Latin reaches into bag of tricks for 10-0

Published October 26, 2007

By Langston Wertz Jr.

The Charlotte Observer

Charlotte Latin coach Larry McNulty figured sooner or later, his team was going to need a trick play this season.

He'd had the Hawks practicing "7 Reverse Option Pass" all season, but especially hard the past 30 days. But until Friday, he'd never pulled it out.

And it was the play that may launch Latin to a perfect season.

The Hawks, No. 2 in The Sweet 16, used it to stop arch rival Charlotte Country Day 20-13 Friday in a game that looked like it might go to overtime.

With the score tied at 13 and Latin's offense sputtering without quarterback Braden Hanson, who'd left with a concussion, McNulty was looking for a spark. He kept noticing how receiver Andrew Tanneberger was able to slip down the field unguarded.

So with about 95 seconds left, McNulty called 7 Reverse Option Pass. The play started with star receiver Brenton Bersin coming in motion, looking like Latin might be setting up an option to the left -- a play run several times.

Country Day shifted when Bersin started running. When he saw that, McNulty knew he had 'em. Reserve quarterback David Pearson took the snap and looked like he might pitch to Bersin who was running left. Instead, Pearson pitched to receiver Ross Cockrell who went right -- towards the Latin sideline.

Sure enough, Tanneberger slipped behind the Country Day defense. All Cockrell had to do was make the pass. His spiral was perfect.

"When he released it, I thought it was too far," McNulty said in the hoopla after the win, which included members of Latin's unbeaten 1987 state championship team slapping pads with the current team, also unbeaten at 10-0. "But Tanney hit another gear."

Tanneberger, who had dropped several passes against Charlotte Catholic earlier this year, said he made sure to look the ball in. Then he ran in with Latin's first regular season win over Country Day since 2005. It was only Latin's second regular season win against their rival since 2000.

"Ross threw a perfect pass," Tanneberger said. "When I caught that one, I knew I was in the end zone."

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