Fisher's field goal lifts Ridley

Jamie Fisher's heart was racing. "Very, very fast," he said.

Ridley's kicker lined up for a field goal late in Thursday's Thanksgiving Day game at Interboro. Fisher's first year as soccer player-turned-field-goal kicker came down to his 33-yard attempt. And he delivered, booting the ball through the uprights with 2 minutes, 53 seconds left to give the Green Raiders a 9-8 win.

The junior tried out for the football team on the advice of fellow soccer player Esteban Munoz, who handles the team's extra points. Coach Dennis Decker said Fisher has "grown immensely" and has the talent to kick in college. Fisher followed up his field goal with a kickoff into the end zone that limited Interboro's last-gasp effort.

"Oh my God, it was such a relief," Fisher said of his field goal. "It was such a relief."

The field goal was set up by Christian Dunn's interception with four minutes left. The junior defensive back jumped a route near the right sideline and plucked the pass. It was Ridley's second interception.

"He's all over the place," Decker said. "He's a very intense kid that just makes plays. He's his biggest critic, so I was happy for him that he made that play."

Neither team reached the red zone in the first half. Ridley's first red-zone trip came with 2:49 left in the third quarter. It ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass from Jake Hoffman to Jaasir Minor. Minor weaved his way in for the score after grabbing the pass near the 10.

Interboro (5-7) recorded the first half's only points on a safety when the center for Ridley (8-4) snapped the ball over the punter's head and out of the end zone. The teams combined for 131 yards in the first half and seven first downs.

After halftime, Ridley gathered under the goalpost farthest from the locker room. No coaches, only players. Hoffman said they were getting hyped for the second half. The quarterback reminded the other seniors that most of them were readying for the final minutes of their football careers. They needed to get going, Hoffman said.

Hoffman was on the sideline for Fisher's field goal. He said he was praying as the ball went into the air. His prayers were answered, and the final minutes were ones to remember.

Ridley 0 0 6 3 - 9

Interboro 2 0 0 6 - 8

I: Safety

R: Jaasir Minor 15 pass from Jake Hoffman (pass failed)

I: Chris Hummel 2 run (kick failed)

R: FG Jamie Fisher 33