MADISON- The Class 4A semi-final matchup between visiting Oneonta and host Madison Academy was one of waves of momentum with the final tidal wave of two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and a 28-24 victory by Oneonta over No. 1 ranked Madison Academy at Bill Washington Stadium. The unranked Redskins (13-1) advance to the state title game versus Vigor Dec. 3 in Birmingham.

The battle went back and forth the entire game only to see Madison Academy with one possession in the final stanza while the Redskins used time consuming drives and a mishandled kickoff by the Mustangs to crumble the winning walls of the top ranked team which finish the 2012 campaign 12-2.

Oneonta opened the scoring on its first possession of the game on a 49-yard scoring strike from Braden Moore to Jacob Handley. Madison Academy returned the greeting on a Will Stokes two-yard run. The Redskins the started from its own 14 yard line to begin a scoring drive capped by a 40-yard pass play and a one-yard score by Fluff Bothwell to end the first quarter with a 14-7 lead.

The second quarter was scoreless, but Madison Academy missed out on two very capable scoring opportunities deep in Oneonta territory within the stanza with a turnover inside the 15-yard line and a blocked field goal attempt. Add the strong defensive play by the Mustangs, the second quarter was definitely owned by the home team only to come up empty on the scoreboard.

Madison Academy simply ruled the third quarter with 17 points and a 24-14 lead. The horses tied the score on a 50-yard scoring strike from Carson Creehan to Tim Spurlock, took the lead on a Stokes’ 35-yard scamper and added a scoring pad on an Ian Vachon 40-yard field goal for the 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final 12 minutes, the Redskins scored twice with Bothwell doing the honors twice and their defense held the Mustangs on a fourth and two play at the Mustangs’ own 46. After the first score and ensuing kickoff, a mishandled kick return was recovered by the Redskins leading to the winning score. With three and a half minutes remaining, enough time was available for Madison Academy to somehow get the ball back and make a drive for a winning score. But it didn’t happen.

As in the lyrics of the 1983 hit song by John Mellencamp, “When the walls come crumblin’ tumblin’ down,” the season came to a crashing end for one of the most storied seasons in Madison Academy history.

Stokes had two scores on the night giving the super talented senior 50 TDs for the season as Madison Academy averaged 39 points per game while allowing just 14. The season began with a loss against Briarwood Academy, but unfortunately for head coach Bob Godsey and the entire Mustangs’ program ended in the same manner.