It was beginning to look like the one that got away.
That is Houston County’s game against Central Thursday in Freedom Field. The Bears won 21-13, but it took a late score and some key defensive work to do so.
The first was an eight-play, 59-yard drive that came with just over 10 minutes to go in the ballgame. Prior to it – from taking the opening kickoff to start the third and up until that point – Houston County had turned the ball over on downs and punted three times, two of those on three-and-outs.
Central wasn’t having much better luck. It turned it over on downs the first time it held the ball in the third quarter and then punted following. It did, however, manage to close the gap to a point, 14-13.
Although there were several key moments to the drive – overcoming a hold that pushed the ball back from the 3 to the 16 was one – two big catches by Eric Williams of plus-10 yards each accounted for two of the three first downs picked up. Jalen Mills finished it off with an 11-yard run. Ren Collier’s point after made it 21-13 with just over eight minutes left to play.
That’s where the second, some key defensive work, came into play.
The Chargers took the kickoff on their own 30. They picked up a first down on a run and a pass before a pass interference call gave them a second first down and the ball on Houston County’s 39.
After an incomplete pass and a run of one yard, quarterback Donald Lamb found Wesley Alexander for 15 yards and another first down. A run got it the 16. An incomplete pass kept it there. Following offsetting personal fouls, Central was faced with a fourth down and three at that mark. Lamb tried to hit a receiver fading in the endzone. Josh Whitehead, completing a stellar defensive game for him, knocked it away.
The Bears took over and ran out the clock.
Houston County started the game by putting two scores in the books. The first went eight plays and was finished off when Wesley Steiner ran it in from the 29. Collier made the point after.
Steiner again scored to cap off the second drive – the game in the second quarter by then. It was from four yards. The drive itself went 80 yards and took 11 plays.
The Chargers put together a nine-play, 81-yard drive in answer to that. Lamb finished it off from the 19. The point after missed.
With just over a minute on the clock, the Bears picked up a first down, but then quarterback Max Rigby – 9-of-16 in the first half (with several dropped balls) – was intercepted.
Central took it and ran out the final 15 seconds.
The second half was as already described: plenty of defense on both sides early – the battle mostly in the middle of the field – followed by the late score and heroics.
The win evened Houston County’s record at 1-1, while the Chargers opened their season with the loss.
McDonald’s Offensive Player of the Game: #22 Wesley Stiener
Flint Energies Defensive Player of the Game: # 29 Josh Whitehead
