Banged-up Calumet hangs on

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HAMMOND -- For a second consecutive week a Greater South Shore Conference contest involving Bishop Noll was more wild and wooly than the proverbial basketball on grass analogy.

After three hours and two minutes with 81 combined points, Calumet hung on by its chin straps to pull out a 42-39 victory over Noll's Warriors.

"This is what Friday night lights are all about ... what a football game this was," Calumet coach Ivan Zimmer said as he tried to catch his breath.

While reporters began asking Zimmer a few questions, he quickly looked up and shouted, "Way to go Bishop Noll players. What a fight you gave us."

But then, Zimmer explained that his squad hadn't faced a passing offense since early in the season and when the game was in doubt his players stood tall and came away with a tremendous character builder.

"At the end, we were so banged up and our guys were literally sucking gas but they hung in there," Zimmer added.

Early on, it appeared as if Calumet (5-1, 4-0) would have a rather simple time with Noll and jumped out to a quick 20-7 advantage midway through the second quarter.

Blazing runners George Ezell and Darcell Ballentine were giving Noll fits with counter runs mostly coming out of the slot.

However, Noll (2-4, 1-3) gained complete momentum when quarterback Eric Escamilla took over and passed his way to making it a one game possession in the third quarter, then tying the contest with three minutes and 14 seconds left in the third on his short keeper and two-point conversion run.

However, Calumet regained the lead late in the final quarter on Ballentine's 47-yard TD scamper on a third and long play.

And on its ensuing possession, Noll held Calumet on a scoring drive that ended on downs at the BN two-yard line with just a field goal separating the teams by a 42-39 score.

Noll had one final opportunity to go for the win and Escamilla marched his team 65 yards in eight plays.

But on fourth down at the Calumet 30-yard line, senior defenseman Will McLaurin made a saving tackle to end the long and tough contest.

Calumet's Ezell finished with 161 yards in 14 carries and Ballentine added 109 yards.