Jordan Ellis scored three touchdowns, and Travis Bowers made big plays on defense and special teams to lead No. 7 Peachtree Ridge past No. 5 Mill Creek 31-30 on Friday in a back-and-forth battle of Gwinnett County unbeatens.
Ellis’ third touchdown run put the visiting Lions up 31-24 with 2:54 to play.
Mill Creek (3-1, 1-1 7-AAAAAA) answered with a 78-yard touchdown pass from Daniel David to DeVozea Felton with 1:39 left in the fourth quarter. Felton caught the pass between two Lions defenders at the 40-yard line and broke free for the score.
But Bryson King’s potential tying extra-point attempt was no good, allowing Peachtree Ridge (4-0, 2-0 7-AAAAAA) to escape with a big region victory. King had made 25 of 27 extra-point attempts before the miss and connected on a 41-yard field goal in the first half.
Ellis took over in the second half and finished with 143 yards on 29 carries. He carried the ball eight times on Peachtree Ridge’s go-ahead drive.
Bowers intercepted David’s first pass attempt of the game, setting up a 6-yard touchdown by Ellis. Bowers also recovered a muffed punt in the third quarter that led to an Ellis 2-yard touchdown run.
The second half featured four lead changes and two ties.
Mill Creek opened the second half with an 11-play, 89-yard drive, capped by a 9-yard touchdown run by Carter Governale. The Hawks ran 10 consecutive times on the drive and grabbed a 17-14 lead with five minutes left in the third quarter.
Governale scored again to open the fourth quarter, a 21-yard burst that put the Hawks up 24-21.
Mill Creek hurt itself with 15 penalties for 115 yards.
David scored on a 16-yard run in the first half.
Myron Burton caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Chance Thrasher that put Peachtree Ridge up 14-10 at halftime.
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