Westlake advanced to the state quarterfinals for the second time in school history with a 28-9 win over Peachtree Ridge Friday night in a Class AAAAAA second-round matchup.
Linebacker Christian Abercrombie intercepted Peachtree Ridge quarterback Bubba Hickson twice in the final two minutes to secure the win for Westlake, who will play No. 2 Grayson next Friday.
His first interception with 2:01 to play led to a 7-yard touchdown run by Marquez Burdette to put Westlake up 21-9. Abercrombie returned the second interception 47 yards for a touchdown with seconds left to play.
Westlake took a 7-0 lead with 7:15 to play in the second quarter after a 66-yard scoring drive that ended with an 18-yard pass from quarterback Malik Willis to receiver Kristen Griffin. A 38-yard run from Marquez Burdette and a 15-yard horse collar penalty put Westlake at the Peachtree Ridge 23, and Westlake scored three plays later.
Westlake forced a Peachtree Ridge punt with 45 seconds to play before halftime and went ahead 14-0 after Willis hit A.J. Terrell for a 21-yard touchdown pass to complete a 2-play, 61-yard drive with 13 seconds left. Willis ran for 40 yards on the previous play to set up the score.
Willis finished the night 89 yards rushing and 92 yards passing.
“That last drive before halftime was big,” Westlake head coach Bryan Love said. “Anytime you can take advantage of an extra possession and get the ball in the end zone or any kind of points, it’s huge.”
Peachtree Ridge pulled within 14-9 with 9:50 to play when Malik Staples scored from two yards out to complete a 14-yard drive. Chad Clay returned a Westlake punt 20 yards to the 28 and earned a horse collar penalty, moving the ball inside the 15. Bubba Hickson hit Christian Sutton for a 10-yard pass to the 2, and Staples scored on the next play.
Peachtree Ridge forced a Westlake punt with 3:33 to go and moved the ball inside the 30 before Abercrombie’s first interception. Hickson finished 11-of-24 passing for 110 yards.
Burdette finished with 100 yards rushing on 19 carries for Westlake (10-2), which has won Region 3-AAAAAA in consecutive years. Westlake won 10 games in a season for the first time since 1999, when the Lions finished 11-2 and reached the Class AAA quarterfinals. Love has led Westlake to its first back-to-back playoff appearances since 2005 and 2006.
Peachtree Ridge, a two-time state finalist since starting football in 2003, last reached the quarterfinals in 2009. Peachtree Ridge (8-4) finished second in Region 7-AAAAAA.
Both teams sailed in their opening round games, as Peachtree Ridge beat West Forsyth 51-3 and Westlake led Lakeside-Atlanta 62-13 at the half on the way to a 76-20 win.
Westlake 28, Peachtree Ridge 9
P 0 0 3 6 9
W 0 14 0 14 28
W - Kristen Griffin 18 pass from Malik Willis (Andy Baskin kick)
W - A.J. Terrell 21 pass from Willis (Baskin kick)
P - Zaniel Phillips 33 FG
P - Malik Staples 2 run (pass failed)
W - Marquez Burdette 7 run (Baskin kick)
W - Christian Abercrombie 47 int return (Baskin kick)
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