Weather, Gruver blow Albany football out of postseason in Class 2A Div. II semifinal

PLAINVIEW — Not only were the Albany and Gruver football teams battling each other for a spot in the Class 2A Division II state championship game Thursday night in Plainview, they were also battling the elements.

There was no rain, sleet or snow, but a consistent wind closing in on 30 mph gave both teams fits and forced changes in the way they played the game. In the end, it was Gruver coming up with just enough plays to outlast the Lions, 30-17 at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium.

More:Gruver ousts Albany in blustery 2A DII semifinal

Big Country Game of the Week:Albany Lions (9-5) vs. Gruver Greyhounds (13-1)

Teams can do a lot to get ready for a big game, but simulating the cold and the wind is not one of them.

“Weather-wise you can’t prepare, we can’t practice in this kind of stuff. We haven’t had to,” Albany head coach Denney Faith said. “You can’t really prepare for this. But they had to play in it too. It’s a situation where both teams had the advantage, I think, when they were going with the wind. Then they got up on us a little bit and used some clock when they were going against the wind … It’s just one of those deals.”

A night for adjustments

Neither team was able to get much offense going in the first half. The Lions (9-6) used a short field for a Ryan Hill field goal to open the scoring, then Hill returned an interception for a touchdown for the 10-0 lead.

Gruver (14-1) got on the board thanks to a 52-yard run setting up a 4-yard touchdown run, and added the two-point conversion, to pull within 10-8 at halftime.

The first half included the Greyhounds going for it on fourth down on their first possession and converting,a fake punt run. The wind changed the way the coaches approached things on fourth down along with their game plan and what plays they ran.

“The wind ... I’d be an idiot to say the wind wasn’t a factor,” Gruver coach Terry Felderhoff said. “I mean, I went for it on fourth down on my own 18, what an idiot. But it was, ‘We could punt it 15 yards, maybe, or we might get a first (down).’ The wind definitely was a factor, it factored into our play-calling and their play-calling.”

More:Albany offensive line the unsung heroes for semifinal-bound Lions

Big Country Player of the Week:Albany's Ben West comes up clutch for Lions

Lions injury hurt

Albany was dealt another blow when starting running back Cutter Edgar was hurt late in the first half. Not only did the Lions lose him, it then forced them to shuffle the offense around, including Cameron Dacus from receiver to the backfield.

“(Edgar's) a linebacker, too, so you lose a two-way starter,” Faith said. “You start to have to move people around, have moving parts and people have to play out of position a little bit. We practice them there, but when you don’t get game reps at game speed, you can’t see what’s going on there.”

Gruver takes charge

In the second half, Gruver took the momentum of their late touchdown and the benefit of the wind to take the opening possession into the end zone to take its first lead,14-10. The Greyhounds never would give it back.

“There was a sense of urgency,” Felderhoff said. “We were down four coming out of halftime. Honestly, I felt like that second possession we could have scored and squandered a possession there. There was a sense of urgency that we had to do something going out on that opening drive.”

More:Albany football holds off Hamlin behind Ben West's 5 TD passes

More:Second-half surge carries Albany past Wheeler

While Gruver was able to get things going through the air in the second half, mostly due to screen passes, the struggles were significant in the first half. Albany intercepted three passes — Hill's for a touchdown, another by Blaine Kayga and then Dacus's pick before halftime.

But it wasn't any easier for the Lions to throw the ball.

Albany quarterback Ben West finished 5 of 31 for 116 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, the second effectively ending the game.

Lions' pride displayed

Though the Lions didn't make it to the final game of the season, it was a special year after a tough start. Albany opened 0-5 before reeling off nine-straight wins including in the district and region championship games against Hamlin.

The way the team, especially the seniors, responded and rebounded from that start to help fuel the run was most noteworthy.

"Just proud of our seniors," Faith said. "Proud of the way this team fought. How we started at the beginning of the year and how we finished, those guys did a great job."