Central receiver won't forget those five seconds

Jordan Larson said it once, softly, then again, louder.

Forever. FOREVER.

That's how long he will remember the most unbelievable five seconds of football he has ever played -- or most people could ever imagine.

Larson, a senior wide receiver for St. Paul Central, was reflecting Monday on a game from this past Thursday. It was a new week, with new challenges ahead. But he still couldn't stop smiling.

In case you missed it: Central trailed 18-6 in the closing seconds against rival St. Paul Johnson. Seniors were crying on the sidelines, figuring a home game they wanted so desperately to win was a few ticks away from a crushing loss.

Then crazy things started to happen: Junior quarterback LeDarian Horton hit Larson with a desperation TD pass from about 30 yards out in the left corner of the end zone with five seconds left. That made it 18-12. But Larson still wasn't a believer.

Then Central recovered an onside kick with two seconds left.

Said Horton: "I was thinking, 'It has to happen.'"

Said Larson: "I thought, 'Oh man, we still have a chance.' I said a prayer. Please, God, please give me that catch."

The offense took the field. Horton heaved a pass, this time down the right sideline. Larson heard the final buzzer and "had some extra acceleration." There were defenders, but he didn't see them. All he saw was the ball coming to rest in his arms. Tie score.

Central missed the extra point. Overtime.

"We spent five minutes trying to get everyone refocused," coach Scott Howell said, still smiling and shaking his head.

It worked. A touchdown right away gave Central the lead, and a defensive stop sealed the game. But this wasn't just any game: It was homecoming, and it was a victory that clinched at least a share of the team's first St. Paul City title in 20 years.

The last man to coach Central to a title, Floyd Smaller, left the game with two minutes left and was stunned to learn later what had happened. Can you blame him? Two Hail Mary passes and an onside kick in five seconds?

Howell still can't believe it, even if he's using it as motivation for this week's game against winless Humboldt, which can ensure an outright conference title. He still hasn't believed it each of the 50 times he's watched the replay.

"Everything had to go right," the coach said. "Every time, I think, 'No, this didn't really happen.'"

Horton, amazingly, hasn't seen the replay. Larson heard the sequence was being featured on ESPN SportsCenter's top plays on Friday, the night of the school Homecoming dance.

"I didn't go to any parties afterwards. I didn't go out to eat," Larson said.

"I just went home to watch it."

Even if he wanted to stop thinking about it -- which he doesn't -- Larson can't get away from the plays. He estimates he's had between 40 and 50 phone calls on top of the text messages and e-mails from friends.

"It's the greatest experience I've ever had in my life," Larson said. "I'm always going to remember that day."

St. Paul Central's nickname, by the way: Minutemen. It was suggested that might not be accurate for the football team. Horton caught on right away.

"We just need five seconds," he said.

Sometimes that's all it takes to change lives forever.

Michael Rand • mrand@startribune.com