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Not much more could be asked of the Peck/Kingston Alumni Football Game played Friday night on the Kingston High School football field, which saw the host Cardinals take a 20-14 decision in overtime. It was the first time Peck has played an alumni game, but the third for Kingston, which had played Mayville the last two years to raise money for the high school programs. With approximately 600 fans spread out behind the two sidelines, each school grossed an estimated $2,650. A nice amount considering the game was going against both the Tuscola and Sanilac county fairs.

Rob Pouch, current Peck head football, was very pleased with the money raised and the game that was played.

"It was a great turnout. There was great Peck support," said Pouch. "In a situation like this, you can't go wrong. Most importantly, everybody had fun. The community had a fun football game to watch and the players had fun."

For the most part Friday evening, Peck looked like a team that had not played in some time, and against a squad of guys that had been there before.

Tim Sheridan (1975), a local businessman, took over the role as head coach of the Pirate alumni and was very happy about the event, except, of course, the final score.

"I think the (team) played really well. Kingston takes the game pretty seriously. They've played two or three yards and that gave them a little edge," spoke Sheridan. "The guys are already looking forward to next year at Peck, and the important thing is no one got hurt. There were some ankles and cramps, and things like that, but nothing bad."

The Cardinals led 8-0 at the half, scoring on a three yard run by Jeremy Rayl (2000 grad) and a two-point conversion pass to end Andy Brzezinski (2002), who played at Saginaw Valley State University.

Peck was close to getting on the board on the hook-and-lateral play on the next possession. Quarterback Matt Hall (2004) threw a quick pass to Jason McCanham (1992), who then flipped to speedy back Mike Pries (2007) who had one man to beat from near mid-field. However, McCanham's knee was ruled down before he could get the pitch off.

Kingston stretched the lead to 14-0 in the third quarter and looked in control. The long drive was capped off on Justin Diegel's (2002) three yard scamper.

The Pirates had two drives on the night that reached the Kingston 20 before getting pushed back and were stopped on downs.

With about 6:30 to go in the fourth quarter, Peck found some life when Hall connected on a 35 yard pass play to Pries.

Then came a phenomenal play by Hall on the conversion try. A pass play to the right broke down and Hall reversed directions. Running for his life from a rushing Cardinal, the right-handed Hall, from well beyond the 20, fired a pass to Lon Schell (2004) for the two-pointer to make it 14-8.

Coach Sheridan remarked, "Matt got flushed out of there - their two ends were tough and caused a lot of issues with a lot of plays we had." He continued, "Matt Hall never played quarterback in high school, but I knew he was a tough, smart player, and a good athlete."

Kingston then, on the next possession, picked up a couple of first downs, but failed to run out the clock, leaving the Pirates with the ball at the Cardinal 37 with thee ticks left.

Hall dropped back, looked right and fired a pass toward Pries. The ball was deflected slightly by a Kingston defender but Pries pulled it in at about the four and strode in the end zone to tie the game as time ran out.

"We were pretty lucky to get back in the game," admitted Sheridan. "We set it up (the last play) to go to (Pries). We were going to him - win, lose or draw."

After the conversion pass just missed being completed, a talk in the middle of the field led to a decision to play overtime. Of course, the players would have it no other way.

Using the high school OT rule, Kingston won the toss and had the first try to score in four plays from the Peck 10. On 4th and two, Brian Stine (2007) punched it in for the score. The conversion failed and the score remained at 20-14.

Peck's turn in the OT ended quickly when the Cardinals forced a fumble on the first play.

"We competed hard," stressed Sheridan. "We started slowly (on offense), but as the game went on I thought we got stronger. The defense played strong all night. We had a bunch of gamers. I knew we'd be competitive, that's for sure."

One of those gamers, was the oldest returning alumnus - Tom Lorkowski, an All-State player that graduated in 1975. Lorkowski did go on and play football at Hillsdale College.

Lorkowski, started at right tackle on offense and played every down.

"He played tremendous," noted Sheridan. "I watched him closely to make sure he wasn't getting too tired, but he played as good as anybody out there."

The focus now for Peck will be the rematch on their home field next summer. For many of the alumni players that return, it will be a chance to play a game at home under the lights for the very first time. Peck did not have a lighted football field until 2000.

"I know a number of our former players, maybe a dozen of them, that were watching from the sidelines and they said they'd go next year," said Sheridan. "We should have a lot of guys playing at home next year..... I just don't know yet where we're going to get the equipment."

Undoubtedly, the old saying "where there's a will, there's away" will come into effect.