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Eagles survive 2 OT thriller

GROVE CITY — Anyone with a heart condition who is planning to attend a Grove City High football game should think twice.

The Eagles came back from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit Friday to upend Sharon 42-36 in a double-overtime thriller.

Last week, Grove City scored 13 fourth-quarter points to rally past Fairview.

In its latest comeback, Grove City quarterback Michael Burk threw a 10-yard scoring strike to Dwayne Martin in the left corner of the end zone on the Eagles' second overtime possession for the game-winning touchdown.

"Coaching staff, great job," said Grove City coach Jeff Bell. "(Offensive coordinator) Keith DeGraaf, he called that play and said 'Let's take a shot right now.'"

The game went into overtime when Grove City junior kicker Jason Ferderber drilled a 31-yard field goal with three seconds left.

"That was my first-ever field goal," said Ferderber. "Our regular kicker had knee surgery earlier in the year, and I am just happy to help the team any way I can."

The game looked like it would turn into a shootout when both teams scored on opening possessions.

Sharon's Billy Altman took an option pitch from Tigers quarterback Todd Rearick and raced 67 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

Altman had 21 carries for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

Not to be outdone, Grove City's Chris Clark chewed up 59 yards the first time he touched the ball, giving the Eagles a first down at the Sharon 6-yard line.

Two plays later, Clark blasted into the end zone for a 3-yard score.

Clark carried the ball 22 times for 231 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

With 1:59 left in the first half, Clark added a defensive touchdown to his collection when he scooped up a fumble by Rearick at the Eagles' 21 and raced 79 yards untouched for the score.

Turnovers were a theme of the game as the teams combined for 10 of them.

The Tigers answered on the ensuing possession when Rearick ran a quarterback draw for a 1-yard score with 29 seconds left until halftime.

A key play ton the drive was a 49-yard pass from Altman to tight end Dustin Norcross that gave Sharon the ball at the Grove City 11.

Sharon seemingly took control when they scored on consecutive possessions as the third quarter closed and the fourth quarter opened.

With 10:28 left in the fourth quarter, Altman sliced through the Eagles defense for a 4-yard touchdown, giving the Tigers a 10-point lead.

With 5:21 left in regulation, Grove City pulled to within three when Martin hauled in a lob pass from Burk and outraced the Tigers defense for a 45-yard touchdown.

After turning the ball over to Sharon on downs at their own 47-yard line, the Eagles defense forced Sharon to punt.

Grove City took over at its own 31 with a minute left on the fourth-quarter clock and Burk proceeded to throw three consecutive incompletions.

On fourth-and-10, Burk hit a 32-yard pass to Justin Spencer down to the Sharon 31.

On the next play, Burk hit Martin with an 18-yard pass that set up the game-tying field goal.

"I have to give Grove City's offense credit on that field-goal drive," said Sharon coach Bob Fromm. "They came out and executed."

In the first overtime period, both Clark and Altman scored on runs of 5 and 10 yards, respectively.

"That was a great football game," said Bell. "A great game."

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