By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
The Class 3A, Region 6 contest between a pair of cross-county high school football rivals went down to the wire last Friday at Wilson-Darnell Field, as Glencoe pulled out a 50-43 victory over Westbrook Christian.
With 22 seconds left in the game, Glencoe quarterback Chase Wilson threw 28 yards to Pace Ozmint in the end zone for the eventual winning score. Wilson and Dalton Roberts then hooked up on the two-point conversion pass to give the ninth-ranked Yellow Jackets (3-0, 3-0) a seven-point advantage.
Jacob Bradley’s interception in the closing seconds sealed the win.
“We made enough mistakes to lose, we just made enough plays to win,” said GHS head coach Lee Ozmint. “Westbrook is a really good team. They’re well-coached, they do what they’re supposed to do, they throw and catch the ball really well. I got out-coached. Coach Osborne did a heck of a job.”
The fireworks started shortly after the second half kickoff with the Yellow Jackets holding a 14-poinit lead.
The Warriors’ Addison Ponder connected with Justis Glassford on a halfback pass for a 22-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, pulling the Warriors pulled within 28-21. On the ensuing drive, Glencoe needed just three plays to score. Wilson found Dalton for a 52-yard touchdown pass on third and 20 to push the GHS lead to 35-21 with 8:22 remaining in the third quarter.
The Warriors were not done, however, driving 75 yards on nine plays on their next possession. Joseph Schauer’s 1-yard touchdown run cut it to 35-28 with 4:18 left in the third.
Glencoe proceeded to move into Westbrook territory, but on fourth and 3 a fumble was returned 56 yards by Westbrook’s Gilbert Rosas for the game-tying touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Following a bad snap on a punt attempt, Austin Bush dove on a loose ball in the Westbrook end zone for a 42-35 Glencoe lead with 6:48 left in the game.
Westbrook hung tough, however. With 1:17 left in regulation, Joseph Schauer scored on a 1-yard run. His two-point conversion pass to Andrew Schauer gave the Rainbow City squad a 43-42 advantage.
Westbrook head coach Tony Osborne was happy with his team’s performance.
“We were in it until the end, and our kids played their hearts out. Give Glencoe credit – they made the plays when they had to.”
For Glencoe, Wilson finished with 208 yards and three touchdowns on 11 of 20 completions and rushed 15 times for 74 yards and a score.
Cade Alred added 45 yards on nine carries.
Andrew Lang caught five passes, while Roberts and Pace Ozmint each had three receptions.
Noah Hauk led the Yellow Jackets in tackles with 10, followed by Aaron Bush with eight, Pace Ozmint with seven and Bradley Scott with six.
Glencoe took an early 14-0 lead with two first quarter scores.
Dalton Roberts returned a punt 65 yards for the games first score with 8:54 to go in the opening stanza. Andrew Lang added the PAT for a 7-0 lead.
On he Yellow Jackets’ next possession, the hosts drove 61 yards in nine plays, with Taylor Daugherty scoring on an 11-yard run and Lang added his second PAT for a 14-0 lead with 3:21 to go in the first quarter.
Westbrook finally got its offense cranked up when quarterback Andrew Schauer found Joseph Schauer for a 57-yard touchdown pass. William Dickson kicked his first PAT of the evening and Westbrook was back in the game at 14-7 with 2:23 to go in the first.
Wilson capped a 68-yard, 11-play drive with an 8-yard TD run to increase the lead to 21-7 with 9:14 to go in the first half.
Westbrook answered with a 69-yard, three-play drive when Schauer found Justis Glassford for a 60-yard touchdown.
Glencoe rounded out the first half scoring when Wilson fired a 25-yard scoring pass to Pace Ozmint.
For the Warriors (1-2, 1-1), Joseph Schauer hit on 12 of 20 passes for 222 yards with three touchdowns. He added 64 rushing yards on 22 carries. Rosas ran four times for 32 yards.
Chandler Richards had five receptions for 70 yards. Glassford caught four passes for 103 yards, while Andrew Schauer had three for 70.
Dylan Potts had 10 tackles, while Rosas and Sam Blackstock each had nine.
“If not for Pace Ozmint we would be 1-2,” said Lee Ozmint. “We have heart and play hard, but we can’t continue to make mistakes.”
Both team continue region play on Friday (Sept. 18). Westbrook hosts Pleasant Valley, while Glencoe visits Piedmont.