Girard outlasts South Range in high-scoring meeting
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GIRARD -- With Girard and South Range each averaging more than 45 points per game coming into Friday night's battle for top honors in the Northeast 8 Conference, the contest promised to deliver plenty of offensive fireworks and both teams delivered.
In a shootout that came down to the final possession, the Indians jumped out to a big lead and fended off a furious Raiders comeback to remain unbeaten 46-42 in an action-packed instant classic at Arrowhead Stadium.
"I tell you what, we love these kids so much and we want so much for them," Girard head coach Pat Pearson said. "They work so hard, they're great kids and they're playing their tails off. You get so excited for them, man. That's what it's all about. We live for them and for their success."
Christian Mahone scored the game-winning touchdown for Girard on a 7-yard run with just over a minute left, and AJ Pearson intercepted Raiders quarterback Nick Toy on the game's penultimate possession to seal the victory.
"I think it was the team that had the ball last," Pat Pearson said. "Maybe our kids got a lot of heart and soul. They never quit. But so do they. So much respect for South Range and Coach [David] Rach, his kids and that program. I think we just ended up with the ball in our hands last."
Girard wasted no time getting started, as Amire Brown ran back the opening kickoff 85 yards to put the Indians on the board.
It didn't take South Range long to respond, as Tyler Cole ripped off a 47-yard touchdown run roughly two minutes later.
Brown then quickly showed off his game-breaking speed once again, as Girard quarterback AJ Pearson hit him over the top of the Raiders' defense for a 71-yard touchdown on the first play of the ensuing drive.
Things started to snowball for the Indians from there, as Girard turned two South Range turnovers into touchdowns.
After Will Sanders recovered a Raiders fumble off a muffed snap, AJ Pearson kept the ball himself for an 8-yard touchdown run, which put the Indians up 21-7 towards the end of the first quarter.
With South Range driving, Toy was picked off by Brown in the end zone for a touchback. Girard quickly extended its lead to 28-7 with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Pearson to Braxton Sloan on the first play of the second quarter.
The Raiders weren't going to go away quietly, however. Down by 21 points, South Range went on a scoring run to eventually take the lead in the second half.
Despite a series of penalties that backed them up into third-and-goal from their own 27, Toy found Jason Vorshak on a jump ball in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.
The Indians don't turn the ball over often, but Pearson was intercepted by South Range's Collin King and suddenly, the Raiders had new life.
In the final minutes of the first half, Toy threw his second touchdown pass of the night, finding Tommy Titus from 20 yards out to cut South Range's deficit to eight, as Girard led 28-20 at the intermission.
On the first drive of the second half, Vorshak ran for a 14-yard touchdown and Toy completed a pass on the two-point try to suddenly tie the game at 28.
From there, an action-packed fourth quarter ensued. South Range took its first lead of the night on a 28-yard run from Toy, and both teams went back-and-forth the rest of the period.
"We stopped getting out of our own way," Rach said. "I think we spotted them seven on the kick return. Did a poor job on that. Had a couple communication errors defensively, gave up explosives, turned the ball over and had too many penalties. We just made way too many errors to beat a good team and that's what happens."
AJ Pearson's 1-yard touchdown run was set up by an 83-yard reception by Brown, who finished with over 250 receiving yards in addition to his kickoff return and interception.
"He's a special kid," Pat Pearson said of Brown. "But the things that he did, you don't see the way he led, the way he kept things together. We almost broke. He was a positive voice. That stuff right there is what makes him special. Obviously he's a great football player. He's an unbelievable person, and I love him."
A 65-yard touchdown run from Vorshak made it 42-34 and looked like the dagger for the Raiders, but the Indians were resilient.
Pearson found Braxton Sloan for a 28-yard touchdown pass to make it a two-point game, and after a stop, Girard marched back down the field to finally retake the lead on Mahone's touchdown run, sealing the deal on AJ Pearson's interception.
AJ Pearson finished 16-for-43 for 431 yards and three touchdowns, to go with 65 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
"We got a lot to play for still," Rach said. "We gotta do a better job in some critical situations. We gotta go back to work. We're not going to lick our wounds and feel sorry for us. We're going to get up and go, and we'll go to work in the morning."