This is, without question, the craziest finish I have ever seen to a high school game.
Video of the game between the Artesia HS Bulldogs (NM) and Goddard HS Rockets (NM), picks up with Goddard approaching the end zone, down 35-34, and they throw an interception with :32 seconds left.
That's when things start to get a bit wild. The next 17 seconds would take a full half hour to unfold.
With the Goddard defense on the field (also armed with three timeouts), all Artesia HS has to do is take a few knees and force them to use those timeouts. The drive opens up with Goddard committing FIVE straight offsides penalties while trying to swipe the ball out of the center's hands.
During the third defensive encroachment penalty, the defensive lineman actually successfully swipes the ball out of the center's hand and recovers it, but the offsides penalty negates the recovery. After that, Artesia HS decides to transition into the shotgun to take a knee.
After a few more penalties, at about the 7:00 mark, the defensive lineman actually successfully pulls off the swipe at the snap technique and Goddard recovers the ball. The announcers, clearly Artesia fans, can't believe it.
Take a close up, slowed down, look at the swipe go down.
@nmprepspic.twitter.com/HyhcdJmhpZ
— Brandon Grantham (@brandongrantham) October 29, 2016
Then things continue to get even wackier. After a timeout, Goddard takes a shot at the end zone to the one receiver stop, and it gets picked off. However, a late flag for pass interference was thrown on Artesia on the play. that caused even more outrage from the announcers.
After marking off the 15-yards, Goddard decides to line up for a 32-yard field goal, BUT THEY MISS IT WIDE LEFT. But the snapper was illegally hit on the play, drawing ANOTHER flag. After marking off the penalty, Artesia gets flagged for offsides, giving Goddard another shot - this time much closer - at a game winning field goal, this time from about 20-yards out with 15 seconds left on the clock. Finally, this time he nails it to give Goddard the 37-35 lead.
Goddard kicks it hard at someone on the Artesia front line, and recovers it to end the game.
Credit the kids and staff at Artesia HS for handling this absolutely wacky game with nothing but pure class. After the game they treat it like they do any other, by joining arms on the sideline and singing the school song with their heads held high. Absolute class.
The video is a bit long, but hang in there because it's so insane that it's well worth it.
(H/T @SmartFootball for bringing the game to my attention)