What a game! Now, repeat that over and over and over.  What an outstanding high school football game.  Churubusco moved to 5-0 with a defeat of previously unbeaten Angola 22-15.

The Eagles scored the go ahead touchdown with just 19.7 seconds left on the clock when Jeff Geiger slipped into a corner of the end zone and Cameron Amber delivered the ball for a Homecoming win that will be talked about for years to come.  This opportunity came about after Kyle Monk worked the tip drill to perfection, intercepting the ball with just 48 seconds to go in the game with Angola gambling, throwing deep in their own territory.

Ashley Gilbert was crowned Homecoming Queen. She was escorted by Brenan Herendeen. Watch this Web site for complete Homecoming coverage plus video within the next 24 hours.

Starting at the Hornet 31, Busco took a shot at the end zone on first down, stopping the clock with the incompletion.  A miscommunication between Quarterback Cameron Amber and receiver Geiger on 2^nddown caused a second straight incompletion, making it 3^rd and 10 with just 37.4 seconds on the clock.  A draw play went for 5 yards, leaving it 4^th and 5 from the 26 yard line.  The Eagles picked up the first down on a 15 yard gain from Amber to Geiger, moving the ball just inside the 10 yard line.  QB Amber killed the clock with a spike on the ensuing play, and the next play he found Geiger for the winning score.

 What a game!

Churubusco looked like they had lost the chance at a regulation win when a field goal try went awry, kicker Jason Eakins never getting a chance to put a foot into the ball with 1:10 remaining.  Angola could have played it safe, knelt it out, and played for overtime with momentum having switched to their sideline, but they didn’t.  They put the game in Angola Quarterback Alexx Bauer’s hands, trusting the accurate sophomore to get them out of the shadow of their end zone, but it backfired with Monk’s pick.

Braylon, 2, sports the number of his favorite Eagles quarterback - his Uncle Cameron Amber.

 Busco had scored on 28 yard touchdown pass to Corey Richards, their first possession of the game, and it looked like they might dominate this game the same way they had the previous 4 games.  They held a 7-0 lead until just 1:10 remained in the first half, and then things went south in a hurry. 

 A screen pass that should have been a safe call went horribly wrong, and QB Amber was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone, by rule resulting in a safety.  Amber’s kickoff after the safety went from 20 yard line to 20 yard line, and with 34.9 seconds left the Hornets had driven to the Busco 19 yard line. 

Angola converted a big 3^rddown play, and with 13 seconds left scored on a 9 yard touchdown pass, putting the Eagles behind for the first time this season.  Tom Zumbrun batted away a two-point conversion try, but Busco went into the locker room trailing 8-7.

The third quarter was a field position struggle, with The Eagles playing on the Angola end of the field for most of it.  Busco started the 4^thquarter just 12 yards from pay dirt, and Ryan Tartaglia used his blockers well to put Busco back in the lead 13-8.  A quarterback keeper by Amber converted the two point try, making it 15-8 with just a few seconds gone in the 4^th, but Angola wasn’t about to quit.

Starting from their 20, the Hornets marched methodically down the field, taking almost 7 minutes off the clock, converting two key 4^th down plays during the march, and tying the game at the five minute mark when the tight end worked free in the back of the end zone. It was just setting up the late game heroics by Amber and Geiger as it turned out.

Go! Fight! Win!

 Coach Etzler talked to the team afterward, and after complimenting them on an exciting win, had already turned the focus toward next week’s contest with West Noble.  But, it will be hard to top this game for excitement. 

Watch this Web site for complete Homecoming coverage within the next 24 hours.

Photos by Viv Sade; video by Chris Tomlinson and Brian Graham; story by Brian Graham.

The football moms raffle off merchandise and hold a 50/50 drawing to raise money for the football department.

The CHS Homecoming court.

Tailgaters gathered long before the game to celebrate the Churubusco Eagles Homecoming.

Collins United Methodist Church held a bake sale at the front gate of the football game to raise money for its mission trips.