TRINITY – Chandler Cookenmaster had a performance Thursday night that he and the Addison Bulldogs will not forget for a very long time.
The senior rushed for 146 yards on 24 carries and scored a touchdown. But his biggest play of the evening was an interception at the Addison 32-yard line with less than a minute remaining to save the Bulldogs in a 26-21 victory over Decatur Heritage Christian Academy.
With first place in 1A, Region 7 at stake, the Bulldogs shook off a furious comeback by the Eagles in the final quarter when Decatur Heritage scored two touchdowns in a span of 24 seconds, forcing the Bulldogs to go into survival mode.
Addison is now 4-0 in Region 7 and 7-0 for the season. The No. 4 ranked Bulldogs ended a four-game winning streak by the No. 6 rated Eagles, dropping them to 2-1 in the region and 4-2 overall.
Coach David Smothers got his 35th victory at Addison in his 50th game as head coach of the Bulldogs, with his career winning percentage now at .700. The Bulldogs can wrap up the region title next week at home if they defeat their county rival, the Meek Tigers.
Addison claimed four turnovers from Decatur Heritage during the encounter with the first two setting up touchdown drives.
The Eagles' Grayson Wakefield threw an interception that Zayne Guthrie picked off for the Bulldogs, putting Addison with a first down at its 20-yard line, early in the opening period.
The potent running game chewed up yardage thanks to a 25-yard run by quarterback Noah Rice, runs of 18 and 11 yards by Cookenmaster and a 22-yard blast up the middle from fullback Zeb Maze. Maze took it with 5:39 to play in the quarter and a 2-point run from Rice gave Addison an 8-0 advantage.
Nathan Ladner, the Eagles' other quarterback, picked up 11 on a run early in the second period, but fumbled and the Bulldogs had possession at the Addison 49.
Behind another good series of running the ball, the Bulldogs went up 14-0 as Maze scored on a 2-yard run. The conversion failed with 4:46 to play in the half.
Decatur Heritage got a drive going by the passing of Ladner as he drove the Eagles from their 37 all the way to the 1-yard line. But the last play of the half, Jeffery Hunter was tackled a yard shy of the end zone and the Eagles left the field scoreless.
Getting good field position to start the second half, the Eagles drove 51 yards and cut the Addison lead to 14-7 when Lynn Buckner took a pass from Wakefield for a 6yard touchdown on third down. Shawn Metzgar kicked the extra point with 8:55 to play in the period.
A 21-yard kickoff return by Braxton Prueitt put Addison from its 41 on the next series. It was the running of Cookenmaster that capped off the series as he scored on a 14-yard run. He set up the drive with a 21-yard gain on the first play. But the Bulldogs failed to convert on the 2-point try and were up 20-7 with 7:12 to go.
Forcing the Eagles to punt from inside their 25, the Bulldogs had good field position at their 47 for their final drive in the third. It was Rice who ran around left end on an option 42 yards for the touchdown, and the Bulldogs led 26-7.
But before the quarter ended, the Eagles moved from their 22 and reached the Addison 7 thanks to a 27-yard run from Keith Jackson and some quality throws by Wakefield.
The final period began with Wakefield taking it in from the 7 and the kick by Metzgar closed the score to 26-14.
On the first snap by Addison after the kickoff, Rice ran up the middle to his 40-yard line. But Hunter ripped the ball out of Rice's hands and raced untouched to the end zone for the Eagles' second score in just 24 seconds.
The Eagles were now behind 26-21 with 11 minutes and 56 seconds still on the clock.
Decatur Heritage surprised everyone with an onside kick attempt. It backfired as Trace Thompson fell on the ball for Addison at the Bulldogs' 49.
The Bulldogs drove all the way to inside the 1-yard line by grinding it out with Maze the main weapon.
Addison took almost eight minutes off the clock. But Maze could not punch it in on fourth-and-goal from the 3 with the Eagles getting the ball and having 3:56 to work with trying to knock the Bulldogs from the ranks of the undefeated.
Wakefield picked up three first downs on runs of 14, 11 and 15 yards and hit Hunter for a 19-yard gain.
With the ball at the Addison 40, the Eagles threw a pass toward the Heritage sideline, but Cookenmaster stepped in front of Hunter, intercepting the ball with 1:54 remaining.
Addison put the ball into Maze's hands who gained a first down past the Bulldogs' 42 and Rice then took two snaps, going to his knees, running out the clock after the Eagles had burned their timeouts.
The Bulldogs rushed for 348 yards with Cookenmaster getting 146, Rice 130 and Maze 89. The trio helped the Bulldogs collect 20 first downs and be penalized only three times, covering 25 yards.
Decatur Heritage was solid in the passing game with 199 yards, but threw three interceptions. Guthrie had the first, Oakley Gilbreath the second and Cookenmaster the third one that was the most important on the night.
Addison gained 50 yards on four pass completions by Rice with Cookenmaster making two catches for 27 yards.
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