Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy
With the game tied at 13 late in the third quarter, West End scored a pair of touchdowns over the final 14 minutes to give the Patriots a 27-13 win over Sand Rock on Sept. 29 in West End’s homecoming.
Rock Sainsbury’s 12-yard touchdown run and Jace Golden’s PAT at the 1:42 mark of the third provided West End with a 20-13 lead.
With less than eight minutes left in the game, Kane Lawson scored from five yards out. Golden’s extra point made it 14-point advantage.
The team’s combined for 803 yards in offense, with the Patriots tallying 473.
Following a scoreless first quarter, West End notched the game’s first points on Marty Wooten’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Lawson at 1:03 of the second period.
The Wildcats tied it up with 10 seconds left until halftime on Gavynn Cunningham’s 21-yard TD pass to James Cox.
Sainsbury’s 12-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, which was set up by a Jackson Mayo interception, made it 13-7 before Kane Robison’s 2-yard TD run a few minutes later forced a tie.
Sainsbury (pictured above) finished with 172 rushing yards on 19 carries. Lawson ran 15 times for 108 yards, while Wooten added 48 yards on 10 attempts.
Wooten was 9 for 14 in passing for 136 yards. Lawson had five receptions for 70 yards.
Josh Carroll led defensively with seven tackles, followed by Triston Chaney with six and Fysher Patterson with five.
Patterson and Brandon Ramos each recovered a fumble, while Golden forced a fumble and blocked a PAT.
West End has an open date this week before resuming Class 2A, Region 7 action on Oct. 13 at Holly Pond.