Friday night’s sorrowful spectacle of how the Blackcats had their season end on a 7-6 score against Calhoun was both unbelievable and frustrating.
With seconds ticking away, the Sandcrabs tried a lateral at midfield but the ball hit the turf and a whistle blew.
The Blackcats, up 6-0, thought the play was over, but the Sandcrabs picked up the ball and ran to a TD.
With the PAT, the final score was now 7-6, Sandcrabs.
Cue outrage from Bay City coaches, players and fans.
Also cue approval fury from the home crowd that their lads had reversed their destiny and scored an easy touchdown at Bay City’s expense.
My main disgust with this whole scenario is the back and forth squabbling among officials who sided with Bay City, until they didn’t.
They jerked the emotions of both sides.
That alone should have recalled the play.
It was indeed a contest contorted in a horrible way by the last play.
It became a drama where the officials would seemingly change their opinions as they discussed the play.
As the fans on both sides awaited the outcome, the tensions rose.
Blackcat fans had been treated to steady doses of questionable calls throughout the game.
The last play became the final straw.
At the end, I watched as one Sandcrab player walked toward the Bay City sideline and taunted the players and coaches – a coach stepped up non-threatening to stop the Sandcrab’s advance.
I’m including observations of retired district judge Craig Estlinbaum, longtime Memorial Stadium announcer.
“All replays confirm the whistle was blown and was inadvertent,” Estlinbaum said.
“It’s a mistake, a not altogether uncommon one and one fairly accommodated by the rules.
“Officials cannot blow a play dead, even when the whistle is inadvertent, and then allow the play to resume. It’s obvious why, right?
“There are several videos being posted on Facebook. You cannot miss them and from the stands or sidelines, the whistle is clearly audible,” he said.
“In one making the rounds, you can clearly see the Umpire wave the play dead.
“The Sandcrabs thought the play was over too. The player only started running toward the end zone after Bay City defender started to leave the field.”
Blackcat Head Coach Robert Jones submitted game film to UIL and is strongly committed to righting this wrong.
Bay City will play Tuloso-Midway (Corpus Christi) at 2 p.m. Saturday, at Victoria Stadium.
