Hall chases down OT win

SPRING VALLEY - It only took two plays for Hall junior linebacker/tight end Chase Miller to go from goat to hero.

After being called out in the film room during the week for defensive lapses in the Red Devils’ season-opening loss to Winnebago, Miller made good Friday night at Nesti Stadium.

Miller’s 9-yard touchdown reception in overtime helped put Hall up 7-0. And after a one-yard keeper from Redskins quarterback Seth Stevenson brought Momence within a single point, Miller struck again, batting down a pass in the flats on the 2-point conversion attempt to give his Red Devils the 7-6 win.

“He was kind of the goat in films last week, he had a pretty rough game against Winnebago to say the least,” said Hall coach Jason Bland. “And he redeemed himself tonight.”

Miller said that of the two big plays, the most memorable was the final deflection.

“I was looking at the stands and it was amazing,” said Miller of the hometown response to his game ending pass defense.

After playing regulation to a scoreless tie, the Red Devils found themselves facing a third and goal from the nine in their overtime series. Senior quarterback Anthony Urbanski scrambled to the right sideline under chase from the Momence defense. Miller broke off his corner route after drawing some tight coverage, and headed for the middle of the endzone where he waved to Urbanski, who delivered the ball spot-on for the score.

The 9-yard connection was Urbanski’s first completion of the evening, after struggling early, going 0-6 with 3 interceptions in regulation.

“It was open and he just threw a perfect pass and we connected,” said Miller. “I’ve had touchdowns before, but nothing that meant that much.”

After scoring their touchdown in overtime, Momence coach Joe Kubal elected to go for two, and kept that decision even after a costly delay of game penalty backed up the Redskins five yards.

“Our kicking game is not the best. I had it in my mind that we were going to go for the win,” said Kubal, who credited Miller with reading and breaking up the final play.