A high school football team in South Carolina won its game on Thursday night with a walk-off free kick. That’s a real thing that happened and it was totally legal!
Pee Dee Academy, a small private K-12 school of about 500 students in Marion County, S.C., forced a punt with less than 20 seconds left in a game against Northwood Academy. It was losing by two.
Northwood punted on fourth down. Pee Dee called a fair catch on the punt with exactly one second left.
The Pee Dee kick returner was hit as he signaled for a fair catch. Kick catch interference was called on Northwood and moved the ball to the 30-yard-line.
Most people watching the game, including the visitors, expected a Hail Mary. Pee Dee had the ball at the Northwood with one last chance squeak out with the win from 30 yards out on a miracle.
However, high school football head coach Jonathan King had a different idea.
He (or someone on his staff), apparently, has a very deep knowledge of the rulebook. One particular rule, which only applies to the high school and NFL levels, stood out.
It’s called the ‘Fair Catch Kick.’
By rule, a team that made a fair catch is allowed to attempt a free kick from the spot of the fair catch on the next play. The free kick must be either a place or drop kick. If the free kick passes between the uprights of the opposing team’s field goal, three points are awarded to the team that made the kick.
In this particular instance, Pee Dee made a fair catch. King elected to kick a free kick from the 30 instead of trying a deep ball to the end zone. It went in!
Pee Dee was awarded three points as time expired and defeated Northwood 31-30 in walk-off fashion.
Video of the game winning free kick! pic.twitter.com/ulbIcjRzeP
— TwoGuysTalkingSports (@two_guys_sports) October 20, 2023
There are a lot of kudos to be had here.
First and foremost, credit to King and the Pee Dee coaching staff for knowing the rules and using them to their advantage. Secondly, credit to the officiating crew for knowing how to administer the strange rule. Thirdly, credit to the kicker for nailing the 30-yarder as time expired.
It was a weird, wild ending to Thursday night’s game. It was one that neither side will soon forget.