Last second touchdown gives Phil Campbell a 46-38 win over county rival Red Bay

Do you like football games that turn into offensive explosions? If so, you should have been in Phil Campbell’s Parrish Stadium Friday night for the fireworks between the Bobcats and intra-county rival Red Bay.

Paced by three Hayston Scott’s first half touchdowns, Phil Campbell survived a Red Bay second half scoring frenzy and won the regular season finale for both teams 46-38, to finish 4-1 at home.

The teams combined for 40 first half points on a combination of explosive plays by both offenses. There were plenty of dumb penalties as well, with both teams receiving multiple penalties for late hits, unsportsmanlike conduct, face masking and holding.

Phil Campbell took a 6-0 lead midway through the first quarter when Braxton Downey scored from six yards out. The two-point conversion failed, and the Bobcats led 6-0.

After a three and out on its first possession, the Tigers had a nice drive going on thier second possession, moving all the way to the Phil Campbell 25. On fourth down and two, Jaxon Vinson was stopped for a one-yard loss by Ethan Holman and the Bobcats took over on downs.

On its next possession, Phil Campbell completed an eight-play, 74-yard drive with a Hayston Scott 46-yard touchdown run on fourth down. The two-point conversion failed, and the Bobcats led 12-8 with 10:48 left in the half.

The first half offensive show didn’t slow down as the Bobcats marched down the field, aided by two Red Bay personal fouls that kept the drive alive. Phil Campbell faced a fourth and five from the Red Bay 27, and Logan Cooper’s nine-yard run gave the Bobcats four new downs with 6:08 left in the half.

After an incompletion on first down, another Red Bay personal foul gave Phil Campbell first and goal at the seven.

Scott scored again on second and goal from the three, making it 18-8 Phil Campbell. The third two-point conversion was the charm, as Scott connected with Chandler Benford to give the Bobcats a 20-8 lead with 5:08 left.

Red Bay was driving again, but Phil Campbell’s Hagen Raper intercepted Jeremiah Thorne in the end zone and raced 77 yards on the return to the Tigers 23. Scott scored his third first half touchdown on the next play. The two-point try failed and Phil Campbell led 26-8.

Vinson took over from there for Red Bay, and finished the quick drive with a 51-yard touchdown run for the Tigers with 1:55 left. After a failed PAT, the new score was 26-14 Phil Campbell.

A 30-yard completion from Scott to Austin Elliott was negated by a Phil Campbell holding penalty, and the Bobcats faced a first and 17 at their own 13. That crippling penalty triggered the Tigers’ first defensive stop of the half, as the teams went into halftime with Phil Campbell leading 26-14.

On its first play of the second half, Phil Campbell had a big pass completion from Scott to Raper, but he fumbled at the Red Bay 44 and the Tigers took over.

The Bobcats’ defense stiffened and after a three-and-out and a Red Bay punt, the Phil Campbell offense started at its 14 yard line. Five plays later, Phil Campbell’s Logan Motes punted for the first time. Red Bay took over at its 40, trailing 26-14 with 8:57 left in the third.

A 41-yard completion from Jeremiah Thorne to Davien Colburn gave Red Bay a first and goal at the Bobcats’ one, after another penalty was assessed against Phil Campbell. The Tigers scored on the next play, and the two-point conversion run by Joshua Thorne was good.

With 6:00 left in the quarter, Red Bay now trailed 26-22. The Tigers converted two of their three two-point conversions.

Sensing the urgency of getting a score, Phil Campbell head coach Jacob Hamilton decided on his team’s next possession to go for two fourth down attempts on the next drive, including a fourth and 11 from the Phil Campbell 46 and a second fourth and 11 from the Red Bay 43. And his team responded in the clutch.

A 12-yard completion to Cooper kept the drive alive and four plays later, from the Red Bay 43, Phil Campbell executed a double flea flicker to perfection, resulting in a 43-yard TD reception, again by Cooper.

Phil Campbell failed on its fourth two-point try of five attempts, but led 32-22 after three quarters.

Red Bay converted a key fourth down of its own on the next drive, on a Thorne keeper that gained seven on fourth and three.

With first and goal at the Phil Campbell two-yard line, Red Bay drew closer with 6:45 remaining with a Thorne sneak into the end zone. Thorne then hit Colburn for the two-point conversion and it was 32-30 Phil Campbell with 6:43 left in the game.

Phil Campbell needed a lengthy drive to hold onto its lead, and got good field position after a short kick, starting at the 40-yard line. Scott picked up 17 on the first play, giving Phil Campbell a first down at the Red Bay 43.

Ayden Pruitt tackled Downey for a two-yard loss on first down, then Scott followed with a five-yard run, setting up third and seven at the 40. Chandler Benford hauled in a laser pass from Scott, good for 10 yards and a Bobcat first down at the Red Bay 30, with 4:24 left.

Cooper picked up another Phil Campbell first down on a 13-yard run to the Red Bay 17, with 3:24 remaining.

Downey picked up seven yards on the next play, down to the Tigers’ six. Scott found the end zone for the fourth time, giving Phil Campbell a 38-30 lead with 2:49 remaining, setting up a massive two-point try. Phil Campbell was flagged for an illegal block, erasing a successful conversion and forcing a failed retry from the 18 yard line.

Red Bay remained with one score, down by eight, as the Tigers’ offense began at their 35-yard line.

An 12-yard completion from Thorne to Colburn gave Red Bay a first down at its 47, with 2:30 left. After dropped passes on first and second down, Phil Campbell’s Cooper made the defensive play of the drive, snuffing out a sweep for a five-yard loss.

Red Bay’s fate came down to a fourth and 15 from its 42. The Tigers went old school with a successful hook-and-lateral for 53 yards to the Phil Campbell five with 1:58 remaining.

Joshua Thorne picked up two on first down, as the clock ticked down to 1:15. On second down, another Jeremiah Thorne QB keeper up the middle brought Red Bay within two at 38-36, with 1:03 remaining.

Phil Campbell was called for offsides on the two-point try, giving the Tigers an easier attempts from just outside the one. Joshua Thorne took it in easily and the offensive showcase was tied 38-38, with the Bobcat offense set to take the field with 1:03 remaining and the drive beginning at the Phil Campbell 38.

After an incompletion on first down, the Bobcats were flagged for delay of game on second down. Scott picked up eight of the 15 yards needed, setting up a big third down and seven from the Phil Campbell 41 with :44 left.

On third down, Scott evaded the Red Bay rush for more than 15 seconds before hitting Benford all the way to the Red Bay 34 as :20 remained on the clock.

After Scott dropped the snap, he regained his composure and threw a perfect strike to Austin Elliott in the end zone with :09 remaining. The two-point was good, and the Bobcats led 46-38.

The final seconds ticked off on the ensuing kickoff, and Phil Campbell survived a furious Red Bay rally to close the regular season with a win.

Next Friday, Phil Campbell, 6-4, travels to 3A Region 6 champion Piedmont for a first-round playoff game, and Red Bay, 8-2, will host Sand Rock in its playoff opener.