Daleville rallies to beat Pike County

BRUNDIDGE — When the Daleville Warhwaks broke down the huddle after Friday’s game, they ended it with the screams of “Region champs!”

They haven’t quite earned that moniker yet, but with the way they have been playing lately, it may just be a matter of time.

Jaurice Flowers scored on an 8-yard run  1:11 left in the game, and the Warhawks’ defense stifled one last Pike County Bulldogs’ possession to win 30-27.

The win snapped the Pike County Bulldogs’ 11-game region winning streak.

To even be in position to capture the victory, the Warhawks had to stage a second-half rally after falling behind 20-6 at halftime.

The Warhawks responded well, pushing the ball down Pike County’s throat. Brandon Burks capped a four-play, 49-yard drive  with a 23-yard touchdown run. The try for two failed, leaving the score at  20-12.

“We had to play together,” Burks said, noting at halftime the 15 seniors got together and encouraged the team to become as one.

On the next possession, the Warhawks continued the rally.  Behind a wave of emotion, a Bulldogs’  personal foul penalty and good blocking, the Daleville backs had great success, covering 61 yards in eight plays.

Burks capped the drive with a 4-yard touchdown run, but the two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving the score at 20-18.

On the next Pike County drive, senior quarterback Jerelle Bailey kept the ball on a designed run but was met immediately by four Daleville defenders.

He  stayed on the turf for a while before an ambulance carried him to a local hospital, where he was later released.

With backup Marlon Meadows, the Bulldogs’ offense struggled, further opening the door for the Warhawks’ rally.

And Daleville gladly walked through. A short punt put the Warhawks in great position, but despite that, they faced a third-and-8 situation from the 15.

Pike County got great pressure on Warhawks quarterback A.J. Jones, but Jones escaped long enough to throw a short pass to Chris Stone.

Stone took care of the rest, racing the distance to put Daleville ahead 24-20.

“Going back to last year, this team has been known as a second-half team,” Warhwaks head coach Brad McCoy said. “That’s a tribute to this team. We have 15 seniors. (The pressure) was on their backs.”

But the Bulldogs were not finished yet. On Meadows’ second full drive, Pike County found some rhythm after converting a fourth-and-1 on the first set of downs.

The Bulldogs gained huge chunks of running yardage, and the drive finished when Stephan Foster raced 21 yards for a score.

Bishop Caple, in place of Bailey, nailed the extra point to put the Bulldogs up 27-24 with 4:50 left.

The Warhwaks were not going to be denied. After a quick first down, the Warhawks converted a critical fourth down with a Burks 5-yard run.

Following the conversion, though, a holding penalty snuffed out a long Burks run and Jones slipped on a rollout.

Facing third-and-21, Pike County got great pressure on Jones as he tried to set up a screen. At the last second, he flipped the ball to Burks, who eluded three defenders in a matter of seconds.

He then hit the sideline and was not chased down until he reached the Pike County 8.

“It was hard. As soon as he pitched it, it was slow-mo for me. When I got out in the open, I thought about God. I give (credit) to God and my teammates,” Burks said of the run.

“It’s just a combination of playmakers and having the will to win,” McCoy said.

“Brandon Burks made one of the most miraculous plays I’ve ever seen,” Pike County head coach Robert Johnson said.

On the next play, Flowers finished the drive,and the extra point failed, leaving the score at 30-27.

Meadows fumbled the opening snap of the final drive and then suffered an injury.

Third-string quarterback Denzell Patterson connected with Kendrick Jackson for 14 yards and hit Quadry Greasham with another long pass.

Greasham, though, pushed off on the play and was whistled for pass interference. Facing a fourth-and-23, Flowers intercepted Patterson’s pass.

The win is the second for Daleville with 11 players suspended for a fight that occurred Sept. 27. The Warhawks have also won five straight since opening region play with a 21-2 loss to Opp.

“We realized it was a crossroads (after the fight),” McCoy said, noting his team could have folded after that incident. “They wanted to make it a positive. People want to say we have no discipline, no character, but I disagree. (The win)   shows it right there.”