By Adam Robinson

The Brewton Standard

BREWTON — Opp outscored T.R. Miller 29-0 in the final 11 minutes, 34 seconds of the fourth quarter to upset No. 2 T.R. Miller 51-42 on Friday night.

The win improved the Bobcats to 4-2 overall, and 3-0 in Class 3A, Region 1, while the Tigers fell to 6-1, and 3-1 in region play. The loss was TRM’s first regular-season loss in 17 games and first loss to OHS since the Bobcats won 10-7 in 1993.

Sophomore quarterback Orlando Lacey led the Bobcats with 214 yards rushing on 13 carries and had three rushing scores on the night. Lacey had four overall touchdowns as he picked up a loose ball on a kickoff return by the Tigers and scampered around 40 yards to help put the game away.

First-year Opp head coach Brent Hill said he loves his kids and the win was big for the Opp Bobcat program.

“We were excited about the challenge, but I was not expecting a shootout like this,” Hill said. “I could not be more pleased. I love these kids. And when I say that, you got to realize that these kids lost a heartbreaker (a 28-27 overtime loss to Andalusia) last week. I keep saying this, say what you want about us, but we are going to fight you. That is the biggest thing. We did not quit tonight and that is what I love about them.”

In the third quarter, T.R. Miller outscored Opp 15-8 to build a 35-22 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

T.R. Miller’s Derrick Murray gave T.R. Miller a 27-14 lead with 7:09 left in the third quarter, but Lacey went 64 yards on a run with 6:35 left in the quarter to cut T.R. Miller’s lead to 27-22. Jones Manning scored his second touchdown of the night for TRM to put the Tigers up 35-22 with 3:11 left in the quarter.

T.R. Miller would hold the 13-point lead heading into the fourth.

In the fourth, T.R. Miller seemed to put the game out of reach with a 2-yard run by Ahmaud Taylor to give the Tigers a 42-22 lead.

But from there, even after fumbling the ball away late in the game, the Opp defense held TRM scoreless the remainder of the game while their offense scored 29 straight points.

Lacey cut the Tigers’ lead to 42-30 with 10:24 left to play after an 8-yard score. From there, Raheem Bonam used a 65-yard score to cut the lead to 42-36 with 7:27 left.

With 1:44 left, White scored on a 5-yard run and a two-point conversion gave Opp a 44-42 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, Lacey picked up a TRM fumble and ran it back for a touchdown to put the Bobcats up 50-42 with 1:32 left in the game. Needing a successful PAT to put the game away, Opp got a good kick from Dalton Tidwell to take a 9-point lead. The kick was nullified by a penalty, but Tidwell would get injured on the play. Cale Pierce came in for Tidwell and nailed the PAT.

Opp wasted no time getting things started as Lacey went 76 yards on the first play from scrimmage to give the Bobcats an early 6-0 lead with 11:41 left in the first quarter.

T.R. Miller would get on the board next and added a score right at the end of the first to take a 13-6 lead. McHenry Coleman had T.R. Miller’s first score on a 9-yard run while Jones Manning scored on an 11-yard run.

T.R. Miller built a 20-6 lead in the second, when Trae Walker scored on a 4-yard run with 5:30 left before the half.

With 2:55 left before the half, Opp’s Ty’Keenan White scored on a 5-yard run to cut the Tigers’ lead to 20-14 at the half.