Jordan Price picked a fine time for his first field goal of the season.
Price booted a 28-yard field goal with 44 seconds left Friday night, allowing George Washington to escape with a 31-28 victory against Princeton in a wild, wacky and wet Class AAA playoff opener at Steve Edwards Sr. Field in South Hills.
Abe Fenwick threw for 214 yards and three touchdowns for GW, as he outgunned Princeton QB Grant Cochran, who passed for 206 yards and three scores in a game-long rain and ran for another TD. Cochran didn’t throw an incomplete pass until just 27 seconds remained in the contest.
The win sends the No. 5 seed Patriots (9-2) into a quarterfinal game next week at No. 4 Hurricane. The time and date will be determined Sunday.
“Our kids listened to us,’’ said GW coach Steve Edwards Jr. “We told them [Princeton’s] not gonna quit. Check their scores all season. They get behind, they get ahead. They play 48 minutes. We told them it was gonna be a 48-minute game, and I haven’t lied to them yet.’’
During Friday’s game, GW assumed a quick 14-0 lead, but saw that advantage melt away when the No. 12 Tigers (6-4) took four straight possessions for touchdowns and assumed a 28-21 lead in the third quarter.
Fenwick tied it with a 17-yard TD toss to Hayden Hatfield with 3:09 left in the third quarter and GW weathered a late Princeton threat to remain tied.
With 6:28 left, GW tried to punt from its own 21, but Sam Nelson was swarmed under by a heavy rush and tackled at his own 5. But ultimately, it didn’t hurt the Patriots as, on third and goal from the 3, Klay Matthews sacked Cochran for a 12-yard loss and a 37-yard field goal try went wide, keeping the score at 28-28.
GW took over at its own 20 with 4:20 left and rode the running of Anthony Valentine, who had consecutive carries of 40 and 15 yards, helping place the ball at the Princeton 15. However, GW soon faced fourth and 6 from the 11 and called on Price, who hadn’t made a field goal all season.
He was true from 28 yards and gave his team the lead with 44 seconds to go.
“I learned from my past mistakes,’’ Price said. “I knew I could do it. I trust my team and I trust myself. I think that’s all it takes, really. I trust my guys.’’
Edwards said he had no hesitation to send Price into the game in a clutch situation, noting that he’d been accurate on extra points most of the season, including all four he tried Friday.
“No [hesitation],’’ Edwards said. “It was time. He just had to do it. I just prayed and hoped the kid does it, and he handled it like a pro. It gave me confidence because he was kicking the ball well all evening.’’
Princeton, which had beaten three playoff teams this season, had one final possession after Price’s field goal, but Cochran was intercepted by Hatfield in the final 25 seconds.
Cochran completed his first 13 attempts and wound up 13 of 15 for 206 yards with scoring tosses to Dom Collins, Bradley Mossor and Carter Meachum. Cochran also ran 4 yards for his team’s first TD to make it 14-7 in the second quarter.
GW had vaulted into a quick 14-0 lead as it took advantage of a defensive stop at the Princeton 31 on the game’s initial possession and a fumble recovery on the Tigers’ next drive. Princeton also fumbled the ensuing kickoff after GW’s second score.
However, Princeton capped all three of its second-quarter possessions with touchdowns to draw even at 21-all at halftime. Cochran was 9 of 9 passing in the first half for 168 yards with three TDs and a scoring run.
“There’s no quit in this football team,’’ said Tigers coach Chris Pedigo. “Proud of our kids. Obviously, there were the [weather] conditions, but it was there for both of us.
“Their empty sets gave us some issues, bringing the [tailback] back into run sets, and they got just enough to get it down there [for the field goal]. It’s a game of missed opportunities for us. We drive down there to the 3 and didn’t capitalize … but I love my football team.’’
For GW, Fenwick was 11 of 16 for 168 yards in the opening half with a pair of TD tosses, one each to Keegan Sack (13 yards) and Hatfield (34 yards). Fenwick ended up 19 of 28 for 214 yards, finding Hatfield twice for scores and Sack once. Valentine also ran 6 yards for a TD and gained 91 yards on 12 carries.
Princeton’s Brodee Rice led all rushers with 102 yards on 22 attempts. Mossor caught six passes for 85 yards and Collins four for 97, including his 19th TD reception of the season.
Sack led GW receivers with seven catches for 94 yards and Hatfield added six for 65.
