Everyone dreams of experiencing a game that will be talked about for decades down the road. As fans we want to be able to say "we were there," while teams point to games like these to secure their legacy.
At Storied Rivals, this is what we live for— games that have the abilty to define a season. It's one of the many reasons we started our company. Our goal is to document these moments so that they can Live Forever. So many times the past is forgotton over time where the only remaining memory resides on a banner hanging in the gym, or a yearbook photo.
Throughout the course of the 2014 high school football regular season, our staff filmed 158 games from start to finish. This includes the pregame hype, big plays, and late game heroics. While we enjoyed every game, some were just flat out legendary.
Listed below are the Top 10 games as based on your suggestions and the input of our staff. So many things were considered in the process, but ultimately it came down to the excitment each game provided and the implications it had on the season.
Enjoy reliving all of the action and discovering those games that you may have previously overlooked. Each one of these games provide plenty of #UnrealHighlights!
THE LIST: Storied Rivals' High School Football "Top 10 Games of the Year" 2014*
* Games selected from those covered by Storied Rivals in 2014
#10. Central Crossing Shocks Davidson in Overtime, 21-20 [WATCH]
Week 5: September 26, 2014 — Going for the win in OT, Davidson's two-point conversion attempt failed as visiting Central Crossing escaped with their program's first win over the Wildcats 21-20. The Comets managed to spoil homecoming at Davidson by racking up 413 yards of offense. The Wildcats held a 7-0 lead at halftime following a blocked punt for a touchdown, but Central Crossing wouldn't be denied taking home the come-from-behind win.#9. Liberty Fights Back For Pivotal Win Over Upper Arlington, 22-21 [WATCH]
Week 5: September 26, 2014 — For the third straight year Olentangy Liberty was able to beat conference foe Upper Arlington in a close fought 22-21 victory. Upper Arlington took a 13-7 lead into the locker rooms at halftime, however, Liberty fought back to take a 14-13 lead with 3:13 left in the third. Liberty added another touchdown and two point conversion with 6:30 left in the game to take a 22-13 lead. The Golden Bears answered with a TD and two-point conversion just 26 seconds later to get within one, but ran out of time.#8. Coffman Survives Scare From Upset-Minded Upper Arlington, 20-19 [WATCH]
Week 10: October 30, 2014 — Coffman held off a furious UA comeback to take the 20-19 win and seal a perfect regular season. After Coffman QB Gunnar Hoak hooked up with senior WR CJ Saunders for a 65-yd score on the first play, the Rocks looked like they might have a convincing win. However, the Golden Bears forced 3 turnovers to help keep them close to the OCC-Central champs, including a forced fumble at their own 1 late in the 4th. UA drove the field in 3 minutes to score, but came up shy on the 2-pt conversion.#7. Heath Drops 3OT Heartbreaker to Licking Valley, 42-36 [WATCH]
Week 3: September 12, 2014 —In a LCC showdown, Licking Valley needed 3 overtimes to sneak past Heath 42-36. Senior WR Jackson Kaiser hauled in two touchdown passes for the Bulldogs, and senior Isaiah Young had a punt return for a touchdown. However, Heath was stopped short on fourth down in the 3rd overtime, and the Panthers answered for the game winning score.
#6. Pickerington Central Needs OT to Outlast Rival Pickerington North, 30-23 [WATCH]
Week 6: October 3, 2014 — It's one of the best rivalries in Ohio and the 2014 edition only added to the game's storied tradition. Fifth-ranked Pickerington Central came back from a 16-0 deficit to force overtime and defeat Pickerington North in overtime, 30-23. North capitalized off Central's mistakes throughout, scoring 20 of their 23 points off turnovers. However, it was Central's defensive stops late in the 4th that allowed them to tie the game and ultimately win in OT.#5. Dublin Scioto Outlasts Westerville South in OT Shootout, 56-49 [WATCH]
Week 6: October 3, 2014 — One of the fiercest battles either team has played in years, Dublin Scioto held off Westerville South in a 15-touchdown showdown, 56-49 in overtime. Both teams came out blazing, trading scores until the Irish went on a 22-0 run in a span of 12 minutes. Trailing by 14 late, the Wildcats didn't panic putting together two scoring drives in the final minutes. South scored the game-tying TD with :11 seconds left. Scioto Senior and Ohio State recruit Nick Conner put the team on his back throughout, and scored the game-winning touchdown in OT before the defense stopped South on their overtime possession. Conner broke the school record for touchdowns in a game in the process with six.#4. New Albany Opens Season With 2OT Thriller Over Reynoldsburg, 36-35 [WATCH]
Week 1: August 28, 2014 — Played on a Thursday night to open the season, New Albany nearly gave this game away, but found a way to survive in double overtime. Leading 23-15 with 1:03 left in the game, the Eagles allowed the Raiders to score a long TD run on the next play and then score two points on the conversion to tied the game 28-28. New Albany had save the game in regulation on a last-second tackle, and blocked FG before eventually escaping in OT.#3. Gahanna Mounts Comeback to Escape Pickerington North, 27-24 [WATCH]
Week 9: October 24, 2014 — Still in the hunt for an OCC title and riding a six game win streak, Gahanna had plenty to play for in week nine. It just took them a while to get going. The Lions fell behind 24-10 in the 3rd quarter before they stepped on the gas. A blocked FG for a TD highlighted the comeback, while an interception gave Gahanna one last shot in regulation. With under a minute to play, Gahanna was able to drive the field and hit a game-winning FG as time expired.
#2. Olentangy Holds Off Rival Liberty in OT, 35-34 [WATCH]
Week 2: September 5, 2014 — Olentangy finished the season 10-0 for the first time since 1957, but that dream was nearly shattered in week two. Playing at rival Liberty, the Braves fell behind 14-0 at halftime before ratling off 21 unanswered points. In overtime, the Patriots scored a TD then decided to go for the win on a two-point conversion try. It failed and Olentangy survived en route to a perfect season. Meanwhile, Liberty ended the regular season 8-2 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2009.#1. Maysville Beats Sheridan in 3OT, 27-24 [WATCH]
Week 6: October 3, 2014 — Both MVL teams entered this game undefeated. Trailing 14-0 at the half, Maysville made big plays to change the game around in the 2nd half. Among those was a game-saving blocked field goal in the closing seconds of the 4th quarter to force overtime. The Panthers evetually won in triple OT when their defense held Sheridan scoreless and then hit the game-winning field goal. The win secured Maysville's first 6-0 start in school history and was ther biggest of the season that proved pivitol to advancing to the playoffs for a 3rd straight year.
Honorable Mention
HM: Crooksville Survives John Glenn 42-36 in OT [WATCH]
Week 10: October 31, 2014 — In a rainy back and forth game, John Glenn was unable to score in OT as Crooksville escaped with the 42-36 win. The game marked the final one for JG head coach John Kelley who previously announced he would retire after 20 years in the maroon and white. He accumulated 124 wins as the JG head coach.HM: Heath Uses 2-Point Conversion to Shock Rival Newark Catholic, 17-16 [WATCH]
Week 6: October 3, 2014 — In a thrilling LCL showdown, Heath prevailed over Newark Catholic thanks to a 4th quarter comeback. Trailing 16-9 Heath scored a TD with 1:36 to pull within one. Instead of kicking for the tie, Heath rolled the dice and scored the game-winning two-point conversion on a halfback pass to receiver Bobby Kazar to win 17-16. Heath actually led 9-0 to open the game, but allowed the Green Wave to score 16 unanswered points, setting up the final Bulldog comeback.
HM: Interception Return Lifts Bradley Past Reynoldsburg, 21-17 [WATCH]
Week 2: September 5, 2014 — In 2013, Reynoldsburg took a late win on Hilliard's turf. This year, Bradley happily returned the favor. The Jags started hot, but turnovers and missed opportunities allowed the Raiders to slowly take the lead. Down 14-17 in the 4th, Senior Dalton Hatfield picked off Reynoldsburg and took it to the house to ultimately give Bradley the win, 21-17.