WEST POINT, Ala. – West Point was back home Friday night to host Brewer for a big regional battle with a postseason berth on the line and the Warriors pulled away in the final frame to top the Patriots 27-13 and punch their playoff ticket.
Brewer received the opening kickoff, starting at its own 27. JJ Nicholson and Carson Oden moved the ball out to their own 37 for a first down before the West Point defense shut them down and forced a punt.
The Warrior offense started at its own 28 and the running game with Ollie Howard and Parker Marks got the Warriors down to 14 where the drive stalled. Omar Segundo hit his first field goal of the night from 31 yards out and West Point led 3-0 with 3:44 left in the first quarter.
Brewer moved the ball down to the 5-yard line on its next possession just before the first quarter ended. With just seven seconds gone in the second, Walker Latham scored to get the Patriots on the board and Brewer took a 7-3 lead.
West Point’s next drive seemed to stall on their own 39 but on fourth down Hunter Lindsey called his own number and went 46 yards down to the 15-yard line. Segundo finished the drive with his second field goal of the night and trimmed the lead to 7-6 at the halftime break.
The Patriots caught a break at the start of the third quarter when the Warriors fumbled the kickoff at their own 38. On the second play from the line of scrimmage, CJ Watson took it into the end zone and put Brewer on top 13-6.
As both defenses stepped up their game, Lindsey broke through the Patriot line on West Point’s next drive and went 40 yards for a Warrior touchdown. Segundo’s extra point gave the Warriors a 14-13 lead.
The fourth quarter was a hard-fought defensive battle. West Point finally broke the stalemate with 2:48 left in the game when Dawson Smith punched one into the end zone to score and put the Warriors ahead 20-13.
Brewer had one more shot to tie the game or win it with less than two minutes remaining. Starting at their own 36, they get the ball down to the Warrior 30-yard line. Facing fourth down with 20 seconds left in the game, West Point’s Chance Aldridge picked off a Patriot pass and he returned it all the way for the game-sealing touchdown as the stadium erupted in cheers, securing a 27-13 win for the Warriors.
With the win, West Point finishes the regular season 5-5 and secures a spot in the upcoming state playoffs.
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