Time of possession has to be the most over-rated stat of all, especially in high school football.
The Fitch Falcons are a perfect example of how it truly doesn't matter how long you hold on to the football, it's what you do with it when you have it.
The Falcons only owned the time of possession edge in one quarter of their game with Salem, Mass. That happened in the second quarter when Fitch controlled the ball for 6 1/2 minutes but was outscored 14-7.
The Falcons had the ball for only two offensive plays in the first quarter but one of those was a 74-yard run by running back Bobby Johnson. They only had the ball for 5 1/2 minutes in the third quarter but one of those plays was an 89-yard kick off return by Jamal Gaston. They also possessed the ball for all of only three minutes in the fourth quarter but still only lost by three.
"The time of possession was in our favor and we marched up and down the field but those big plays hurt," Salem coach Scott Connolly said. "So to come back from some of those big plays and from being behind, it was a big win for us."