With the game knotted at 14 apiece, all Sam Pearson had to do was hit a 27-yard field goal and Stillwater would leave White Bear Lake with a victory and a 2-0 record in the Suburban East Conference (SEC).
After Ponies running back Nick Anderson squeezed out three yards on a rush up the middle and centered the ball for Pearson, the senior kicker trotted out with 3 seconds left in the fourth quarter and was about to send his teammates off with a three-point win.
Timeout.
Before Stillwater could get the snap off, the Bears called a timeout to try and ice Pearson.
“I actually love it,” Pearson said. “It gives me time to relax, catch my breath, lower my heart rate and get ready. As much time as I can get, I will take it.”
He did just that as Pearson was able to get the ball well over the outstretched arms of Bears defenders and sneak the ball inside the left post for a 17-14 victory as time expired.
“Amazing,” Pearson said. “This is what you prepare for. I do this for two hours a day, but I am not alone. It was a perfect snap, perfect hold and I was able to get a clean look at it.
“There isn’t words to describe the feeling of having your long time friends coming at you, screaming your name. Honestly, it's unexplainable.”
For more than a month now, Pearson has been preparing himself for a chance like he had against White Bear Lake, to win the game in the closing seconds.
“I mentally visualize and put myself in a game situation while I am at practice,” he said. “That is all it is. Trying to get used to the pressure. I put myself under my own kind of mental pressure almost kind of matchup and compensate for the game.”
However, no matter how much time he puts in or how much pressure, nothing compares to what happens in the game.
Under the lights on a warm Friday night and the stands were full on the opposition’s side.
“It’s always different, no matter how much practice,” he said. “It’s always different when it comes down to it.”
On the final drive, Stillwater started from its own 39 and was able to get down to the Bears 10 on 11 plays, all on the ground.
Getting inside the red zone was important for Ponies coach Beau LaBore making the call to send out the kicking unit.
“Anything inside 35 yards I feel comfortable with,” he said. “I didn’t want to have to use him, he has been a little shaky, but he knows that he is going to get some opportunities, make a break situations and I am proud of him because he stepped up and made it through with no problem.
“He was very confident when they froze him and he just made it through nice and easy.”