that Hayes does with Meredith. She disliked both men right away.

We also found out early on that Riggs lost the love of his life, Megan (Abigail Spencer), in what was thought to be a tragic helicopter accident. Of course, both Riggs and McWidow have an encounter with Meredith in an elevator, and we can feel the sexual tension.

Its not about the elevator only, wroteone fan on Reddit. They both lost their women, both started on a bad note with Grey but potentially can be her love interest, and both have sexy accents. Its the same energy.

The similarities between the two love interests are shocking. Fans hope that McWidow lasts longer than Riggs did with Meredith.

During the season 13 finale of Greys Anatomy, Riggs fiance, Megan is found. She was the love of his life, and he is completely torn over her return. Riggs and Megan initially have difficulty resuming their relationship because of Meredith.

However, Meredith tells Riggs to go back to Megan because she would do the same if Derek suddenly reappeared in her life. Riggs makes a grand gesture to Megan by bringing her son home from Iraq, and the three move to Los Angeles to start their life together.

The complications of Merediths emotions, the loss of Derek, and moving on from that still plagues her,Henderson told Deadlineafter his character left the show. And theres as much ambiguity around all those feelings. The two of them found each other, and that provided good drama.

In the end, it was the best thing for Meredith at the time to not end up with Riggs. It was too soon after her husband died for her to be in a serious relationship. However, the entrance of McWidow could be the perfect timing fans are hoping for.

Find out what happens next between McWidow and Meredith when Greys Anatomy returns to ABC on Jan. 23, 2020.

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'Grey's Anatomy': The Similarities Between McWidow and Riggs Will Make You Want to Re-Watch Every Season Since McDreamy Died - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Everything started when senior backup quarterback Tommy Lazzaro scored from 5 yards out.

Lazzaro couldn't contain his excitement and yelled in jubilation. While his celebration drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, the score itself cut Ball State's lead to just four points. Senior kicker Ryan Tice's extra point made it a three-point contest.

After trailing by 17 points in the third quarter on Nov. 16 at Scheumann Stadium, the Chippewas clawed their way back into the game. What looked like a blowout earlier in the second half had become a ball game.

It was time to finish the job.

After forcing the Cardinals to punt, the Chippewas took over deep in their territory. Senior graduate transfer quarterback Quinten Dormady was sacked on a third-and-3, and Central Michigan was forced to punt the ball away.

Punting from his end zone, sophomore Brady Buell sent the ball back to the Cardinals.

Ball State took over at midfield, 50 yards away from a touchdown that would've salted away the game.

It didn't start well, as Cardinal quarterback Drew Plitt hit Antwan Davis for an 18-yard gain. Junior running back Caleb Huntley pushed forward for another first down, putting the ball on Central Michigan's 17-yard line.

"That (Ball State) was slowing down," said sophomore linebacker Troy Brown. "They took their foot off the gas pedal."

Brown and the defense locked in, forcing an incompletion on a third-and-9.

Ball State brought out its field goal unit, and Ryan Rimmler's 33-yard field goal made it 44-38 in favor of the Cardinals.

"In the fourth quarter we won four of the five third downs," said defensive coordinator Robb Akey. "We got our act together a little bit."

There was 5:09 remaining. It was last call time for the Chippewa offense.

While Brown and his defensive teammates were making their pivotal stand, the offense began to gather. They knew what was at stake and wanted to be prepared when they needed to take the field.

"They went and scripted, like you would the first drive of the game or first drive of the second half," said first-year coach Jim McElwain. "(The coaches) gave the players what we were gonna do and the players went and executed."

"It's not about the plays, it's about the players executing," said offensive coordinator Charlie Frye. "There were guys on the sideline, and when (Ball State) kicked a field goal, they understood that we had to go down and score."

Dormady, the double graduate transfer who has been through many ups and downs, had just four impactful words for his unit before taking the field: "Let's go be great."

"Big games are gonna come down to the last drive when you've gotta go out and execute," Dormady said.

It started with an incomplete pass and a 3-yard gain for senior running back Jonathan Ward. Facing a third-and-7, the Chippewas' backs appeared to be against the wall.

Dormady had other ideas, hitting Ward out of the backfield for an 18-yard gain to move the chains. Two plays later, he connected with sophomore receiver Kalil Pimpleton for 27 yards.

After an incompletion, Dormady threw a pass to junior receiver JaCorey Sullivan on a corner route to move the chains. Although the pass was originally ruled incomplete, it was determined that Sullivan secured the ball. The completion gave Central Michigan a first down on Ball State's 11-yard line.

The Chippewas were in striking distance.

Lazzaro punched it in from 2 yards out, and Tice's extra point gave the Chippewas a one-point advantage, 45-44.

Just 61 seconds remained in the contest.

"The sense of urgency and focusing on the details, that's what I saw," Frye said. "Plays will always be plays, it's about the players going out and executing their jobs and doing what they're doing for each other so that we can go out and win the game."

"For that last drive, (it was about) just execution," Dormady said. "Going out and being great."

It would be up to the defense to get the final stop and secure the comeback victory.

The defense allowed 499 yards of offense and two running backs over 100 yards on the ground. The game was not over, and the Chippewa defense was entering their metaphorical "Ring of Fire" stage of the contest.

Brown, Akey and others were licking their chops.

"Our defense, as a whole, we know when we're working together we're pretty much unstoppable," Brown said. "We knew we had to come away with the takeaway."

"The good Lord created the defense to give the ball back to the offense without giving up points," Akey said.

In the spirit of coach Herman Boone, the Chippewas did not allow another yard. Three consecutive incompletions led to a pivotal fourth-and-10 for Ball State.

"I was just dropping back," Brown said. "Our defensive line did a good job of getting pressure and (Plitt) was forced to throw on a scramble. He threw it to me and I knew I had to make a play."

Brown's third interception of the season sealed the victory. Three kneel downs later, the Chippewas made the victory official.

McElwain hugged numerous players. Pimpleton and Ward did multiple backflips. The field was full of ecstatic Chippewas.

It was pandemonium.

McElwain: "Signature wins happen when adversity hits. We had a lot of it today."

Akey: "The bottom line is we won the game. You better appreciate that because wins are hard to get."

Frye: "They (the players) showed the resiliency to not just get back into the game, but to finish it. It's not easy to do and they should feel very proud."

Dormady: "I've been through a lot personally. To get this win, with this group of guys, I can't tell you what it means to me."

For Dormady, it may very well be a career-defining victory.

For McElwain, it may boost him to the Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year award.

In a game with MAC West Division title implications, the Chippewas got it done.

A team that finished 1-11 last season battled together to secure a victory from the jaws of defeat.

"They stuck together," Frye said. "It's awesome to see that."

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The anatomy of Central Michigan's game-winning drive against Ball State - Central Michigan Life

Afterthe fall finaleofGreys Anatomy, fans have a lot to say aboutRichard Webber(James Pickens, Jr.) and Catherine Foxs (Debbie Allen) storyline. None of the comments from fans are positive. Lets take a look and see why fans are so outraged at the two doctors right now.

The root of Richard and Catherines marital problems began at the end of season 15 when Richard was fired from Grey-Sloan hospital for being a part Merediths insurance fraud. Bailey fired Richard; however, Catherine did not do anything to help save his job.

Richard holds a grudge, and Catherine is not helping matters. We are now nine episodes into season 16, and things between the couple are worse than ever before. Catherine assumes that Richard is cheating on her with an old friend, Gemma (Jasmine Guy). Hes not cheating, but hes not doing anything to help Catherine believe him.

The Richard/Catherine marriage problems storyline is so aggravating to me,wrote one fan on Reddit. From Catherines point of view, I understand that she doesnt want to face it, and she keeps running. But from Richards point of view, he should be texting, calling, and chasing after her if nothing is actually going on.

Yes, Catherine did not fight for his job, and hes still upset, but in the grand scheme of things, thats your marriage, and now your wife thinks youre having an affair. If youre not having an affair and its all just innocent friendship, then you would be trying harder to tell your wife that, the Redditor believes.

In the season 16 fall finale, Catherine goes looking for her husband over at Pac-North. A receptionist mistakenly tells her that Richard is busy in his office with his wife. This interaction sets Catherine over the edge, and now she is sure that he is cheating on her. However, he doesnt do anything to deter her from thinking that. She leaves town, and he doesnt try to stop her.

Yes, agrees one fan. Richards like, meh, my wife is leaving town, and I didnt even know she was in town. Whatever. Ok, Gemma what were you saying?'

He couldnt even bother to give her a call, added another Redditor. Thats how much he cares about fixing the current rift. Part of me thinks hes just acting like the victim and being so nonchalant about the whole Gemma thing because he wants to get back at Catherine for not having his back with his job.

Theres a lot of anger in both of them, one fan observed.

Richard needs to stop avoiding his wife, added another fan on Reddit. Catherine should talk to her husband, yes. But Richard knows exactly why Catherine is pissed at him, and he isnt doing anything to try to say hey this isnt happening. He just sits and still hangs out with the woman who Catherine doesnt trust. Come on, Richard. This isnt all on Catherine.

The lack of communication is just, Ugh, added one more Redditor. At least we got one positive thing out of itthe intern sassing Catherine for trying to use her name as power and just not having it with her in general.

Neither party is in the right here. Catherine needs to apologize for not talking to Bailey on his behalf. Richard needs to get over his anger and call his wife. Or, if they are going to go on like this, maybe we will see a divorce. Either way, we wont see anything until Greys Anatomy returns on Jan. 23, 2020.

More:
'Grey's Anatomy': Fans May Hate Catherine Fox, but They Despise Richard Webber Right Now Even More - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Photo: Eric McCandless/ABC

Before the ferry accident, before the plane crash, before those wolves ate those people they ate (These medical professionals cannot catch a break), Greys Anatomy drew its audience in with the dreamy, steamy erotic entanglements at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. There were plot lines and pairings so hot, they made the words McDreamy and McSteamy into household names. Now, in a new interview with Deadline, Greys showrunner Krista Vernoff promises viewers that the shows shift back to its original, later timeslot will officially Make Greys Horny Again.

There are different rules for a 9 p.m. show than there are for an 8 p.m. show, and we hope to take advantage of those rules, Vernoff explained to Deadline. Greyswas definitely allowed to be a sexier show when it was on at nine oclock. So we are excited by the change back to our original [Thursday] time slot.

Greys Anatomy has aired on ABC at 8 p.m. for the last eight seasons, after the network moved the hit medical show up an hour in 2014. Now the network will air Shondalands Greys spinoff Station 19 at 8 p.m., with the hope that your thirst for a sexier Greys will carry you through until ten. And after 16 seasons and over 350 episodes, it almost certainly will. Both shows will premiere their next seasons on Thursday, January 23, 2020.

Read the rest here:
Greys Anatomy Promises a Return to Horniness in 2020 - Vulture

Even longtime UMS-Wright coach Terry Curtis looks back in pride with what his team has accomplished over the course of the last two years.

The Class 4A No. 1 Bulldogs (11-0) take the states longest win streak into Fridays quarterfinal matchup with Montgomery-Catholic (12-0) at Ervin S. Cooper Stadium in Mobile.

UMS has won 30 straight games dating back to 2017.

It has really been amazing, Curtis said on this weeks Prep Spotlight on WNSP-FM 105.5. Its unbelievable to watch these guys even when we are not playing our best football - - find a way to win. You look at 30, and you say, Good grief.

It is a lot of games in a row, especially when you know that after a while you are getting everyones best shot from the best teams to the worst teams every week. To keep it going like that is hard to do. Kudos to our kids. Our coaches have great plans every week. Its been fun being a long for the ride.

If the streak reaches 33 games in a few weeks, the Bulldogs would have a third straight Class 4A state trophy to bring home.

Here are some facts about UMS-Wrights 30-game win streak:

Last loss: 9-0 against St. Pauls on Nov. 3, 2017.

Win No. 1: UMS-Wright 42, Leeds 7 on Nov. 10, 2017.

Win No. 30: UMS-Wright 31, Talladega 6 on Nov. 15, 2019.

Most lopsided victory: 65-0 at Monroe County on Oct. 12, 2018.

Closest win: 21-19 over American Christian in the Class 4A quarterfinals on Nov. 23, 2018. American Christian kicker Brooks Cormiers 43-yard field goal attempt was just wide right with 19 seconds left in the game.

Most frequent opponent: Andalusia (4 times).

UMS shutouts: 10.

Games when UMS scored 40 or more points: 8.

Home record: 15-0.

Road record: 13-0.

Neutral site record: 2-0 (Tuscaloosa and Auburn).

Total points: 945 points, an average of 31.5 points a game.

Total points allowed: 196, an average of 6.5 points allowed per game.

Terry Curtis record prior to the win streak: 207-49 at UMS, 284-85 overall.

Longest previous UMS win streak under Curtis: 23 games (2002-2003).

Starting quarterbacks: Will Chapman (2017), Skipper Snypes (2018), Trey Singleton (2019).

Dennis Victory

UMS-Wright's Symon Smith tries to get past Fayette County's TreDarion Walker during the AHSAA Super 7 Class 4A championship at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Friday, Dec. 8, 2017. (Dennis Victory/preps@al.com) Dennis Victory

Most memorable game: Its up for debate, but certainly the 21-7 victory over Fayette County in the Class 4A championship game in the snow at Bryant-Denny Stadium has to be right up there.

Average margin of victory: 25 points.

The Big 3: Senior leaders Will Breland, Symon Smith and Keyshawn Woodyard have been around for all 30 wins and have been proficient throughout. Breland, the reigning Class 4A Lineman of the Year, has 460 total tackles, including 32 for a loss, from 2017 until now. Smith has rushed for 4,718 yards and 46 TDs on 802 carries. Woodyard has caught 129 passes for 1,761 yards and 28 TDs.

Top recruits faced along the way: Daniel Foster-Allen (St. Pauls), Cam Riley (Hillcrest-Evergreen), Roger McCreary (Williamson), Robert Woodyard (Williamson), Reggie Bracy (St. Pauls), Brady Ward (St. Pauls), Deontae Lawson (Mobile Christian).

Other current win streaks of note: Fyffe (27), Mars Hill (22).

22

UMS Wright vs. Dale County

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Anatomy of a winning streak: Interesting facts about UMS-Wrights 30-game run - AL.com

West Virginia had surrendered 62-yards over 2:18 leading 24-20 against Kansas State deep into the fourth quarter of the game with 35 ticks left.

The Wildcats were going in at the 30-yard line facing a 2nd and 8 with 10-personnel on the field looking to take back the lead against a Mountaineers defense which had played inspired football all day long.

Dalton Schoen, who had already hauled in a 68-yard touchdown earlier in the game, lined up to Kansas State quarterback Skylar Thompsons right to the boundary. The Wildcats were ready to take a shot.

Once the ball was snapped, Schoen switched with the inside receiver and started down the middle of the field before slowing up to present as if he was catching a short pass. It was then that he used the burners to execute a stutter and go to get down the seam of the Mountaineers defense.

There were two different concepts in one there which is tough, position coach Jahmile Addae said.

The West Virginia players responsible for coverage on that inside route was starting cornerback Hakeem Bailey, who had moved inside to the nickel spot in the coverage. It wasnt a natural spot for him but it was something that he had repped in practice throughout the week.

That was my first time playing it in a game, Bailey said.

So while his responsibility was to initially wall the inside receiver, that quickly became Schoen and Bailey was initially beat after he executed the second portion of the route on the double move. But the cornerback never gave up on the play and was able to track things down.

An important aspect to the play because while Schoen was breaking free for a possible game winning score, pressure from the three-man rush forced Thompson out of his spot to step up and release the ball off one foot.

As it fluttered towards Schoen, Bailey was able to undercut the football and close the door on a comeback attempt with a leaping interception at the Mountaineers two-yard line.

If that ball is placed a little bit better hes going to have to make a heck of a play but thats the game of football, Addae said.

For Bailey it was an impressive play in a season where the senior has changed the perception about him at the cornerback spot and for Addae it was a sign of the teaching getting through as if you scan the field each of the Mountaineers secondary members did their job on the play.

There were all kind of layers in that coverage and they were able to draw off their rules and make a play, he said.

Attention to detail made the difference and for West Virginia it was the thin-line between a win and a loss as the program recorded its biggest win to date under Neal Brown.

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A Possible Miscarriage and Adoption? Breaking Down Grey's Anatomy's Explosive Mid-Season Finale

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According to my extensive research, 99 percent of people who golf are terrible at the sport. I include myself in that number, of course.

Given those most definitely accurate and indisputable numbers, it should come as no surprise that birdies are a rare occurrence. Heres where Id make a joke about a bird watcher seeing a rare bird, but lets be honest, I dont know any rare birds and no one would actually get it.

I carded eight birdies (or better) this past season. I kept track of them and I remember each of them like they just happened. Thats how much fun it is to sink the ball in fewer strokes than par allows for. For reference: birdie is one less than par; eagle is two under; and technically albatross is the term for three under par, but good luck ever getting one of those.

To make birdie, you either need to be incredibly good or very fortunate. Its usually one dynamic shot that makes it all possible. Lets take a look at my eight circled numbers (birdies are circled once on the scorecard while eagles are circled twice) in 2019 and how I got there. Theyre in chronological order, as if that matters.

1) Cassadaga Country Club, No. 7 This is a majestic hole. Standing above the trees way up on the tee box, a golfer has an incredible view of Cassadaga Lake and the surrounding area. Looking towards the green, way down the hill, theres a pond some 200 yards away (needing some 225-250 to clear it). In one of my first (it may have been my first) round of the year, I tattooed my drive not just over the pond, but actually onto the green. It wasnt terribly close to the pin, so a two-putt for birdie was exactly what I was trying to do.

2) Shorewood Country Club, No. 9 Par 5s are easily my most birdied holes in my golf career because theres a little more margin for error. This one is a long ways to the green with a slight dogleg. My drive was nothing special. In fact, I was off the green to the right a little bit. My second shot was a bomb, but I pulled it left into the trees about pin height. I had a pair of trees making something like uprights, to use a football analogy, between me and the green. I decided to basically just close my eyes and go for it. The end result was my ball splitting those trees and stopping about five feet from the pin for an easy tap-in (and incredibly fortunate) birdie.

3) Silver Lake Country Club, No. 4 This is the only par 3 on the list, though I certainly gave myself many more chances on various par 3s this year. This one was not just almost a hole-in-one, rolling within inches of the cup on the way by, but it was in a huge tournament and almost won me a new car! It was a long par 3 and I struck my 3-hybrid about as well as I can hit that club.

4) CCC, No. 5 Eagle alert! This came during one of my weeks as a sub in a league at CCC. I had never actually driven the green on this short, but very uphill par 4. That said, after smoking my tee shot and making the drive up to the green, we found my ball maybe five feet from the pin. Tap-in eagles dont happen everyday, but this one even gave me skins for the day, so that was a nice bonus.

5) CCC, No. 4 Thats right, yet another birdie at CCC. This one was a bit of a redemption hole for me. The round before this one, I drove the green and had a painful three-putt for par. My drive rolled onto the green briefly, but ended up off to the right. An easy chip and putt for birdie made up for that first one a little bit, at least.

6) Rosebrook Golf Course, No. 15 This is another long par 5 with a dangerous treeline along the entire right side of the fairway. Not only did I smash my drive, but I annihilated my approach shot and actually ended up past the green. It may be the furthest Ive ever hit a 5-iron. That said, I still had my work cut out for me. But a decent chip preceded a dropped put and there was my birdie. Just like they draw it up.

7) Pinehurst Golf Club, No. 5 If you would have told me Id birdie this hole after where my drive went, Id have called you a liar. I sliced the daylights out of the drive and was almost on No. 8s green. Not only did I have a lovely grove of trees between myself and the green, but I had a nasty downhill lie, making it very unlikely Id get the height needed to clear the trees. Since its on this list, you can probably guess what happened. I hit one of my shots of the year and landed the ball in the shadow of the flagstick before burying the putt. Incredible.

8) Pinehurst Golf Club, No. 1 This is a par 5, but was actually very similar to the above entry at Pinehurst. My yanked my drive left into No. 2s fairway. Not only that, but there was a giant tree directly where I wanted to hit my ball. Sometimes it pays to be stubborn because I lasered my ball through the tree without making so much as a rustle. Some 250 yards later and my ball was on the fringe of the green. If I hit that same shot 100 times, theres no way I duplicate this shot. A chip and a putt for par had me off to a wonderful start to a round.

There are eight birdies with extremely different ways of getting there. Great drives. Terrible drives. Lucky shots. Awesome shots. The only way I didnt get a birdie this year was with a hole-out or chip-in.

Does anyone else track their birdies? Maybe youre part of the 1 percent that gets them too regularly to make them a special occasion. Did you have any extra memorable ones this year. Please shoot me an email with your stories.

Until next week, golf is great. Go get some.

Stefan Gestwicki is an OBSERVER contributing writer. Comments on this article can be sent to golfersdiary@gmail.com

Special to the OBSERVERBRADFORD, PA Despite having five players score in double digits, the Fredonia State ...

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