Peachtree Ridge Stuns Collins Hill

Updated 5:54 a.m., Oct. 8, 2011

It played like a classic backyard football game between crosstown Suwanee rivals and  on Friday night.

The game featured a reverse, a flea flicker, a fake field goal, an onside kick and a last-minute touchdown pass.

Just like boys playing in the back yard, the game was settled in the final minute of play. The scoreboard read Peachtree Ridge 28, Collins Hill 27. The win gives the visiting Lions a share of the Region 7-AAAAA lead with Suwanee rival North Gwinnett.

Peachtree Ridge started their winning possession down six points with with 1:20 left on the clock and 74 yards from the end zone. After moving the ball steadily up the field, Billy Best took a snap from the Eagles 28-yard line and looked like he was headed for a 10-yard loss. Somehow Best eluded the Collins Hill defender and found Darien Horn in the end zone with 38 seconds on the clock to tie the game. Connor Rouleau added the extra point for the final margin of victory.

“The kids never quit believing” said Peachtree Ridge coach Mark Fleetwood. “We work on the two-minute drill every week and this is why.”

It wasn't easy for the Lions (5-1, 3-0 Region 7-AAAAA). They looked rusty after the region bye week with missed passes, dropped balls and a pile of penalties. The penalties (10) cost the Lions 95 yards and wiped out numerous big plays.

“I told them that we are not playing like we are capable of playing.” Fleetwood said. “They'll see that when they watch the film.”

The Eagles (2-4, 1-2 Region 7-AAAAA) looked like they used the bye week to sharpen up a few trick plays. They successfully executed a flea flicker play for a 44-yard touchdown and a fake field goal for a 19-yard gain.

The Eagles were led offensively by quarterback Brett Sheehan, who completed 10 of 18 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. Sheehan's favorite receiver was Nick England, who finished with five receptions for 76 yards. Jordan Parker rushed 21 times for 37 yards and found the end zone twice. The Eagles gained 330 total yards of offense.

The Lions gained 372 total yards. Best completed 17 of 31 passes for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Diandre Atwater had 68 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

The first quarter went quickly with each team having a single possession. The Eagles capped the opening drive of the game with a 25-yard field goal by Mitchell Blanchard to take an early 3-0 lead. The Lions then used all of the seven minutes left in the first quarter, and a minute of the second before Best connected with Ahmaad Harris for a 30-yard strike. It would be the only lead for the Lions until the final minute.

Collins Hill dominated the remainder of the second quarter, scoring twice while the defense forced two punts by Peachtree Ridge. The half appeared to be headed toward a uneventful end when Sheehan connected with England on a 35-yard pass with 26 seconds left to set up the Eagles on the Lions 12. The Eagles had to settle for a field goal and took a 13-7 lead into halftime.

The Lions appeared to establish some momentum with the ground game to open the second half. But a fumble on an option play set up the Eagles on the Lions 37-yard line. That's when the Eagles pulled out one of their trick plays. It looked like the Lions defense had held on the short field when Mitchell Blanchard, the kicker, threw a 19-yard pass on a fake field goal to Parker. Parker scored a few plays later to give the Eagles a 20-7 lead.

With the momentum clearly in their favor, the Eagles made a mistake that allowed the Lions to stay close. After a stout defensive stand by the home team, Peachtree Ridge was forced to punt, but Collins Hill fumbled the punt. Then, just three plays later, Atwater took a pitch from Best on an option around the right end to score from 19 yards out.

Collins Hill went ahead by two scores for a second time with 9:59 remaining in the game. Sheehan, the quarterback, lined up as a wide receiver and it appeared the Eagles would run a wildcat formation play. Sheehan received a backward pitch on what looked like a run play and then threw to a wide-open Tevin Holliday for a 44-yard score.

Then with 5:46 left in the game, the Collins Hill defense made another stand and the Eagles took over possession on downs. With a 13-point lead and the ball, it looked like the game was all but finished.

That's when the dramatic finish started. In the last 3:12 the Lions scored twice to pull-off an unthinkable comeback finish and one that will be talked about for years to come. Best tossed a screen pass to Atwater that went for 72 yards and set up the Lions first and goal at the 3-yard line. Raham Dixon punched the ball in the end zone on the next play to pull the Lions within 6.

It looked like the Lions had recovered the ensuing onside kick. But they didn't secure possession of the ball and it ended up out of bounds. By rule, the ball went to the Eagles.  Peachtree Ridge held Collins Hill to a three-and-out series and then scored the game-winning touchdown to close out the game.

Next week, Peachtree Ridge plays Norcross and Collins Hill plays at Mill Creek.

 PEACHTREE RIDGE 28, COLLINS HILL 27

P'tree Ridge

0

7

7

14

-

28

Collins Hill

3

10

7

7

-

27

FIRST QUARTER

Collins Hill: Mitchell Blanchard 25 yard FG 25 7:16

SECOND QUARTER

Peachtree Ridge: Billy Best 30 yard pass to Ahmaad Harris (Connor Rouleau kick) 11:03

Collins Hill: Jordan Parker 8 yard run (Mitchell Blanchard kick) 9:05

Collins Hill: Mitchell Blanchard 21 yard FG 0:01

THIRD QUARTER

Collins Hill: Jordan Parker 1 yard run (Mitchell Blanchard kick) 6:23

Peachtree Ridge: Diandre Atwater 19 yard run (Connor Rouleau kick) 4:13

FOURTH QUARTER

Collins Hill: Brett Sheehan 44 yard pass to Tevin Holliday (Mitchell Blanchard kick) 9:59

Peachtree Ridge: Raham Dixon 3 yard run (Connor Rouleau kick) 3:04

Peachtree Ridge: Billy Best 28 yard pass to Darien Horn (Connor Rouleau kick) 0:38