On paper, Chaska's football team did not have a good chance to beat Eastview on Friday.
But that's why they play the game.
The Hawks came within inches of winning their Homecoming game, falling 22-21 in overtime.
Chaska quarterback Mike Geissler connected for three touchdown passes in the game - two to senior wideout Derrick Engel.
The Lightning answered a Hawk OT touchdown with a rushing score and a 2-point conversion to win.
The Lightning intercepted a Geissler pass early in the second quarter, and missed a field goal attempt after a four-play drive.
The Chaska offense then went 80 yards to score the only points of the half.
Geissler hit Engel for a 23-yard gain and Jeff Douglas for a 19-yard pickup. Both came on third-down plays.
Engel then snagged another third-down pass and stretched to get another first down. Geissler gained 8 yards on a rush to get the Hawks to the 12-yard line, but the Lightning stuffed two Hawk runs to force fourth down.
The Hawk passing game came through again, as Engel leaped to grab an 11-yard scoring pass.
Hawk senior Zach Scharf kept the shutout intact with an interception of a Lightning pass inside the Hawk 10-yard line.
Eastview ground out a 13-play drive to tie the game in the third quarter, finishing with a 2-yard scoring run by Rex Sanders.
Chaska fumbled the ball away two plays into the next possession, but got it back just in time, as Broc Schindler recovered a Lightning fumble at the 15-yard line as the fourth quarter began.
The Hawks kept getting clutch catches, as Blake Belland caught a third-down pass for a 16-yard pickup and Douglas grabbed a Geissler pass for a 12-yard gain.
Geissler threw to Belland for an 18-yard gain and followed a Pat Smith 5-yard run with a first-down pass to Douglas with 6 minutes left on the clock. Engel then put the Hawks ahead with a catch and run into the end zone. Julius Karp's extra point kick made it 14-7.
That's nearly how the game ended, but the Lightning scored on a Sanders 9-yard run. The extra point kick tied the game with 1:33 left.
The Hawks were forced to punt from their end zone on the next possession, and the Lightning looked to be in prime position to win.
But the defense rose up and recovered a fumble at the 5-yard line with 20 seconds left.
The Hawks were spotted the ball on the 10-yard line to start overtime, and scored immediately, as Geissler found Douglas open in the end zone. Belland's kick made it 21-14.
The Lightning needed three downs to score. Patrick O'Neill took it in from 3 yards out, and the offense clinched the victory with a 2-point run.
Chaska, 1-5 on the season, plays at Bloomington Jefferson on Friday, and finishes the regular season on Oct. 15 at home against Park of Cottage Grove.
By Tim McGovern
Chaska Herald Sports Editor
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