Tigers' DeMare Catches Game-Winning Pass With 33.5 Seconds Left, He Is A Johnston Law Firm Male Athlete Of the Month

EDWARDSVILLE - Senior wide receiver Joey DeMare has made quite a few clutch receptions in his stint with the Edwardsville High varsity football team, and Aug. 25 was no exception, as he hauled in Jake Curry's five-yard pass with 33.5 seconds left that proved to be the winner as the Tigers won over Jackson, Mo. 30-21 in the season opener at Tiger Stadium.

Edwardsville sealed the win on the first play after the kickoff when a bad snap from center went into the end zone, where the Indians recovered the ball for a safety and the two points that clinched the game. It was DeMare's catch in the end zone in the final minute that put Edwardsville ahead and after the game, DeMare was very full of emotion.

"A lot of emotions, honestly," DeMare said in his postgame interview. "Like, it feels just like last year, even better, because we did it twice. But man, it was like a great team win and I don't think I could describe it right now. I've got to sleep this off, but and describe it tomorrow," he said with a smile and laugh.

The very personable DeMare described the winning catch as something that he's practiced with quarterback Jake Curry for quite some time now.

"Well, we've ran that play so many times in practice," DeMare said, "and I never got the ball. But this time, I saw the way they lined up and I was like 'man, if I don't get this ball, man, I don't know what I'm gonna do,' I got the ball, I was ready for it. Just catch and throw, that's what Jake and I do all winter, just catch and throw."

To defeat a team like Jackson for the second year in a row, a team who's a traditional power in southeast Missouri, is a feather in everyone cap with Edwardsville.

"There's no better way to start your season, I think," DeMare said. "Jackson is a great team; they looked even better this year than they did last year. They're going to have a great season and I just think that's such a great way to start our season."

The usual opening game slip-ups were there, with the Tigers fighting off all the adversity to make the plays when needed, keeping their cool and poise. It's something that's usually the mark of a great team.

"Oh, yeah. We've been here before,"DeMare said, "like last year, we had three games that, pulled out on top for most of them. This is where champions are built. The last minutes of the game, it always comes down to the wire. Every year, it always does."

The Tigers were also able to overcome the effects of a terrible heat wave that permeated the St. Louis area starting Aug. 21 and ending early Saturday morning when thunderstorms and rain broke open the heat.

"Ir was brutal," DeMare said with another smile and laugh. "It was really brutal. But we just knew; we got acclimated all week with practicing at night, getting used to what it's like at night with the heat. working on things like finding smart ways to dry your hands to keep catching the ball. I just think this was such a test for adversity. I think we passed with flying colors."

The Tigers play at Cahokia in week two next Friday night and DeMare is hoping for something very simple and achievable.

"A win," DeMare said. "That's all we can ask for, a win."

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