By Jeremy Martin

With a bright Hunter’s moon rising above Foster high school, a nearly packed house and an unquestionably crisp breeze rustling around the field, the Bulldogs homecoming match against Evergreen was nothing if not festive.

After four quarters of high octane football it was the hosts and its bleacher full of fans that were able to celebrate a 25-19 victory on an autumn night that couldn’t have been more perfect.

But the night may not have been so joyous for the Bulldogs if it weren’t for the heroics of two players.

Trailing 19-17 with 44.9 seconds remaining, Foster quarterback Randy Tippins took the shotgun snap from the Wolverine 35 yard line, reared back and heaved a moon shot to Patrick Straight who was streaking wide open down the right sideline.

Straight pulled in the pass and ran his way into the end zone as well as into

Bulldog history as the pass and catch duo put up a night-long performance that few in attendance will ever forget.

The game winning catch was just one of two deep scoring strikes for the pair, the other coming on a 40 yard out rout in the second quarter.

All told Tippins put up 196 yards through the air on 10-22 passing, while Straight netted 154 yards on 6 catches.

Despite giving up the late lead, Evergreen (1-6) still found itself in position to win the game.

With sixteen seconds remaining, and the ball on the Foster 24, Wolverine quarterback Ryan Thol dropped back, finding no one open he scrambled out of the pocket and was hit by Joe Davison.

The ball toppled end over end for nearly 12 yards before Thol recovered the muff and set his team up for one final chance at victory.

Two penalties and an incomplete pass later left Evergreen fifty yards from the end zone with only one second remaining on the clock. A heave across the center found Eric LittleJohn but he was well short of the goal line as time expired on the game.

Entering the final half of play, the Wildcats held both the lead and the momentum after a Davison two yard touchdown rumble with just seven seconds remaining gave Foster its first advantage of the night.

Faced with a third and goal from the Wolverine two yard line, Foster (2-5) coach

Matt Leonard called Davison’s number and the 5’7’’ 200 LB converted lineman answered the bell rumbling into the end zone, mauling several Wolverine defenders in the process.

A stalemate through the third quarter gave way to a determined Evergreen squad, led by its crafty quarterback and running game that saw five players record at least two carries.

Evergreen’s ground game was led by Iveni Ngauamo’s 55 yards rushing

But it was the Wolverine passing attack that put the visitors on top midway through the third quarter.

Lining up on the Foster 11 yard line Thol took the shotgun snap, rolled to his left and found LittleJohn with a perfect strike in the front corner of the end zone.

LittleJohn finished the game with two catches for 37 yards.

Foster played the entirety of the second half without starting tailback Justice Muna who was carted off the field at halftime having suffered a collarbone injury late in the second quarter.

Prior to his injury, Muna was able to rack up 17 yards on four carries as well as hauling in two receptions for 29 yards.