Williamstown trips Lenape in a high-scoring thriller

Mekhi Gamble hauled in the winning touchdown with one hand. There were 19 seconds left on the clock.

He had his man beaten by a step and he stumbled as he pinned the ball to his chest in the end zone.

Like the game, the play was a rollercoaster: There were gasps in the crowd when the throw went in the air, eyes wide when Gamble outstretched his arms and, when he caught it, there was bedlam and shock in the packed stadium. No one expected this.

“I was just saying in my head, I gotta get it, I gotta get it. We need this win,” said Gamble who sent his Williamstown football team to a 28-21 win over visiting West Jersey Football League American Division rival Lenape on Friday night.

The win was improbable because Williamstown did not record a first down through two quarters and went into halftime with negative total yards on offense and trailing, 13-0.

Lenape had looked bigger and stronger and faster.

“We made a big statement today of not quitting,” said Williamstown’s first-year starting quarterback Dougie Brown, who lit up Lenape in the second half. “It’s the trust the coaches have in us to give us the adjustments and get the win. The coaches told us this is our half to win.”

Fittingly, the final play of the game — the last desperate gasp by Lenape — ended in a sack by hulking defensive end and Michigan recruit Aaron Lewis. It was his third of the night.

“Honestly, [the offense] went into the locker room [at halftime] hyped, they said ‘It’s OK,'” Lewis said. “They didn’t have their heads down sobbing. We went into halftime knowing we could make a comeback. All we needed was belief.”

As Williamstown went away from the run in the second half, Brown went to work dominating the Lenape secondary and helping his team put up 21 unanswered points

“I told my coaches and my teammates to trust me. I had a horrible first half, and I just came out in the second half and played my game,” said Brown, who is dedicating this season to his father, Randy, who died suddenly from a heart attack in December.

“Everything is for him,” Brown said. “And I know he’d be proud tonight."

Brown’s connection with receiver Jon Wood was unstoppable in the second half.

The two picked apart Lenape’s defense and connected for touchdowns of 20 yards and 62 yards.

The 62-yard score gave Lenape a 21-13 lead with 9 minutes, 12 seconds remaining.

But Lenape didn’t go away.

The Indians marched 59 yards in 11 plays, ending when Lenape quarterback Brady Long, with a defender hanging on his ankle, connected with Connor Kennedy for his second touchdown reception of the game. The two connected on a 48-yard score in the first quarter.

They also connected on the two-point conversion tying the score with a minute to play.

Brody Colbert returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield, setting up Gamble’s heroics.

“They never took a play off. There was never a time where we felt like we got them and were leaning on them,” said Lenape coach Joe Wojceichowski. “Hats off to [Williamstown], they were ferocious all night.”

Lenape 7 6 0 8 — 21

Williamstown 0 0 14 14 — 28

L: Connor Kennedy 48 pass from Brady Long (Dylan Shank kick)

L: Shank 29 FG

L: Shank 35 FG

W: Dougie Brown 1 run (Brendan Amico kick)

W: Jon Wood 20 pass from Brown (Amico kick)

W: Wood 62 pass from Brown (Amico kick)

L: Kennedy 9 pass from Long (Kennedy pass from Long)

W: Mekhi Gamble 27 pass from Long (Amico kick)