One great game on a fall night: The last time New Bern and Millbrook met in the playoffs
It was described by most who witnessed it as the greatest New Bern football game of all time. Not the three state championship wins the Bears secured afterward. It was New Bern vs. Millbrook ― 2007, for a chance to go to the 4AA East Regional Finals.
Fourth-seeded New Bern came into the third-round matchup at 11-2, rattling off nine straight wins after going 2-2 in the first four games. Millbrook was the ninth seed at 10-3. Both teams cruised to first and second-round victories.
There are a few similarities in this Friday night's matchup against the Wildcats and the Bears, one of which is that Millbrook did New Bern a favor in 2007 by upsetting the No. 1 overall seed Garner, giving New Bern a home game against the Wildcats.
Circle back to last Friday when Millbrook upset No. 1 seed Hillside. The news hit the field like an early Christmas present. Also, both Wildcats teams use a strong passing attack to get past opposing defenses. The Bears struggled to defend it in 2007 but they have shown improvements this year throughout the playoffs.
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However, built with a similar and potent rushing attack along with several standout future Division I players, the game was set up to be special. Heading into the 4th quarter, New Bern held a 20-17 advantage before all 'you know what' broke loose.
How it started
After a few three-and-outs between both teams, Millbrook took over after a couple of minutes gone in the fourth quarter on its own 40-yard line. Unable to move the chains, the Wildcats punted and return man Daishawn Styron set the Bears up inside Millbrook territory.
On New Bern's 2nd play of the series quarterback Brett Williams connected on a delayed screen to freshman Tyrell Lindsay for a touchdown, putting the Bears up 27-17 after the extra point.
Millbrook got the ball back at their own 24-yard line and continued to struggle to connect with receivers. On third-and-long, the Wildcats caught a break, pulling out a trick play that drew a New Bern pass interference call around midfield. Shortly after, New Bern senior linebacker Kevin Reddick picked off Millbrook's quarterback.
The Bears were unable to capitalize on the turnover and gave the ball back to Millbrook with 7:08 remaining and up 10.
The Wildcats, who struggled to move the ball in the second half, finally caught lightning in a bottle.
With three long pass plays and a couple of unbelievable runs, the Wildcats were knocking on New Bern's door. A 4-yard rushing touchdown and extra point cut the lead to 27-24 with 5:31 left in the game. Millbrook then recovered the onside kick.
Two plays later, the Wildcats connected on a 66-yard touchdown catch and the extra point gave Millbrook a 31-27 lead with 5:17 left.
How it ended
Insert New Bern freshman Tyrell Lindsay again.
On the ensuing kickoff, Lindsay patiently waited for his blockers to set up and using his speed, burst through the line, outrunning the entire field for a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The extra point followed, giving New Bern the lead back, 34-31 with 5:03 left in the game.
After getting the ball back, Millbrook drove down the field with several big runs, finding gaps in New Bern's defense. Deciding to go back to the pass, Bears senior defensive back Anthony Hollaway intercepted Millbrook, the second interception of the quarter, and returned the ball deep into Wildcats territory.
New Bern tried to kill the rest of the clock out but a big defensive play on third down and a fourth down sack by Millbrook gave the Wildcats the ball back with 1:47 left in the game.
Again, Millbrook used their run game to open up holes in the Bears' defense.
Learning from their mistake previously, they stayed with running the ball. With under a minute to play, the Wildcats running back shed four to five would-be tackles, bringing the ball to the Bears' two-yard line. Millbrook would score on the next play and adding the extra point, took the lead back to 38-34 with 39 seconds remaining.
A quick squib kick to New Bern's 35-yard line gave the Bears the ball, setting up for all-time heroics in New Bern football.
On 1st and 10, Williams used his legs to extend the play after Millbrook forced him out of the pocket and connected with junior wide receiver Demarcus Howell around the 50-yard line. Howell, who was closest to New Bern's sideline, noticed his path to get out of bounds was blocked and sprinted to Millbrooks sideline to stop the clock.
The Bears then called upon Lindsay with the option pass. With receivers covered downfield, Lindsay used his legs again to gain big yards and another first down at the 20-yard line with 11.9 seconds left. The snap was low on the next play but Williams was able to pick it up and run out of bounds to kill the clock with 7 seconds left.
After a designed rollout to the right, Williams hit Howell at the 2-yard line.
Howell kept possession and his feet in bounds, setting up one final play to decide which team would move on to the state semifinals. The call was to New Bern fullback Reddick, who plowed his way through the defensive line, into the endzone and to a 40-38 victory with no time remaining on the clock.
The student section, which included me, stormed the field in celebration. Fans, friends and family hugged and cheered. New Bern public address announcer Keith Cayton may have never been as excited as he was calling a game as he was at that moment.
New Bern would go on to beat Leesville Roads in the state semi-finals and got revenge against Charlotte Independence in the state championship game, giving the Bears their first state title.
Friday night's kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and will be the second time the two teams have ever faced each other. The Wildcats will look to avenge the 2007 loss and gain their first state championship appearance, the Bears have other ideas.
This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: The last time New Bern and Millbrook met in the playoffs
