The game was tied 7-7 at the end of regulation. The UIL rules say the first two overtimes the teams start at the 25-yard line with the option of scoring a touchdown or kicking a field goal. The third overtime again also begins at the 25, but it requires teams to go for two-points on the extra point attempt following a touchdown. Then on the fourth overtimes and beyond each team gets one play from the opponent’s three yard line and runs an equivalent of a two-point conversion. That is how the game ended with the unique score of 9-7 in favor of Sundown.
“We finally scored the two-point play in the sixth overtime on a pass from quarterback Hunter Tindol to receiver Robert Soliz. It was one of the most incredible games I have been a part in my coaching career (18 years). It was a very intense game from the start, but it was a very respectful and clean contest that was played hard by both sides” said Sundown coach Adam Cummings, now in his fourth year at the helm.
“I was 0-2 in overtime games as a coach prior to win over Farwell. When I was a defensive coordinator at Canyon (on Blake Bryant’s staff) we were outscored by Caprock 63-62, which was a totally different game that the one last Friday. When I was the head coach at Hale Center we lost to Dimmitt in overtime. It sure was fun to finally be on the winning side of an overtime,” Cummings went to explain.
Cummings has a history of being involved in some classic games. When he was a senior at Lockney in the fall of 1997, the Longhorns fell in a heartbreaker to the Stanton Buffaloes 21-20 in a 2A State Quarterfinal Playoff game at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene. Cummings was the quarterback that played a key role in Lockney’s 12-2 season that marched to a historic fourth round of the playoffs.
“I remember that game like it was yesterday, Cummings said. “It was the game where we had an extra point kick that was actually good, but was ruled no good. Stanton went on to win the State Semifinal and State Championship games by 30-plus points each. Dave Campbell’s Football in the 1998 edition referred to the Stanton-Lockney game as the actual State Championship game. We had an incredible team, and it really hurt to lose that one. Stanton had a great quarterback in Kyle Herm, who went to play at Rice for four years in the Western Athletic Conference,” Cummings reminisced.
Cummings was also the quarterback his junior season and Lockney had an impressive playoff run that season to the third round before falling to the Stamford Bulldogs 21-7. The Longhorns were 12-1 in 1996. When a player quarterbacks seven playoff games, they are going to endure some great battles like Lockney did against West Texas-Stinnett 26-20 and Post 13-7 his junior year, and Winters 32-27 his senior campaign. Cummings was like a coach on the field in high school.
“I sure hope the six overtime win over Farwell is a springboard to the remainder of the season. Farwell was an 11-point pre-game favorite by both the Harris Ratings and the Padilla Poll. Farwell is a very good team. We came out of the game with huge amount of confidence. We will see what happens in district,” Cummings added.
Floydada will host Sundown in the second district 2-2A-1 game on October 15 at Charles Tyer Stadium.
Cummings’ Coaching Career
(school) (years) (position) (record) (playoffs)
Canyon 10 Asst/Def. Coord. 71-33 9
Hale Center 4 Head Coach 15-16 2
Sundown 4* Head Coach 27-11 3
*Cummings is five games into his fourth year at Sundown
