A high school football game ended tragically this weekend, when a potential game-winning field by Jericho Mount Mansfield in Vermont—that's the school, not the kicker's name—fell very short and into the arms of a waiting Otter Valley player. Otter Valley had just finished a remarkable comeback to take a 2-point lead with 16 seconds left and the missed desperation field goal as time expired seemed to seal the deal.

Except the Otter Valley player took the ball on the fly, ran out of the end zone with his arms raised in celebration, then spiked the ball on the ground. As the former Dallas Cowboy could tell you, the play was not yet dead. An alert Mount Mansfield player scooped up the ball and ran into the end zone. Touchdown. Game over.

Why the coach put two players back to receive the kick may never be known, but we won't name him or the player out or respect for their loved ones.

Alert play leads to bizarre ending in Vermont football game [Max Preps]
Move over Bartman [The Pigskin Doctors]
[Video via WCAX]

The artificial turf at Liberty University's Arthur L. Williams Stadium was covered in a thin blanket of snow for the Virginia Division 4 state championship game on Saturday, so when running back Peeler broke free toward the endzone he got a little confused. He pulled up just short of paydirt and—believing he had already scored—gently set the ball down on the five-yard line. Alert players from the opposing team pounced on the ball and the scoring drive was over. Oops.

Luckily, Broad Run recovered and won 13-0, so Peeler was off the hook for Merkle's Boner-level infamy. Maybe some orange lines or a New England Patriots ground crew could help out next time.

T.J. Peeler Almost Scores Early, Thinks He's in End Zone at 5-Yard Line [Loudoun Prep Sports]
Snow-Filled Celebration for State Champion Spartans [Springfield Connection]