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BGA outlasts Smyrna in overtime thriller

BGA outlasts Smyrna in overtime thriller

From the Williamson Herald…
Four quarters was not long enough to decide Friday night’s Week 0 game between Battle Ground Academy and Smyrna as the Wildcats outlasted the Bulldogs 29-26 in overtime in Rutherford County.

Following a Smyrna field goal on the first possession of extra time, BGA running back Kennan Bass crossed the goal line on a 7-yard run to secure the Wildcat win.

“My line blocked great,” Bass said of the play. “I got the ball, went outside, and saw it was open. Touchdown.”

The win showed character for the BGA squad under new coach Roc Batten.

“This is a good football team we just played,” the excited first-year coach said after the game. “They have a lot of history and great players. Our team has fight and we never gave up. We know how to battle back.”

Smyrna, runners up in Class 6A last season, rallied from down 13 points with 5:29 in the fourth quarter to tie the contest with 30 seconds remaining on a diving catch by Demario Thompson. Senior quarterback Joe Shelton scrambled to his right to avoid pressure before finding Thompson in the back of the end zone on first-and-ten from the 11. The Bulldogs’ hopes were almost crushed one play earlier on fourth-and-ten when Shelton’s pass was deflected by one receiver before being caught by Thompson for a 22-yard gain to prolong the drive.

The Bulldogs cut BGA’s advantage to 23-16 on a 5-yard run by Shelton with just over four minutes remaining on the clock following a questionable possession by the Wildcats.

“I probably made a couple of bad calls through out the game,” Batten admitted. “But I like the way we finished the game and got the W.”

Facing a fourth-and-one from their own 44-yard line, BGA elected to quarterback sneak rather than punt and give Smyrna a long field. The try ended up losing yards and giving the Bulldogs excellent field position.

BGA did not let momentum completely swing in the Bulldogs direction as they answered the late score with a drive of their own before controversy struck.  Click here to continue reading.