All season long, Bellevue’s Nolan Hartman has been there when it was time to make a play.
Hartman made a play on defense to help force a punt before capping the ensuring drive Friday with a 1-yard touchdown run in a 12-6 overtime victory over visiting rival Clyde in a Division IV matchup to open the postseason.
“He’s always in the right place at the right time,” Bellevue quarterback Ike Brown said. “He’s a great senior leader.”
Five-seed Bellevue (8-3) visits four-seed Lima Bath (8-2) at 7 p.m. Friday in the second round.
Brown intercepted a pass in the end zone to thwart Clyde’s possession in overtime. Owen Hancock followed with a reception to the 7 before Billy Sberna ran in for a touchdown to win the game.
“We had to keep looking forward and pound the rock,” Hancock said of the second-half mentality. “Fire off the ball. We did that in the second half. They moved me to Y, (still at) Z as well. Getting both those looks.”
Hartman knocked down a pass on fourth-and-1 near midfield in the fourth quarter and added a stop in the run game on fourth-and-1 with about six minutes left in a 33-23 nonleague victory over Clyde to open the season.
Sberna, who caught a touchdown on fourth down to cap the scoring in the first game against the Fliers, provides the team with energy.
“He sets an emotional tone,” Hancock said. “He leads with his voice. Seeing him in the end zone is a great feeling. This was our first playoff game in a while, against our rivel Clyde.”
Hancock caught a pass to the 17 on fourth-and-7 from the 30 before Hartman’s score.
“I kept on the same page with Ike,” Hancock said. “I told him, ‘If you’re in trouble, I’ll be there.'”
Brown rushed to the five on fourth-and-2 from the 9, before Hancock caught a pass to the 1.
“He’s a big target with great hands,” Brown said. “You give him a shot on the outside; it’s great to have a target like that.”
Clyde led 3-0 at the half after Mitch Newsome’s 23-yard field goal. Karcen Garner rushed for a first down on a fake punt near midfield and the Fliers converted once on fourth down.
Newsome tied the game 6-6 with a 40-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Hector Garza collected a sack to force a punt to set up Clyde’s final possession.
Bellevue freshman Maddex Bailey forced a punt with a fourth-quarter sack.
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This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: High School Football: Bellevue leader scores emotional touchdown in OT win over Clyde
Reporting by Matthew Horn, Fremont News-Messenger / Fremont News-Messenger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
