Wheeler Falls In Overtime
What a game it was in Haskinsville last Friday night between the Wheeler County High School Bulldogs and the Hawkinsville Red Devils. It was a back and forth game that was finally decided in overtime, with Hawkinsville taking the win over the Bulldogs.
Both teams got on the board early in this game and were tied, 7-7, halfway through the first quarter. The score remained that way until the final minute of the first when the Devils found the end zone on a long 72-yard run. They went for the two-point conversion, but failed, giving them a 13-7 lead.
The score stayed that way until the five minute mark of the second when Hawkinsville found the end zone again, this time on a 19-yard run. They kicked the PAT for a 20-7 lead. Wheeler couldn't get much going over the remainder of the first half, and they went to the locker room trailing the Devils, 20-7.
In the third quarter the Devils extended their lead to 27-7 on an 84yard touchdown run with nine minutes on the clock.
Wheeler scored their second touchdown of the game just a couple of minutes later on a 14yard run. They made the extra point to close it to 27- 14.
After a big defensive stop, the Bulldogs got back to work and marched down the field, capping off the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Jay Adams. Wheeler made the PAT to make it a 27-21 game with three minutes left in the third quarter.
It wasn't until the final minute of the game when the Bulldogs scored another touchdown. Wheeler had taken over at their own 25-yard line with just under two minutes to go. A couple of big plays quickly moved them to the Hawkinville 13-yard line, and then they connected on a touchdown pass with less than a minute to play. That tied the game at 27-27, and Wheeler just needed the extra point to take the lead. That was not to happen, though, as they missed the kick.
That sent the game to overtime tied at, 2727. In overtime the Bulldogs had the ball first and were not able to get into the end zone as they were stopped at the 15yard line.
Hawkinsville took over, and in just a couple of plays, the Devils took it in for the winning touchdown. The Devils got the win, 33-27, over the Bulldogs. Wheeler almost pulled off the big come-back win.
The loss moves Wheeler to 3-4 on the year and 0-2 in Region play. Wheeler is off this week and will get back to action the next as they host Telfair County.