Preps

Gaither 16, Wharton 14

By PETER PUPELLO, Times Correspondent
Published November 3, 2007

Gaither kicker Nick Cottoi saw his game-winning 37-yard field goal bounce off the left goalpost and then the crossbar before finally falling between the uprights to give the Cowboys (3-0, 7-3) the win over Wharton (2-1, 5-5) and the District 5A-5 championship.

"I knew the game would probably come down to me, so I just cleared my head and kicked it as hard as I could," Cottoi said..

Gaither junior running back Jarvis Giles gave the Cowboys a 7-0 first quarter lead with a 37-yard touchdown run. Wharton's Josh Powell tied the game in the third quarter with a 10-yard run.

Gaither quarterback Kamren Hawkins found Kornilious Donnell with a 22-yard pass to regain the lead. But on the next possession, Wharton's Andrew Clifford heaved the ball 70 yards into the hands of Dominique White for a 14-13 lead.

Gaither got one more chance, and Cottoi made it count.

[Last modified November 3, 2007, 00:33:22]