Courtesy of Sand Mountain Reporter
West End High fell to Susan Moore, 28-27, on Thursday (Aug. 28) in the Patriots’ first game under new head coach Kyle Davis.
West End (0-1) grabbed a 27-21 lead with 1:51 remaining in the game on a Hunter Grant 1-yard touchdown run, the Patriots’ first lead of the game. The extra-point attempt was no good.
The Bulldogs took advantage of their final shot. Sitting at the West End 12-yard line, Susan Moore had time for two more plays with 14 seconds to go.
After the first play failed to score, Keith Jackson hit Curtis Hawkins with less than 1 second left in the game. Enrique Pantoin’s extra point was good to give the Bulldogs the victory.
Grant rushed 22 times for 253 yards and three touchdowns and completed 10-of-15 passes for 151 yards and a score.
The Bulldogs opened the scoring when Jackson hit Pantoin for a 31-yard touchdown pass on third-and-12 with 52 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Pantoin’s extra point made it 7-0.
Grant got the Patriots on the board with a 6-yard touchdown run with 10:35 to go in the first half. Payne Stancil’s kick tied it at 7-7. The touchdown capped a seven-play, 80-yard drive.
The Bulldogs responded with a 1-yard touchdown run by Williams with 5:59 to play in the second quarter to go up 14-7.
Grant struck again, this time through the air, to knot the game at 14. He found Rhett Lister on a 14-yard touchdown pass with 1:55 left until halftime.
Susan Moore managed a late score, a 1-yard touchdown run by Pantoin, with 11 seconds to go to take a 21-14 halftime advantage.
After the third quarter passed with neither team scoring, Grant again was able to bring West End back into a tie, this time with a 20-yard touchdown run. Stancil’s kick tied it at 21 with 11:50 remaining in the game.
Also for the Patriots, Jordan Malin rushed for 60 yards on 10 carries, while Dustin Goodwin caught six passes for 56 yards.
Brett McCurry had 13 tackles, followed by Tyler Moody and Nick Cline with 10 each and Malin and Tristan Garmony with eight each.
West End opens region play on Friday at Collinsville.