Myers writes epic final chapter for Rebels
By Grant Ramey | (grantr@thedailytimes.com)
MURFREESBORO — For the first 46 minutes, Nick Myers wasn’t the story on a blustery, cold Friday night at Siegel High School’s Ken Nolan Stadium.
Instead, it was the Maryville quarterback’s counterpart, Siegel signal-caller Brent Stockstill, playing with a torn ACL in his left knee, who seemed to be single-handedly toughing out a trip to the state title game for the young Siegel football program.
But Myers wrote the final chapter to the state semifinal book, completing four passes on as many attempts, including a 28-yard touchdown to T.J. Kimble in the back of the end zone with just over a minute left, sending his team to Cookeville after a wild 47-43 win.
“Nick Myers,” Maryville coach Geroge Quarles said with a smile, “people have doubted him all year.
“He’s proved a lot of people wrong.”
“Oh my God,” Myers said after the game, tears streaming down his cheeks. “This one is really emotional.”
It looked emotional in all the wrong ways only minutes before Myers took his team down the field for the win.
Maryville trailed 43-41 late in the fourth quarter after taking possession at the Rebel 33. Runs from Trenton Shuler and Shawn Prevo and a scramble from Myers left the Rebels with fourth-and-3, though.
The pass, a slant aimed to a split-left Kimble, was batted down at the line. Myers walked off the field with his head hanging, looking like a quarterback that missed out on taking his team to state.
Quarles was there to meet Myers on the sideline. It wasn’t to console. Instead, they talked strategy. Maryville was getting the ball back, they both knew that.
“What were you seeing?” Quarles asked Myers.
“He just said keep your head up,” Myers said of his sideline talk with his coach. “I wanted the ball. I wanted the ball. I wanted it in my hands.”
Myers got it back with a minute and 58 seconds to work with.
First down was Myers finding Kimble. Then it was Myers to tight end Logan Winders. Then it was Myers to running back Shawn Prevo.
Two plays later, on his longest pass of the night, it was Myers finding Kimble for the win 28-yards downfield.
“He’s gutty,” Quarles said of his quarterback. “Everyone may doubt him, but Nick doesn’t doubt himself.
“He makes plays. He has a lot of confidence in himself.”
Myers finished with 237 yards passing, completing 23 of 30 attempts including the game-winning score. He was intercepted twice, but sent his team to Cookeville when it mattered.
“Coach talks about adversity,” Myers said of the interceptions, before pausing to try to find words to describe what he felt. “This one ranks up there.”
“He’s the kind of guy high school football is all about,” Quarles said of Myers. “He’s not going to play in the SEC, but don’t tell him that.”
For the first 46 minutes, it was Stockstill’s story, and rightfully so. He completed 23 of 34 passes for 372 yards and four touchdowns playing with what is usually a season-ending injury.
But the last four minutes, that’s when Myers prolonged his own ending, at least for another week, when Maryville (14-0) and Whitehaven (14-0) meet for the state championship.
“We’ve got to forget about this one and move on to next week,” Myers said with a laugh. “It might take a couple days, but we’ll be alright come Monday.”
