Oct 24, 2014 3 min read

HOUSTON – Junior kicker Mike Cushma had no problem admitting to a few nerves as he lined up a 31-yard field-goal attempt.

The only thing riding on the kick was a Chartiers-Houston victory and a trip to the playoffs, or the prospect of an overtime period where anything could happen. Fort Cherry head coach Jim Shiel called timeout to try icing Cushma, but the kicker was as cool as the weather.

As time expired, Cushma drilled the 31-yard field goal, sending Chartiers-Houston to a thrilling 31-28 victory over visiting Fort Cherry Friday night, clinching the last playoff spot from the WPIAL Class A Black Hills Conference.

“As I saw them icing me, I got so scared,” said Cushma. “I was so nervous out there. I just hoped I would make it. I couldn’t have done it without my snapper, holder and line. Oh, my goodness. I don’t know what to say.”

Adding a small amount of tension was a high snap from Nash Phillips, but senior Josh Gray calmly collected it, put the spot down, and seconds later, the Bucs (4-3, 5-4) were making postseason plans.

“It’s the first time I’ve had a kick in that situation,” said Cushma. “It feels great.”

Cushma’s kick was set up by a 36-yard run by quarterback Alec Ferrari on the first play of Chartiers-Houston’s drive that put the ball at the Rangers 33 with under 90 seconds to play. From that point, it was a matter of getting the ball a little closer for a field-goal attempt.

“I knew we were going to make an attempt as soon as Alec ran that ball,” said Bucs coach Terry Fetsko. “I just wanted to get as close as I could. He has the ability to hit a 47-yarder if we need it. I felt good that he was gonna make it.”

The field goal capped a wild back-and-forth game where neither team led by more than eight points.

Fort Cherry (2-5, 3-6) tied the score at 28 with 1:44 remaining in the game, getting a key third-down conversion followed by a 34-yard pass to Alex Babirad, who caught three passes for 189 yards, including touchdowns of 71 and 84 yards.

The Rangers needed a tying score after the Bucs were backed up inside their 1-yard line but went on a 99-yard drive, capped off by Spencer Terling’s second touchdown of the game from 7 yards out. Terling finished with 142 yards on 24 carries.

“Every year, it’s a game like this with Fort Cherry,” said Fetsko. “It’s a shame that somebody has to lose. We lost that way last year to them.”

Sophomore Nick Cook rushed for 142 yards on 22 carries for the Rangers, going over 1,000 yards for the season. Anthony Panizza threw for 213 yards.

Five of Fort Cherry’s games were decided by four points or fewer. The Rangers went 2-3 in those games.

“That’s been our season. We battled everybody,” said Shiel. “Our inexperience showed at times. But this group never quit. We never gave up all year.”

A.J. Myers caught a pair of touchdown passes from Ferrari totaling 71 yards and was also on the receiving end of a 2-point conversion that put the Bucs ahead 28-21. Ferrari finished with 139 yards passing and 63 rushing.

“We wanted to get back in the playoffs,” said Fetsko. “The last three years, we missed it by one game, and last year, by three seconds. It feels good to get back in. We’ve missed it.”