RallyNorth.net

Immaculate reception turned nightmare: After incredible game-tying catch, Whittier suffers ultimate heartbreak

Sunday, October, 01 By Kyle Gaudette

HAVERHILL — It was absolute pandemonium.

Whittier fans jumped with joy and ran wild across the newly renovated bleachers when Wildcats showstopper Thomas O’Mahony hauled in an incredible, game-tying 51-yard touchdown pass with 23 seconds left in the game — a pass that was deflected before he caught it.

Weston, on the opposite side of the field, knelt in shock on its sideline.

Whittier’s jubilation, however, turned to heartbreak in a blink.

Attempting the game-winning two-point conversion, Whittier fumbled the snap, and Weston’s Will Van Houten returned it 98 yards for the heart-stopping two points.

And with that, Whittier was stunned by Weston, 38-36 Thursday night in devastating fashion.

“You just tell them to keep their heads up,” said Whittier coach Kevin Bradley Sr. “They’ll probably never play in another game like that. That’s a game you dream about playing. You’re never giving up. It’s never over and both teams are battling back and forth.”

With how the last four minutes played out, the other 40 became a distant memory.

Whitter led 22-14 at the half, and opened the third quarter with an efficient 8-play, 68-yard drive capped by O’Mahony’s second touchdown reception of the day. That 27-yard strike from quarterback Kevin Bradley Jr. tipped off a Weston defender before falling into O’Mahony’s hands, similar to his final catch.

Whittier then looked in position to ice the game.

Up 30-22 with four minutes left, Whittier faced a fourth-and-goal from the Weston 7-yard-line. Without a field goal kicker, Whittier was forced to go for it on fourth down, and the pass fell incomplete.

After the incompletion, it took just four plays for Weston to go the length of the field and score to make it 30-28. Whittier’s Peter Hamel, however, came up to make the huge stop on the conversion attempt with 2:52 left.

But Whittier went backwards on the ensuing drive, and a high snap on the punt gave Weston great field position. Three play later, the Wildcats were in the end zone to take the 36-30 lead with 1:33 remaining.

The rest, well, is history.

“ESPN would have called that a classic,” laughed Bradley. “That one goes down in the books.”

O’Mahony, a senior track star (11.38 100-meter), continued his marvelous season. He led the team in rushing with 48 yards on 12 carries, and also made four receptions for 136 yards and three touchdowns.

“He’s just a great athlete who has God-given talent,” said Bradley. “He’s got speed and talent that we hadn’t seen in three years. But in his fourth year he’s stepping it up and being a leader. His leadership is crucial.”

LOOK GOOD, FEEL GOOD

It might have been a devastating loss, but Whittier was at least looking sharp Thursday night.

The Wildcats broke out their new game uniforms, displaying a dark maroon jersey with a nice maroon and white strips coming down the pants.

Best of all, the numbers were nice and visible for the announcers and sports reporters compiling stats.