Gumke kicks Granite Falls into play-in game

SULTAN — “Oh my God, it’s in.”

That’s what Granite Falls kicker Paul Gumke said was going through his mind when he lifted his head to see his 32-yard field goal attempt split the uprights with no time remaining to beat Sultan 24-22 Thursday night.

More importantly, Gumke’s kick secured a place in next Tuesday’s 2A District 1 play-in-game.

The Tigers took a 21-7 lead into halftime, but midway through the third quarter, Sultan started passing its way back into the game. Quarterback, Zach Beebe, completed passes to Thomas McGrath, Clayton Knoles and Jake Beebe, driving to the Granite Falls 32-yard line.

That’s when Zach Beebe made the biggest play he had made up to that point, connecting with Austin Grant on a 27-yard pass that set up first-and-goal on the 5-yard line.

But the Turks made it interesting.

On fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Beebe faked a handoff, rolling to his right and completing a pass to Theo VandenEkart in the back of the end zone to pull the Turks to within seven after the Steven Leverett extra point.

In the fourth quarter, Sultan held Granite Falls out of the end zone, causing a Tiger fumble deep in Turks territory to stay in the game.

Then with a little over five minutes remaining, the Turks made their move. Beebe connected on a 15-yard pass to VandenEkart, followed by a 43-yard pass to Knoles, setting up a first-and-goal from the 9-yard line.

On the next play, Beebe dropped back to pass, but saw an opening in the middle of the field. Running straight up the middle, Beebe plunged over the goal-line to pull Sultan to within 21-20.

The Turks lined up for the extra point, but Beebe, the holder on the play, faked and went to his right finding Knoles in the back of the end zone to give the Turks a 22-21 lead.

“I anticipated them going for the win, we were in man coverage and we didn’t get the job done,” Granite Falls coach Tracey Bechtholdt said.

But there were still three minutes and 10 seconds remaining.

“You give any team, I don’t care who it is, three minutes when they only need a field goal … at that point we were just trying to focus on scoring,” Sultan coach Michael McMahon said.

It turned out to be enough time for Granite Falls, which ran down the field, led by running back Coty Walker to set up Gumke’s game-winning field goal.

“No, it was not the way we drew it up,” Bechtholdt said. “The last drive the kids needed to execute and I think that’s what got the win for us.”

The Tigers were poised on their final drive and Bechtholdt never doubted putting the game in Gumke’s hands.

“I had all the confidence in the world,” Bechtholdt said.

One Granite Falls player pointed out after the game, that it was revenge over Sultan, which defeated Granite Falls on a last-second field goal last year.

This time Gumke wrote the storybook ending.

“I was thinking, if I make this, best senior year ever,” an excited Gumke said.

“Regardless, Sultan-Granite Falls is always a dogfight,” Bechtholdt said.

This time the dogfight decided who went to the 2A District 1 play-in game.

Walker had 27 carries for 238 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, Zach Jones had 11 tackles and two blocked punts for Granite Falls.

Knoles led Sultan, with 181 yards on nine receptions.

At Sultan H.S.

Granite Falls71403—24

Sultan7078—22

Sultan—Knoles 43 pass from Z. Beebe (Leverett kick)

Granite Falls—Walker 69 run (Gumke kick)

Granite Falls—Campbell 1 run (Gumke kick)