EVERETT – The Everett Hawks have got to be kicking themselves.
Stockton’s Alex Walls drilled a 39-yard field goal as time expired to give the Lightning a stunning 55-54 victory over the Hawks in a thrill-a-minute af2 West Division game at the Everett Events Center Monday night.
With the loss Everett, which plays at Quad Cities (3-3) Friday night, fell to 1-5 while Stockton improved to 2-4.
“This one’s on me,” Everett coach Cedric Walker said. “The kids played their butts off.”
Stockton lined up to try a 57-yard field goal with five seconds to play. Everett blocked the attempt, but Walker had called for a timeout and the play was negated.
On the next play, Stockton quarterback Evan Gray (18-for-27, 272 yards, six touchdowns) completed an 18-yard pass to Kenyatte Morgan to set up a 39-yard field goal attempt.
Morgan had nine receptions for 122 yards, two touchdown catches and nine kick returns for a Stockton franchise record 237 yards.
With .4 seconds remaining, Walls, who booted two field goals and was a perfect 7-for-7 on PATs, kicked the ball through the narrow uprights to spoil Everett’s comeback from a 10-point second half deficit and silence the 1,541 fans in attendance.
Everett quarterback Jason Campbell (26-for-43, 269 yards, eight touchdowns) gave Everett a 54-52 lead with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Brown with 8.6 seconds remaining. But the PAT kick by Adam Williams, which would have given the Hawks a 3-point advantage was wide left.
“This is my fault,” Campbell said. “The defense did its job tonight.”
After digging itself into a 15-point hole with three early turnovers, Stockton closed to within 22-21 on Gray’s touchdown run just before the end of the first half. Stockton took its first lead of the game on the first play of the second half when quarterback Gray threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Sale’ Key (seven catches, 78 yards).
Almost immediately Everett knotted the score 28-28 on Campbell’s 34-yard touchdown pass to Josh Richey, who finished with 11 receptions for 123 yards and four touchdowns.
Marvin Brown made a sensational one-handed tackle on Stockton’s otherwise elusive return man Morgan at the Stockton 1-yard line on the ensuing kickoff.
But, on the first play of the series Gray threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to the wide open Key for a 35-28 lead with 10:50 remaining in the third quarter.
On the Hawks’ next possession Stockton’s York Frierson intercepted a Campbell pass near midfield on Everett’s ensuing possession.
The lead grew to 38-28 on Walls’ 31-yard field goal with 7:42 to play in the third quarter.
Everett crept back within three points of the lead when Campbell capped a five-play drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Brown.
Starting its next series from its own 11-yard line the Lightning struck quickly on Gray’s 39-yard touchdown pass to Morgan who beat Brown’s coverage down the left sideline.
Trailing 48-38, Vai Notoa’s 11-yard run got Everett to midfield on its next possession.
Two plays later Phil Goodman’s made a 14-yard touchdown catch as he flipped over the right end zone wall and Adam Williams’ conversion kick brought the Hawks within 45-42 with 1:08 to play in the third quarter.
Everett forced three Stockton turnovers in the first quarter to key its early lead.
Everett defensive back Aaron Dunklin accounted for two of the turnovers. The rookie from Charleston Southern set an Everett single-season record with his fourth interception of the year to stifle Stockton’s first possession.
Dunklin made the interception when Stockton Gray threw a pass into the end zone that glanced high off the net. Dunklin caught the ball and returned it to the Everett 12-yard line.
Three pass completions to Marvin Brown by Everett quarterback Jason Campbell set up a 26-yard field goal by Williams to give Everett a 3-0 lead midway into the opening quarter.
On Stockton’s next possession, Gray’s passes to Sale’ Key set-up a field goal attempt by Alex Walls, but Gray fumbled the snap and Dunklin dived onto the loose ball at the Everett 16-yard line.
Four plays later Campbell fired a pass to Richey in the right flat and the second-year receiver from Northeastern dashed 21 yards for a score to give Everett a 9-0 lead.
Stockton’s woes continued on its next possession when Gray fumbled on a second-down play near midfield and Everett lineman Johnny Jackson recovered.
Two plays later Campbell lofted a 19-yard touchdown pass to Phil Goodman and the lead grew to 15-0 just moments into the second quarter.
At Everett Events Center
Stockton0212410-55
Everett913206-54
First Quarter
Everett Williams 26 fg, 7:14
Everett Richey 21 pass from Campbell (Williams kick failed), 1:42
Second Quarter
Everett Goodman 19 pass from Campbell (Goodman run failed), 14:50
Stockton Cunningham 20 pass from Gray (Walls kick), 13:25
Everett Richey 7 pass from Campbell (Williams kick), 6:25
Stockton Key 9 pass from Gray (Walls kick), 4:45
Stockton Gray 1 run (Walls kick), 0:25
Third Quarter
Stockton Key 16 pass from Gray (Walls kick), 14:25
Everett Richey 34 pass from Campbell (Williams kick failed), 12:40
Stockton Cunningham 49 pass from Gray (Walls kick), 10:50
Stockton Walls 31 fg, 7:42
Everett Brown 9 pass from Campbell (Williams kick), 4:21
Stockton Morgan 39 pass from Gray (Walls kick), 3:30
Everett Goodman 14 pass from Campbell (Williams kick), 1:08
Fourth Quarter
Everett Richey 7 pass from Campbell (Williams kick failed), 7:43
Stockton Key 9 pass from Gray (Walls kick), 1:42
Everett Brown 7 pass from Campbell (Williams kick failed), 8.6
Stockton Walls 39 fg, 0:00
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