The Loop

D.C.-area high school title game produces wildest final 34 seconds you may ever see in a football game

November 19, 2018

If you we're tuned into NFL Red Zone on Sunday, or just simply flipped back and forth between any of the games, you were in for one of the best football Sundays of the season so far. There were insane finishes seemingly all happening at once, and yet not a single one of them could hold a candle to the ending of (checks notes) the Gonzaga College vs. DeMatha Catholic game?

That's right, two high schools you've probably never heard of produced what might not only be the most ridiculous ending to a football game you'll see this year, but maybe ever. The situation: with 39 seconds remaining and DeMatha leading 36-33, Gonzaga sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams threw a fade to the right pylon and appeared to connect with his receiver in the end zone, but the referee called it incomplete. The play took five seconds off the clock, and the series of plays that occurred next will make your heart stop at least 4-5 times (scroll to second tweet for the wild final 34 seconds):

"DID SOMEBODY CATCH THAT?!" Incredible. Another angle of the last-second Hail Mary:

What a scene! Three lead changes in the final 34 seconds, including a Dante Hall-esque kick return and a Doug Flutie-esque Hail Mary. The 46-43 victory gave Gonzaga its first Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title since 2002, denying DeMatha what would have been its fifth conference title in the last six seasons (talk about a powerhouse). Tough way to go out for DeMatha, but at least those kids can say they played in what was probably the greatest game in football history.