Sprayberry drops heartbreaker to Hiram

By Chip Saye

For the AJC

No. 6 Hiram rallied from a two-touchdown halftime deficit for the second consecutive week, and as a result the Hornets will get a shot at the first region championship in the program’s 10-year history.

Hiram scored 21 unanswered points in the second half, then blocked a potential game-tying extra point attempt with 3:17 remaining to beat Sprayberry 28-27 Friday night.

The victory gave Hiram (9-0, 5-0) the Region 7-AAAA Division B championship and a spot in next week’s region championship game at Dalton. It also guaranteed the Hornets a berth in the state playoffs, as well as a first-round home game. The Hiram-Dalton game will determine the region’s No. 1 and No. 2 seeds.

Hiram, which trailed Hillgrove 13-0 at halftime last week before rallying for a 28-20 victory, was behind 21-7 at halftime against Sprayberry, but the momentum shifted in the third quarter. On the first play from scrimmage, Hiram’s Leighton Gasque recovered a fumble and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 21-14.

Sprayberry (6-3, 4-1) moved to the Hiram 34 on its next possession, but the Hornets forced a punt and took over at their 9. Hiram then put together a 12-play, 91-yard drive that was capped by Charlie Sashington’s 12-yard run, which tied the game 21-21.

Hiram took its first lead with 4:57 remaining in the game, when Trey Wesley ran 69 yards for a touchdown. Diego Mondragon made the extra point, and it turned out to be an important one.

Sprayberry responded quickly, moving 65 yards in five plays. Jerick McKinnon ran 11 yards for a touchdown with 3:17 to play, cutting the lead to 28-27. But Paul Bailey’s extra-point attempt was blocked by Viondi Jones to preserve the lead and the victory.

Wesley finished with 126 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, and Sashington had 118 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

McKinnon finished with 169 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 23 carries, and he was 10 of 18 for 157 yards.

Sprayberry will face the third-place team from Division A in a region play-in game next weekend, with the winner advancing to the state playoffs.

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