When asked if Trace Goade planned on washing his teammates’ uniforms following an emotionally charged 35-21 come-from-behind homecoming victory over Odessa Saturday afternoon, Grain Valley head football coach Forrest Rovello just grinned and said, “That’s the only thing he didn’t do today.”
Goade stole the spotlight from the Eagles 2008 Hall of Fame Class by willing his team to the victory after it trailed 14-0 going into the second quarter.
Goade carried the ball 23 times for 144 yards, scored a touchdown, forced a fumble and recovered it and then clinched the win with an interception that set up Grain Valley’s fifth touchdown.
“I couldn’t let my teammates down,” said Goade, his voice cracking with emotion. “I couldn’t let anyone down today. We just couldn’t lose on homecoming. We got off to a bad start, but we got some things taken care of halftime and played a lot better in the second half.”
Rovello’s Eagles improved to 3-2 after losing the past two weeks.
“I told the guys I was tired of hearing how young we are, or how many great players graduated from last year’s (undefeated in the regular season) team. Let’s say we had a loud locker room – I needed to get a few points across. And I think I did the way they played the second half.”
Odessa (2-3) marched up and down the field in the first half, taking the two-touchdown lead on Tommy Hotmer’s 19-yard run and Bryson’s Harvey 54-yard effort.
“We knew we had to make a stand, and we did when they went for it on fourth-and-two,” Goade said.
The Bulldogs were trying to pad that lead on a fourth down when Rovello called out to his troops at midfield, “Men, it’s time to stop the bleeding. Right here! Right now!” he told them.
Jon Mollet knifed through the Bulldogs offensive line to sack quarterback Kyle Thornton and set the stage for 28 unanswered points.
Eagles quarterback Austin Gouldsmith scored on a 1-yard run to make it 14-7 at halftime.
Goade then tied it with a 1-yard score at the 4:58 mark of the third quarter. The junior then forced a fumble and jumped on the ball, setting up Robby Sodano’s 2-yard touchdown run that gave Grain Valley its first lead.
Sodano scored on a 3-yard run on the Eagles’ next possession and it was 28-14 with 4:01 to play.
But Thornton needed just 52 seconds to lead Odessa to another score as he found the end zone on a 3-yard run to make it 28-21 with 3:03 left.
The Bulldogs then recovered an onsides kick, but Goade picked Thornton off at midfield and the Eagles marched 48 yards to cap the win with a 5-yard Gouldsmith touchdown run. Goade’s 31-yard run set up the final score.
Baseball standout Brett Sorensen, three-sport star Matt Griessel, golfer Zach Althaus, the 1978 state championship boys track team and the 1996 football team were inducted into the Hall of Fame in pre-game ceremonies.
Grain Valley, MO —
