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Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:24 pm EDT

Vermont football team wins after crazy fumble recovery

By Chris Chase

Despite being down two points and having its kicker miss a 46-yard field goal as time expired, the Jericho Mount Mansfield high school football team won a game last weekend thanks to one of the craziest, and boneheaded, plays you'll ever see.

To set the scene, Vermont's Jericho Mount Mansfield high school lined up to kick a field goal with 1.3 seconds left in an attempt to win its game over Otter Valley. Two Otter Valley players went back to the endzone to catch the potentially short field goal. And then this:

Even though the ball would have been dead if it fell short of the crossbar, the Otter Valley player caught it, celebrated the impending victory by spiking a live ball and then saw an opposing player scoop it up for the most improbable of wins. The Otter Valley player, Casey Babcock, immediately realized his mistake after dropping the ball, but it was far too late.  

Babcock is going to get all the blame here, but what about the coach who placed the two players in the endzone to catch the field goal attempt? The Otters had a two point lead. Once the field goal missed, the game would have been over. There was no reason, or benefit, to send players back to recover a missed attempt. 

For what it's worth, Leon Lett saw no problem with the play.

Thanks, Deadspin

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657 Comments

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  1. Stevil
    1. Posted by Stevil Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:47 pm EDT

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    I feel bad for the kid, and his teammate celebrating next to him, running off the field during a live play probably didn't help things either.
    I think at the end of the day this kid is probably so embarassed he wishes these sort of blog posts don't exist. I remember dropping an easy pass in high school football on an insignificant play that is nothing compared to this and I still hate remembering that feeling. This kid probably doesn't need this memory plastered all over the internet.
  2. Jeff P
    2. Posted by Jeff P Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:51 pm EDT

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    The two players could have been back there to guard against a fake fg, but they should have been instructed to not catch the kick.
  3. fhemana
    3. Posted by fhemana Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:56 pm EDT

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    The coach is the bonehead for putting the kid in the position to make the mistake (probably) without explaining the rule.
    Hopefully the kid has a sense of humor about it and enjoys his 5 minuted of fame.
  4. NE Philly
    4. Posted by NE Philly Thu Oct 01, 2009 4:57 pm EDT

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    I did a bonehead watch, I thought why didn't he just throw it out of bounce? Homer, you genius! D'oh! it would have been tied!
  5. Anton
    5. Posted by Anton Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:02 pm EDT

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    Gotta be one of the worst ways to lose a game. All that excitement...ruined by a dumb move. LOL. The fact you are not suppose to spike a live ball like that is even known by the Lie-ons!!!
  6. Skygreen
    6. Posted by Skygreen Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:03 pm EDT

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    Red lemons do not make for shiny smelling seat cushions.
  7. Skygreen
    7. Posted by Skygreen Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:05 pm EDT

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    Throw it out of bounce?It's bounds moron.LMAO!!!!!!!That kids probably your brother.
  8. Anton
    8. Posted by Anton Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:09 pm EDT

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    #7 - lol. I guess he meant the ball goes dead when it stops bouncing.
  9. metsfan7
    9. Posted by metsfan7 Thu Oct 01, 2009 5:20 pm EDT

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    wow why was he back there if the team was winning the game?????????????????? and why the hell would he catch the ball
  10. Jeremy
    10. Posted by Jeremy Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:10 pm EDT

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    sucks to be him
  11. zach
    11. Posted by zach Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:10 pm EDT

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    # 6 what the hell??? and holy crap i would probably not go to school for a week after doing that. i feel bad for him
  12. Betsy
    12. Posted by Betsy Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:11 pm EDT

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    Come on guys....being a parent of 2 high school football players- I have witnessed some crazy things. The boys were thinking this is the last play and we are going to win....too bad.
  13. Oliver
    13. Posted by Oliver Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:12 pm EDT

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    That was awesome!!!!!
  14. Bryan
    14. Posted by Bryan Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:16 pm EDT

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    umm, a fieldgoal is worth 3 points. how would it have been tied? the other team was down by 2
  15. David
    15. Posted by David Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:18 pm EDT

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    Now he should have just thrown it forward and it would have been dead lol. Poor kid got too excited and forgot what game he was playing.
  16. BryanW
    16. Posted by BryanW Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:19 pm EDT

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    What a catch by the tight end to put them in position for a field goal!
  17. Jinx Malloy
    17. Posted by Jinx Malloy Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:20 pm EDT

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    Sucks to be him!! LMAO!!!!! The coach should sit him out fo rthe next 2 games, LOL
  18. TBD
    18. Posted by TBD Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:21 pm EDT

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    Insert bonehead there!!
  19. WRONG
    19. Posted by WRONG Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:23 pm EDT

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    Someone clearly didn't watch Desean Jackson last year. x]
    Anyways, I feel bad for him.
  20. hgdan
    20. Posted by hgdan Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:24 pm EDT

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    Honestly, you can blame the kid for being a bonehead, but this is 99% the coach's fault, there is no reason for 2 kids to be back there, if anything maybe 2 spies to watch for a fake, but the coach of Otter Valley deserved to lose this game and he let down his kids
  21. Jeffery
    21. Posted by Jeffery Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:24 pm EDT

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    Coaching mistake.
  22. Carlos O
    22. Posted by Carlos O Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:24 pm EDT

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    Is it me or did the ball that set up the field goal hit the ground. It looked like it was trapped and the player rolled over shouldn't have been a catch to begin with.
  23. don d
    23. Posted by don d Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:25 pm EDT

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    A head coach should know the rule book,period
  24. Jose Cantseco
    24. Posted by Jose Cantseco Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:25 pm EDT

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    It's a high school kid, folks. Give him a break
  25. briansez
    25. Posted by briansez Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:25 pm EDT

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    Maybe #4 was talking about a safety? I don't think there's any excuse for #4...doesn't make any sense.

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