Huskies win on final play

  • John Sleeper / Herald Writer
  • Saturday, October 27, 2001 9:00pm
  • Sports

By John Sleeper

Herald Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. – Talk about your basic turnaround.

Several, in fact.

As good as the Washington Huskies were in the first half Saturday night – and they were the best they’ve been all season – they were that bad in the second half.

The Arizona State Sun Devils roared back from a pair of 17-point deficits to take a pair of one-point advantages.

It wasn’t enough. John Anderson kicked a 30-yard field goal with no time left for the latest fourth-quarter comeback, a 33-31 Pacific-10 Conference victory, Washington’s 18th final-frame comeback in coach Rick Neuheisel’s 24 wins with the school.

On the strength of a fourth-quarter drive lasting more than six minutes, the No. 13 Huskies edged ASU. The latest predicament had Washington starting its drive on its own 12-yard line with 7:12 left.

Seven minutes, 9 seconds and 18 plays later, Anderson hit the game-winner.

The Huskies are 6-1 in Pac-10 play, 4-1 overall. ASU fell to 1-3 and 4-3.

Paced by a third-string tailback named Tom Pace, the Sun Devils scored 18 unanswered points in a 7 1/2-minute span during the second and third quarters. All the quality play and resulting momentum the Huskies built in the first 18 minutes of the game was nuked by a combination of penalties, big ASU plays and their own sleepwalking.

In the first half, in what was their most impressive showing to date, the Huskies hammered away at a beleaguered ASU squad, badly beating the Sun Devils in all facets of the game.

When tailback Willie Hurst (185 yards, 21 carries) wasn’t juking Sun Devils defenders out of their socks, quarterback Cody Pickett was playing the ASU secondary for the young freshmen they actually are.

In the first half alone, Pickett was 14 of 24 passing for 164 yards and two touchdowns, to Reggie Williams and Todd Elstrom. They and wideout Paul Arnold (seven catches, 94 yards before halftime) waylaid the young ASU secondary with puzzling ease.

Then there was Hurst, who took it easy during most of the week’s practices with a thigh bruise. All Hurst did was run for 86 yards on seven first-half carries, showing all those who thought the UW running game was dead that it was, indeed, very much kicking.

But to overlook the defense would be a mistake.

The front seven harassed quarterback Jeff Krohn into two first-half turnovers deep in his own territory that turned into 10 UW points.

The Huskies got on the board first on a 3-yard pass from Pickett to Elstrom. Pickett was 5-for-7 on the all-pass drive for 54 yards. On the drive, Pickett hit Arnold for a 22-yard gain to the ASU 3.

The Huskies made it 14-0 early in the second quarter on a 11-yard fade pass from Pickett to Reggie Williams, whose 6-foot-4 frame easily outreached 5-11 redshirt freshman corner Emmanuel Franklin.

Washington took advantage of a fumbled snap between ASU center Scott Peters and Krohn to get three points off a 31-yard field goal by Anderson. Linebacker Jamaun Willis recovered Krohn’s fumble.

After Krohn hit tight end Mike Pinkard with a 23-yard scoring pass, the Huskies made it 24-7 in short order.

Linebacker Anthony Kelley intercepted a screen pass by Krohn at the Sun Devil 20-yard line. Five plays later, Pickett scored on a 2-yard run.

The Sun Devils cut it to 24-10 at the half on a 42-yard field goal by Barth.

The Sun Devils cut it further early in the third quarter on a 10-play, 80-yard drive capped by a 3-yard run by Pace. That made it a 24-17 UW lead with 10:21 left in the third quarter.

The game went ASU’s way further when they held Washington to a three-play-and-out drive. Donnie O’Neal blocked a Derek McLaughlin punt, and as UW’s Omare Lowe chased the ball into the end zone, he kicked the ball out of the end zone for a safety. That cut the UW lead to 24-19 with 9 1/2minutes left in the third quarter.

The Sun Devils took a 25-24 lead on the ensuing possession when Krohn hit Shaun McDonald on a 33-yard scoring strike. Two attempts at a two-point conversion failed (corner Chris Massey was called for a personal foul on Krohn on a pass play and Owen Biddle stopped Pace on a running play) and the Sun Devils led for the first time.

Hurst gave the Huskies a 30-25 lead at the end of the third quarter with a 23-yard run that capped a 74-yard, six-play drive. Pickett and wideout Pat Reddick combined on a 32-yard strike to the ASU 23, which was the big pay of the drive.

Hurst’s attempt to score the two-point conversion failed, leaving the UW lead at 25-24.

It took ASU two minutes to re-take the lead. Krohn hit Shaun McDonald on a 43-yard pass play to the UW 1, and from there, Delvon Flowers ran it over for a 31-30 ASU lead.

Krohn’s pass to McDonald on the two-point conversion came up short, and the Sun Devils held on to a one-point lead.

But against the Huskies, a one-point lead just isn’t enough.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Monroe's Halle Keller drives past Meadowdale's Payton Fleishman during a Feb. 14, 2025 3A District 1 playoff game at Meadowdale High School. (Qasim Ali / The Herald)
Last-second layup powers Monroe past Mavs

The Bearcats staged a 50-49 road upset in a district playoff clash.

Shorecrest’s Cassie Chesnut leaps in the air to block a shot by Shorewood’s Bridget Cox during the 3A district playoff game on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Shorecrest girls win rubber match against Shorewood

Cassie Chesnut’s 28 points, 18 rebounds pushes the Scots to District 1 3A semifinals with 53-38 win.

Freshman leads Jackson to 4A district swim title

Syunta Lee sets two meet records as Timberwolves edge Lake Stevens.

Shorecrest wins 3A district swim title

Snohomish’s Torsten Hokanson sets two meet records and leads two winning relays.

Snohomish’s Kendall Hammer yells in celebration with teammate Snohomish’s Sienna Capelli after she makes a shot and is fouled during the game on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Friday, Feb. 14

Snohomish, Stanwood girls cruise into district semis.

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for Feb. 2-8

The Athlete of the Week nominees for Feb. 2-8. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Mountlake Terrace’s Svayjeet Singh leaps in the air after the basketball during the 3A district loser-out playoff game against Snohomish on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish upsets Mountlake Terrace for first playoff win in 11 years

Bryson Wheat scored 25 in Panthers’ 49-43 win to advance to the District 1 Boys 3A quarterfinals

Julio Rodríguez (left) and manager Dan Wilson (right) of the Seattle Mariners react after the game against the Oakland Athletics at T-Mobile Park on Sept. 27, 2024, in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Dan Wilson begins first spring training as M’s manager

An anxious eagerness to get through the first of… Continue reading

Marysville Getchell junior Bubba Palocol reverses directions while dribbling against Arlington during a playoff matchup at Arlington High School on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Arlington, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Thursday, Feb. 13

Marysville Getchell, Lakewood boys each earn district wins

Kenneth Walker III runs with against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 1, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks hire run game coach

Justin Outten added to staff as Mike Macdonald continues attempts to bolster rushing attack.

Balanced scoring attack leads Gonzaga

Zags take over second place in WCC with 88-77 win over USF.

Shorewood senior Bridget Cox (11) elevates to get a shot over Everett senior Aimelie Hovde-Girard (21) in Shorewood's 41-30 win in the opening round of the District 1 3A Girls Tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Shorewood girls basketball avoids Everett upset bid in 41-30 win

Glasser’s ‘dagger’ 3 caps second-half run, pushes No. 5 Stormrays to 3A District 1 Quarterfinals

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.