OSCODA - Aug. 28, 2009 - It came down to one final play ... and then another final, final play. But when Friday's season-opener ended, Oscoda had managed to hold off Hale for a 12-6 victory that gives the Owls their first win streak since 2000. That was also the last time the Owls made the MHSAA football playoffs.

"Our 2009 team is on a mission to build on the successes of last year's team," said Oscoda coach Chris Davis. "The first three steps of our mission were to capture our second win as a program since 2005, capture our first home win since 2005 and achieve consecutive wins for the first time since 2000.

"We accomplished the first three steps of our mission and I am extremely proud of our players and coaching staff."

Oscoda built a 12-0 lead, with quarterback Kieran Clarke connecting with David Frasher for a long gain that set up Chris Dehmel's 3-yard touchdown run.

Frasher returned the second half kickoff 79 yards for a touchdown, but Hale answered with a drive of its own that ended with a 13-yard Christian Moody touchdown run.

"We played some pretty good defense other than that second play of the game," said Hale coach BIll Lake. "Offensively we struggled.

"We'd been hoping for bad weather because we thought with our offense it would help us. Instead we kept on slipping when we'd cut back, and it really cost us on a pass play where the ball slipped out of Tanner's hand when he had Moody open with a bunch of blockers."

Hale also had a touchdown called back on a penalty in the third quarter.

For the Owls' part, the weather didn't seem to play as much of a factor despite the rainy weather.

"I was very impressed with our snaps and ball security despite the monsoon," Davis said. "Many people believe you can’t run a spread option offense in such weather because of the shotgun snaps, option pitches, and passing, or that long snapping and punting would be extremely difficult. Our players were poised and executed impressively despite the horrible weather."

Christian Mudry's fourth quarter interception gave the Eagles one last shot. Hale had a first-and-goal with 17 seconds left and had one last play with one second left and no time outs. Hale quarterback Tanner Shellenbarger tried to get the ball to running back Kevin Rehil in the end zone, but an Oscoda defender interfered with Rehil on the play to give Hale another chance from the 1-yard line.

The Eagles were unable to convert, and Oscoda suddenly was 1-0 for the first time since 2005.

"Games like that are tough to take," Lake said. "It's one thing to get blown out by a team that you know is better than you are. But when you have a game that you could win and you don't do quite enough to pull it off, it leaves a bitter taste.

"On the other hand, we found out what kind of mettle we have. We played hard right to the final play, and then got one more play. It was awesome to see the kids believe in themselves and what we're doing."

Moody finished with 87 rushing yards on 17 carries, with Rehil adding 11 carries for 465 yards. Shellenbarger completed 3-of-7 passes for 68 yards, including two for 53 yard to Rehil.

Eddy Cadwell and John Hamilton each had six tackles for the Eagles (0-1).

For Oscoda, Clarke finished 3-of-8 through the air for 109 yards. Andrew Franks had 59 yards rushing on nine carries and frasher finished with two catches for 81 yards. Dehmel had 10 total tackles to pace the defense, with Frasher adding nine and Sean Rousseau with seven tackles and a sack.

Davis said that Danny Lewis' punting performance enabled the Owls to win the field position battle, and Julius Freeland was a big factor in taking away the Eagles' fullback trap on defense, and snapping the ball on offense and on punts.

"(Those were) great individual performances that no doubt helped us win the football game," Davis said.

Hale travels to Whittemore-Prescott (1-0 after defeating Mio 27-22) on Thursday, while Oscoda is at Mesick.