- Keystone Heights defeated Bell, 16-13, in overtime at The Boneyard.
- Keystone Heights' sophomore Connor Mooneyham took over quarterback duties after Cole Crabtree injury and led a key scoring drive.
- Keystone's defense and special teams made critical plays late, including a blocked extra point and a game-winning field goal.
Common opponents are not always an indicator of a potential outcome.
Three weeks ago, Bell won 13-7 at Interlachen, which defeated Keystone Heights, 63-0, on Aug. 21.
But on Friday night at The Boneyard, visiting Keystone Heights defeated Bell, 16-13 in overtime, thanks to the play of its defense and special teams.
It was the second win in the past three games for Keystone (2-3), which snapped an 18-game losing streak against P.K. Yonge on Aug. 28. They can notch another one on their belt with a victory against the previously unbeaten Bulldogs (4-1).
“Big win,” said first-year Keystone Heights coach Cameron Porch. “Bell’s really good, 20 seniors, undefeated coming in, but you know, we’ve got a group of guys that have got a little bit of grit to them.”
Bell moved the ball to midfield on their opening possession, but a costly turnover would give the Indians momentum early in the game.
Senior quarterback R.J. Leffler fumbled on a first-and-10 at the Bulldogs’ 49-yard line and Indians sophomore linebacker Ben Scott recovered the ball at midfield.
Keystone Heights senior quarterback Cole Crabtree helped engineer a 50-yard scoring drive, capping it off with a 1-yard touchdown run with 47 seconds to play in the first quarter. Senior Ryder Thomas made the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
Crabtree had a pair of 8-yard runs to start the drive, followed by a 13-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Trey Simmons on third-and-12 at the Bell 41-yard line to keep the drive alive.
Sophomore wide receiver Connor Mooneyham ran the jet sweep for 10 yards on third-and-10 at the 13-yard line and Crabtree scored two plays later.
Bell, which played without injured running back Landin Williams, never got into Keystone territory in the first half.
“Freaking dogs tonight, man,” Porch said. “They (defense) flew around to the ball. This is the best we’ve tackled as a unit. That was the big difference tonight.”
The Indians, who won the coin toss but deferred to the second half, recovered an onside kick to begin the third quarter. However, on the third play, Crabtree got hurt and never returned.
Mooneyham played the rest of the game at quarterback.
“It was just nerves flowing, adrenaline, everything,” Mooneyham said. “Adversity; I was just able to push through and execute when it was needed.”
Although their first drive of the second half stalled at the Bell 30-yard line, the sophomore would lead the Indians on an eight-minute scoring drive on their next possession.
“We talk about it a lot,” Porch said. “You know, it only takes one play; you’re the next guy, and that’s all it took. He came in, didn’t flinch, and did a phenomenal job.”
Following Keystone’s opening drive of the second half, Bell senior running back Kaleb Williams raced 70 yards down the Bell sideline for a touchdown with 5:58 to play in the third quarter. Leffler’s extra point tied the game at 7-7.
Keystone Heights began its second possession of the half at its own 45-yard line and ate the final six minutes of the third quarter off the clock. The Indians converted a fourth-and-3 at the Bell 25-yard line with a 6-yard run by sophomore running back Mikey Gamble.
On the next play, Mooneyham found Simmons in the right corner of the end zone for a 19-yard scoring pass and a 13-7 lead with 10:03 remaining.
“Trey, he’s receiver one. Love that guy,” Mooneyham said. “All I saw, Trey, corner end zone. I thought I underthrew him. Turns out I got it there and he made a heck of a play.”
Keystone Heights went for two but was stopped short of the goal line.
Bell punted on its next possession, but an interception by senior Dean Glass gave the Bulldogs the ball again at their own 37-yard line with 7:03 left in the game. Then, on the first play from scrimmage, Williams picked up 42 yards to the Keystone 21-yard line.
Once again, Keystone’s defense forced another big play as junior D.J. Hill intercepted a halfback pass by Glass at the 15-yard line to end the drive.
But the Bulldogs held and they got the ball back at their own 49-yard line for one final drive with 3:33 remaining. A 33-yard pass from Leffler to senior Lane Sheffield put the ball in the red zone and four plays later Leffler scored from two yards out with 1:30 left to tie the game at 13-13.
Keystone made two big special teams plays late to get the win.
Junior Juan Palma blocked Leffler’s extra point, and in overtime Thomas drilled a 21-yard field goal for the game-winner.
Bell, which turned the ball over on its possession in OT, will travel to Eagle’s View (Jacksonville) next Friday, while Keystone Heights will host Atlantic (Port Orange) with a chance to move to .500.
Kickoff for both games is at 7 p.m.
“We challenged them all week to hold up for four quarters, and four quarters plus tonight is what it took,” Porch said. “Taking care of the football and tackling well. That’s what wins you football games.”
Friday, Sept. 18
Bluffton (SC) 64, P.K. Yonge 6
Bradford (Starke) 48, Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) 10
Branford 21, Port St. Joe 0
Bronson 27, Harvest Community (Jacksonville) 7
Buchholz 20, Jesuit (Tampa) 17
Columbia (Lake City) 27, Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) 20
Gainesville 24, Eastside 10
Hawthorne 50, Bayshore (Bradenton) 15
Keystone Heights 16, Bell 13 (OT)
Lake Weir (Ocala) 48, Union County (Lake Butler) 21
Lafayette (Mayo) 49, Dixie County (Cross City) 42
Middleburg 20, Newberry 17
St. John Lutheran (Ocala) xx, Cornerstone Academy xx
Saint Francis Catholic Academy 39, First Academy-Leesburg 7
Santa Fe (Alachua) 41, Fort White 28
Suwannee (Live Oak) 45, Hamilton County (Jasper) 0
Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 25, Chiefland 12
OFF – Countryside Christian, Oak Hall School, Trenton, Williston
