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W&M’s Ballard celebrates return with big play in win at Stony Brook

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The play is called Double Arrow. It’s a relatively safe throw-and-catch that’s perfect for a two-minute drill, with time short and yardage necessary.

Nine times out of 10, the receiver catches a quick pass between the hash mark and the sideline, spins outward for a short-to-medium gain and gets out of bounds to stop the clock.

Sean Ballard’s version last Saturday in New York was the 10th of 10. As a result, William and Mary got a satisfying win and a jump-start on its CAA season.

Ballard’s 52-yard catch-and-dash touchdown with 25 seconds remaining tied the game at Stony Brook. The Tribe won in overtime 27-21 on Mikal Abdul-Saboor’s 13-yard run.

“It was meant just to get the first down and get out of bounds,” Ballard said, “but when I caught it and turned up, I was going to rope the sidelines as far as I could take it, and it ended up taking me to the end zone.”

The Tribe (4-1, 1-0 Colonial Athletic Association) heads into a much-needed bye week with a positive jolt, courtesy of big plays on defense and special teams, along with an improving offense.

“I hope they can take some confidence out of it,” head coach Jimmye Laycock said. “Momentum swings within the game, from play to play sometimes. You certainly have something to draw back on and a degree of confidence.

“Make the regular play, just make the basic plays. That’s what we preach to them, that’s where your big plays come from.”

W&M had to come from behind twice on the road in front of a raucous, record crowd of more than 11,000 at the Long Island school — 14-0 after one quarter and 21-14 following Stacey Bedell’s 33-yard touchdown run with 1:12 remaining.

Disheartening as it was to give up the late touchdown, the good news was that the Tribe had ample time to respond.

“We were all definitely confident because we work on this every week in practice, the two-minute drill,” Ballard said. “It kind of gets repetitive because we’ve been doing it since training camp. You do it in the spring, so when you get into that situation, it’s almost like, finally, we get to put this to use.”

The Tribe called a timeout with 34 seconds remaining after quarterback Steve Cluley was sacked for a 1-yard loss on first down. Facing second-and-11 at its 48, the Tribe called Double Arrow.

Ballard, split out to the right, caught Cluley’s short pass. He spun away from the diving Naim Cheeseboro toward the right sideline and then turned upfield.

“I wasn’t thinking I was going to score,” Ballard said, “but when I got the ball and turned up and saw nobody in front of me, my eyes were on the end zone the whole time. I was thinking end zone as soon as I got the ball, turned it up and saw all that green grass.”

Give an assist to fellow wide receiver Flynn Heald, who ran interference for a stretch between Ballard and Stony Brook defensive backs Max Martinez and Quinton Littlejohn. Martinez took a last diving swipe at Ballard, but couldn’t trip him.

“It was a little basketball move,” Ballard said. “He boxed those guys out. It’s not conventional, but it worked. It wound up springing me to the end zone.”

The Tribe had a chance to win in regulation, after Kendell Anderson muscled the ball away from Stony Brook’s Anthony Anderson on the ensuing kickoff return. But John Carpenter missed a 51-yard field-goal attempt on the final play of regulation.

William and Mary’s defense, missing two starters and with several regulars banged up, held on the first overtime possession. Defensive end Stephen Sinnott blocked Przemyslaw Popek’s 36-yard field-goal attempt. The Tribe needed only a field goal, but Abdul-Saboor assured the win with his touchdown run.

“The key was, we didn’t give up,” Laycock said of the comeback. “We kept playing.”

Ballard and Abdul-Saboor missed the previous game, against Lafayette, with concussion symptoms. Abdul-Saboor rushed for 116 yards against a Stony Brook defense allowing just 85.8 yards per game on the ground. Ballard had his best game of the season: six catches for 92 yards and the score.

Ballard, a senior, didn’t want to miss a game during his final season, but understood. He took a blow to the head late in the Norfolk State game Sept. 13. He said that he experienced general neck pain and intermittent headaches for several days afterward, particularly when he tried to read and concentrate. He said that he finally felt better the following Thursday.

“It was frustrating,” he said, “but I definitely benefited from the weekend of rest and being able to go into Stony Brook week fully rested and concussion-free.”

The Tribe, ranked as high as 12th in the FCS polls this week, has an extra week to rest and recuperate before traveling to New Hampshire, one of the CAA’s preseason favorites and top-six in both polls. All-conference linebacker Airek Green and hard-hitting safety Ivan Tagoe missed the Stony Brook game. Laycock hopes to have both back for UNH, but assumes nothing.

Laycock said that in his experience, a win heading into the bye week translates to a more positive vibe around the program and better practices.

“It is huge,” Ballard said. “I can only speak for myself, if we came into the bye week (with a loss), you have that whole week to think about that loss. You’re supposed to move on and go on to the next game. But during a bye week, there is no real next game, so it stays with you.

“I’d like to think the coaches would take it a bit easier on us after that win,” he said with a chuckle. “It’s yet to be seen, but that’s the hope.”

Good luck with that.

Ballard, a 6-foot, 190-pound Plano, Texas, native who sold himself to W&M during the recruiting process, has become a dependable and dangerous counterpoint to all-conference receiver Tre McBride. Ballard was third in the CAA last season in yards per catch (16.5), and his average is higher this season (18.8).

He believes that the Tribe’s pass offense, presently ninth in the conference (160.4 ypg), will improve as Cluley gains game experience and familiarity with his receivers. If the Tribe’s running game remains productive, it will create more opportunities for receivers in one-on-one coverage.

“This is my last year,” Ballard said, “so I’m trying to have as much fun as I can and relish every play, every down, every game and really take it a day at a time and soak it all in. At this point in my career, winning is more important than anything. I couldn’t care less if I had zero catches, zero yards, as long as I know I contributed and did what I could to get a win.”

Ballard is no stranger to big plays and the end zone, but where might Saturday’s touchdown rank?

“Of recent memory, it’s got to be the best I’ve ever scored,” he said. “Given the situation of the game — first CAA opponent, down seven, with a minute left in the fourth, gotta score to tie it up. Yeah, it’s one of the best touchdowns in my career.”

Fairbank can be reached by phone at 757-247-4637.