Kandler Happe’s last-second kick gives West the win at annual Queen City Senior Bowl

Kandler Happe wasn’t called on very much for game-winning kicks in his lone season as Hough High’s starting kicker.

But in his final game as a high school senior, Happe finally got the call — and delivered.

Happe connected on a 24-yard field goal in overtime that gave the West squad a 17-14 victory over the East in Saturday’s fourth annual Queen City Senior Bowl at the Olympic High School field.

Ironically, the overtime was set up after Happe had a 32-yard field-goal attempt blocked at the end of regulation. But the West’s defense stopped the East at the 2-yard-line in overtime try, giving West’s offense — and Happe — a second chance.

“There was a lot of wind in our face going that way, and a lot of wind at our backs going the other way,” said Kappe, named the Queen City Senior Bowl’s most valuable offensive player. “I just had to battle through it, and drive the ball.

“You get one blocked, all you want to do is make up for it. I was blessed to be able to.”

The second half and overtime amounted to a complete 180 from the first half, in which the East had taken a 7-0 lead thanks a 15-yard touchdown run by Butler’s Jayden Williams and the extra point by Cannon School’s Landon Mare with 1 minute, 54 seconds left in the second quarter.

A lot of that had to do with the East’s defense, which picked off three West passes and stopped them twice in the red zone in the second quarter.

However, the West ended the shutout — and turned the game around — in the second half, tying the score at 7-all on a 48-yard scoring run by Crest’s Aiden Carson and Happe’s first extra-point kick with 2:32 remaining in the third quarter.

The West then took its first lead early in the fourth quarter when Charlotte Country Day quarterback Khalel Wright broke loose on a 30-yard keeper, with Happe’s second extra-point kick putting the West up 14-7 with 10:49 remaining.

However, the East managed to tie the game three minutes later when Marvin Ridge quarterback Braydon Rediger connected with Independence’s Sadat Grant on a 30-yard scoring pass, with Mare’s second extra point tying the game at 14-14 with 7:35 left.

Mare — who was 5 of 7 on field goals this season for the Cougars, with a long of 53 yards — had a chance to put the East ahead late in the quarter, but missed short on a 50-yard field-goal attempt with 3:30 left.

“Yeah, I expected the game to be this close,” said West defensive back Tank Ruff of Crest, who was named the Queen City Senior Bowl’s most valuable defensive player. “There was a lot of talent on both sides, and I felt we were prepared well enough. I thought we’d come out with the win.”

SCORING SUMMARY

Queen City Senior Bowl

West 17, East 14 (OT)

EAST 0 7 0 7 0 -- 14

WEST 0 0 7 7 3 -- 17

Second Quarter

E—Jayden Williams 15 run (Landon Mare kick), 1:54.

Third Quarter

W—Aiden Carson 48 run (Kandler Happe kick), 2:32.

Fourth Quarter

W—Khalel Wright 30 run (Happe kick), 10:49.

E—Braydon Rediger 30 pass to Sadat Grant (Mare kick), 7:35.

Overtime

W—Happe 24 kick.