Southwest DeKalb’s Joshua Jones (0) dives over a St. Pius defender into the end zone for an early touchdown of the Panthers’ tough 28-27 loss to the Golden Lions on Thursday. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Southwest DeKalb Panthers came up one play short of getting the program’s first win over the St. Pius Golden Lions as a pass for the two-point conversion in overtime went incomplete in the one-point loss (28-27) at Godfrey Stadium on Thursday night.
St. Pius (4-1, 3-0) now holds a 7-0 mark against the Panthers (3-2, 2-1) after rallying for the Region 5-4A win after trailing 21-10 at the half.
St. Pius kicker Ivan Lipscomb hit a 26-yard field goal with 2.7 seconds left in regulation to knot the game at 21-21. The Lions won the toss and took the ball in overtime. Big fullback John Taylor scored his third touchdown of the night going the final four yards in overtime to give the Lions their first lead of the night. Lipscomb added the PAT to give St. Pius the 28-21 lead.
After losing a yard on their first play of overtime, the Panthers went to the air with a pump fake by quarterback Braylon Carter and a throw to the right corner of the end zone to a wide-open Samuel Turner for the touchdown. Southwest DeKalb decided to go for the win and again went to the air.
Carter threw over the middle in the end zone, but it went incomplete as a defender appeared to disrupt the play giving the Lions the win.
The Panthers jumped out early on the Lions as they took a 14-0 lead heading into the second quarter. Carter hit Joshua Jones on an eight-yard swing pass to the right side and Jones barreled over a defender and dove into the end zone with 8:07 to play. Kelvin Saturday ended the game’s opening drive by hitting the PAT to make it 7-0.
As the clock was ticking down on the first quarter, Carter hit receiver Jordan Christie in stride down the left sideline for a 31-yard touchdown pass play. Saturday was good again on the PAT to make it 14-0.
St. Pius had a drive stall with 6:29 left in the first half at the Panthers’ 20-yard line and went for the 36-yard field by Lipscomb to trim the lead to 14-3.
Southwest DeKalb’s Samuel Turner hauls in an overtime touchdown pass from Braylon Carter against St. Pius. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Panthers answered back with a gutsy fourth down and eight on their own 22 with a fake punt. Samuel Turner took the snap and threw to Christie on the left side in what looked like a failed attempt for the first down. Christie made two players miss and picked up 21 yards on the play to keep the drive alive.
Two plays later Joshua Jones squirted through the right side of the line and raced 55 yards into the end zone with 4:43 left in the half. Saturday tacked on the extra point for a 21-3 Panthers’ lead.
St. Pius answered before halftime marking 65 yards with Taylor going the final two yards for the score. Lipscomb’s extra point pulled the Lions within 21-10 heading into the half.
The opening drive of the second half took 7:43 off the game clock as St. Pius drove 70 yards in 13 plays to pull withing 21-18. Taylor went the final yard for the touchdown and the Lions used the swinging gate play to get a two-point conversion run from Edward Van Nort.
Southwest DeKalb could not get down the field during their three possessions of the second half but twice penned the Lions at their own 10 two times and forced punts.
Southwest DeKalb’s Isaiah Oglesby (42) and Braylon Gilstrap (26) take down St. Pius quarterback Colin Crosby for a loss. (Photo by Mark Brock)
A false start penalty on second and three proved costly to the Panthers on their final drive of the second half and a short punt gave the Lions the ball at their own 36. A pass interference call got the Lions out of a second and 14 hole and they were able to drive for the tying field goal.
The two teams were remarkably close in total yards for the game with the Panthers holding a 312 to 280 edge in total yards, but they only ran 34 plays to Pius’ 62. Pius had 56 carries for 260 yards on the ground as they controlled the clock for most of the second half led by John Taylor’s 13 carries for 64 yards and three touchdowns.
Southwest DeKalb’s Joshua Jones had 12 carries for 122 yards and a touchdown to go with his receiving touchdown to lead the Panthers.
Other scores for DeKalb teams on Thursday night included North Springs (1-4), 1-2) upending Clarkston (0-5, 0-3) 50-6 and Redan (2-4) dropped a 34-6 decision on the road at Callaway (4-2).
DCSD FOOTBALL WEEK 6 RESULTS
Thursday, Sept. 19
GODFREY STADIUM
St. Pius (4-1, 3-0) 28, Southwest DeKalb (3-2, 2-1) 7
HALLFORD STADIUM
North Springs (1-4, 1-2) 50, Clarkston (0-5, 0-3) 6
AWAY GAME
Callaway (4-2) 34, Redan (2-4) 6
DCSD FOOTBALL WEEK 6 SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 20
ADAMS STADIUM
Dunwoody (1-3, 0-1) vs. Lakeside (2-2, 1-0)*, 7:30 pm
COBB STADIUM
Pace Academy (1-3, 0-1) at M.L. King (1-3, 0-1)*, 7:30 pm
GODFREY STADIUM
Douglass (2-2, 0-0) vs. Cedar Grove (0-3, 0-0)*, 7:30 pm
HALLFORD STADIUM
Decatur (4-0, 1-0) vs. Arabia Mountain (1-3, 0-1)*, 7:30 pm
NORTH DEKALB STADIUM
Woodward Academy (1-3, 1-0) vs. Chamblee (0-4, 0-1)*, 7:30 pm
AWAY GAMES
Columbia (0-4) at Kell (3-2), 7:30 pm
Druid Hills (2-2, 0-1) at Marist (3-0, 1-0), 7:30 pm
Lithonia (2-1, 0-1) at Northview (0-4, 0-2), 7:30 pm
McNair (2-2, 0-0) at Putnam Co. (1-3, 0-0), 7:30 pm
Towers (2-1, 0-0) at Jasper Co. (3-1, 0-0), 7:30 pm
LAKEWOOD STADIUM (ATLANTA)
Stone Mountain (0-5) at South Atlanta (1-4), 8:00 pm
OPEN: Cross Keys (0-4), Miller Grove (3-2), Stephenson (2-3), Tucker (3-1)
*–Region Game