In a winner take all for the regular season Pioneer District Championship, the Narrows Green Wave (8-1/5-0) in a shootout, hung on to defeat the Bath County Chargers (4-6/3-2) 42-35.
The Chargers who have had an impressive season finished 1-4 on the road this season and came a long way from their early three-game losing streak in which they lost by double digits on the road in each game.
On Friday, the Chargers kept the game close all game long and nearly pulled out a 14-point fourth quarter comeback.
Wyatt Campbell, once again was a menace for the opposing defense as he put together another four touchdown performance. Campbell finished the game 11-for-20 with 117 yards and two touchdown passes, while he added another 87 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns.
The Chargers also grabbed big performances from Andrew Turner and Caiden Offer whom each had a reception touchdown and a rushing touchdown. Offer led the Chargers in receptions with four and had a touchdown rush of 23 yards.
Despite losing the turnover battle 2-1, the Green Wave, got a whole lot of offense as the team was led by Sam Albert’s four rushing touchdown performance. Albert finished with 155 yards on the ground on 21 carries. Albert also added two receptions. Meanwhile, Aidan McGlothlin continued his impressive season as he completed 11 of his 15 passes for 168 yards and two touchdown passes. McGlothlin also rushed for 38 yards.
The Green Wave finished with 378 total yards to the Chargers 237.
There was a total of 25 penalties, which the Green Wave committed just three more than the Chargers 14-11. That is something the Green Wave have overcome more than a few times this season when losing in the penalties column. The Green Wave did so just a few weeks back when they faced the Covington Cougars where they rallied from double digits down in the second half.
The game itself last Friday started like a normal Chargers game that we have come to see and that’s the Chargers jumping out ahead. Campbell opened the scoring with a three-yard rush. Braiden Mabe’s extra point put the team ahead 7-0 with just over five minutes left in the first quarter.
The Green Wave would bounce back and scored on their next three possessions of first half to take a 21-7 lead going into the second half. A. McGlothin threw both his touchdown passes during that first half scoring run, including a 56-yard slant pass to Carson Crigger.
Heading into the third quarter, the Green Wave increased their lead to 28-7 following Albert’s second touchdown run, this time from 23 yards out.
Game over, right?
The resiliency of this Chargers football team started gaining steam with its offense. With just over two minutes left in the third quarter, the Chargers ended their scoring drought after Campbell found the end zone for the second time and following a Mabe extra point, the Chargers were back within two scores at 28-14.
Prior to Campbell’s second rushing touchdown, the Chargers had been held scoreless for over 27 minutes.
However, Albert didn’t want to see a potential comeback happen as he opened the start of the fourth quarter with his second rushing touchdown of over 20 yards. The Green Wave went back up three scores at 35-14.
The Chargers though would not quit and scored on their next two possession to cut the game to one score.
Following Albert’s score, Campbell connected with Turner on his only reception of the game from 38 yards out for the score. Made would cut the lead down to 35-21.
The Green Wave then on their own side of the football field, committed a costly turnover as the Chargers recovered it. A few plays later, Offer scored from 23 yards out. Made’s extra point brought the Chargers within a score of the Green Wave with over six minutes remaining.
Despite plenty of time of the scoreboard, the Chargers elected to go for the onside kick, which was recovered by the Green Wave. The Green Wave would eat up just under five minutes of the game clock before Albert once again found the end zone to give the Green Wave a 42-28 lead.
But the Chargers continued to fight and would not quit. Using about one minute, Campbell would toss his second touchdown pass the off the game, this time to Offer.
With 22 seconds left, the Chargers would come up short of their second onside kick attempt. The Green Wave would get one kneel down from A. McGlothlin to seal the district championship victory.
The Chargers were headed to the Class 1, Region C playoffs regardless of the outcome, but the loss dropped the team in seeding. The Chargers are the eighth seed and will travel on Friday to play the number one seeded Galax Maroon Tide (7-3) who are out of the Mountain Empire District. Meanwhile, the Green Wave will host the Cougars tomorrow at 7:00 p.m.
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Pioneer District
Chargers at Green Wave
Team Pts/Qtr Total
BCHS 7 0 7 21 35
NHS 7 14 7 14 42
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SCORING PLAYS
First Quarter:
Chargers – Campbell rush, PAT – BCHS 7, NHS 0
Green Wave – Pruett pass from McGlothlin, PAT – BCHS 7, NHS 7
Second Quarter:
Green Wave – Albert rush, PAT – BCHS 7, NHS 14
Green Wave – Crigger pass from McGlothlin, PAT – BCHS 7, NHS 21
Third Quarter:
Green Wave – Albert rush, PAT – BCHS 7, NHS 28
Chargers – Campbell rush, PAT – BCHS 14, NHS 28
Fourth Quarter:
Green Wave – Albert rush, PAT – BCHS 14, NHS 35
Chargers – Turner pass from Campbell, PAT – BCHS 21, NHS 35
Chargers – Offer rush, PAT – BCHS 28, NHS 35
Green Wave – Albert Rush, PAT – BCHS 28, NHS 42
Chargers – Offer pass from Campbell, PAT – BCHS 35, NHS 42
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