[More Cowbell]

Hey my prediction was pretty dang close!  I said Valley would win 27-20 in the pregame thread, can't get much closer than that!

Anyway, what a game!  Just like I thought, the wet conditions slowed down the SV offense, and they went into halftime down 14-7.  However, they came out of the locker room ready to play.  A score would tie the game up at 14, and after a big stop by the defense, SV took possession with a chance to take the lead. 

Then, as the Wildcats got deep into Jacket territory, disaster struck.  Shelby Valley's star quarterback Russ Osborne was injured while being tackled on a QB keeper.  His injury was severe enough that Valley had to improvise at the QB position for the rest of the game.  Shortly after the injury, SV punched it in to take their first lead, but missed the XP and only led 20-14.  This looked like it would be very important when Middlesboro scored a quick touchdown afterward and made their kick, which gave them the lead 21-20.

A penalty on the kickoff pushed the Wildcats back even further, and they began their drive on the 20-yard line.  Things looked bleak for Valley... 80 yards away from taking the lead, and they would have to get it done without their star player.  I honestly thought that was it.  But this team showed the heart of a champion, and they believed they could win even without Osborne.  Jayden Newsome and Brady Bentley took over from there, methodically guiding the Wildcats all the way down the field.  They eventually scored a TD, then converted the 2-point try to make the lead 28-21.

But Middlesboro had one final chance.  A clutch 4th-down pass for the Jackets, followed by a huge penalty on Valley, would set the Boro up inside SV territory.  But after 3 short gains, it came down to one final play to keep the drive alive.  Valley made the stop that they needed, and all that remained was a few knees to run out the clock.

SV will go on the road next week, likely at Beechwood.  That would be a tall task for a fully healthy Valley, but if Russ Osborne is unable to play, any chance they had of pulling the upset would disappear.  Hopefully it is nothing major.  Anyway, congrats to Shelby Valley!