High school football: Andies' Rose intercepts Tigers

Alex Rose had to make a split-second decision.

The Livermore Falls defender had to choose between the reward of going for an interception or the risk if he did so and failed. It was a significant choice late in the fourth quarter Friday night, and Rose had little time to make it. 

"I just gambled," said Rose, the junior back. "I didn't know if I was going to go for it. I just did what coach says: 'Go to the highest point,' and I did, and I got it."

Rose had the rare opportunity to silence his rivals' fan-base in one second when he picked off an Austin Clark pass. The Jay Tigers were on the move toward a potential winning touchdown. Jay was as close as the 27 and had plenty of time, but Rose stepped up for the interception and sealed the 13-8 win for the Andies (7-1).

"We're a 'bend but do not break' defense," said Livermore Falls coach Brad Bishop. "Everybody gives up plays. You just try to limit them. We played well enough to win, and we're happy."

Livermore Falls locks up the second spot in Western C while Jay appears to have missed the playoffs.

The late interception was what plagued the Tigers (3-5) all evening. Jay had ample opportunity to turn offensive drives into points but three interceptions and two turnovers cost them.

"We had the same old things happen to us — turnovers," said Jay coach Mark Bonnevie. "The guys fought hard and gave themselves a chance to win in the second half. I don't think many people here did. I'm proud of them for that."

Livermore Falls got two touchdowns from Chandler White, who had 172 yards on 25 carries. Both scores came in the first half to stake the Andies to the lead. Clark threw for 194 yards on 14 completions for Jay. He also rushed for 47 yards on 11 carries. His 40-yard pass play to J.D. Couture made it 13-8 with 6:11 left in the fourth quarter.

"They're a lot better than 3-5," said Bishop. "I told the kids that and everybody I talked to around town. They're a big physical team, and they're tough on D."

Jay gave the offense a chance late with a tremendous defensive stand. The Andies managed just four first downs and 67 yards in the entire second half.

"The defense played great," said Bonnevie. "They played well and gave us a chance to win."

After the Jay touchdown, an interception by Couture gave the Tigers the ball back at midfield with 4:39 left. A bad exchange on a handoff on the first play led to a fumble, and Andre Uter fell on it for the Andies. The Tigers managed to stop the Andies one more time when it sacked Shawn Whiting on fourth-and-four. Jay took over on the 31 with 2:33 left.

"We had to pull it together as a team, and we just knew we had to make big plays," said Rose. "With 2:33 left, we knew it was going to be tight."

Clark quickly moved Jay downfield with a couple completions and a 20-yard run. After a pass to Grant Richards for 10 yards, the Tigers had a first down at the 27. That's when Rose stepped in front of a Clark pass on the right side with 53 seconds left.

"We've done that, last week at the end of the half against Winthrop," said Bonnevie. "It was first-and-10 with a minute to go. We felt good. (Rose) made a great play."

Though Jay had an edge in time of possession in the first half, the Andies took advantage of their chances. After stopping the Tigers on fourth-and-four at the 43, the Andies produced an 11-play drive that carried 56 yards. White punched it in from the 5 with 48 seconds left in the first quarter.

The Andies made it 13-0 with 2:47 left in the half when White broke loose for a 69-yard run. 

"I just had some good blocking coming up the middle," said White. "I broke it to the outside and made one big cut and that was it."

Jay came right back and got down to the 11 after a 24-yard pass play but a fumble gave the Andies the ball back. Three of Jay's last four possessions in the first half ended with turnovers.