Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Straughn won its fourth straight game and shocked New Brockton with a late touchdown in the fourth quarter for a 36-33 senior night win Friday night.

The Tigers clinched a playoff spot and improved to 5-3 overall and 5-1 in 4A Region 2. The Gamecocks fell to 3-6 and 2-4.

“I told my guys we had to play a disciplined, clean game for us to be successful. It got a little sloppy, and our guys found a way to pull it out. I’m proud of our guys for showing their guts and pulling it off,” Head Coach Garrett Windham said.

Straughn started the game at its own 24-yard line as Tate Watson converted a third-and-8 with a 10-yard pass to Saxby Radford. Two plays later, Charlie Jordan raced 51 yards down to the 8-yard line. Cameron Adams capped the six-play drive with an 8-yard touchdown run. Brenden Bartholomew added the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 10:15 left in the opening quarter.

Anthony Silar returned the kickoff to the 46-yard line and earned a first down with a 12-yard run on second-and-8. New Brockton crossed midfield before Avery Smith recovered a fumble at the home 36-yard line.

The Tigers were unable to capitalize on the turnover and went three-and-out. The Gamecocks could not gain any momentum after Brayden Gunter and Eli Grissett made tackles for loss. A fake punt went awry as the defense forced a turnover on downs.

Starting at the opposing 33-yard line, Adams picked up nine yards on the first two plays of the next drive. Adams converted a third-and-1 with a 24-yard touchdown run. Bartholomew was true once again as Straughn doubled its lead to 14-0 at the 4:39 mark.

Following a touchback, Silar began the next possession with a 14-yard run and cut the deficit in half with a 66-yard touchdown run. Cayden Avalos added the point after and brought New Brockton within 14-7 as 4:06 remained in the first quarter.

The Tigers relied on the running of Jordan who moved the chains on a third-and-1 with an 8-yard gain. The drive came to an abrupt halt with a fumble at the home 39-yard line. Silar moved the Gamecocks into the red zone as the quarter came to an end. Silar scored on a 3-yard touchdown run, but the two-point conversion failed and left the score 14-13 with 10:44 left until halftime.

Straughn began its next drive at the 39-yard line and gained three first-down carries from Jordan. Watson kept the drive alive with a 10-yard pass to Clark Gay for another first down. Jordan then crossed the goal line with his knee down, but officials ruled the play a fumble as Dawson Peacock returned it 99 yards for a score. The PAT was good and gave New Brockton their first lead at 20-14 with 6:21 left in the first half.

The teams traded three-and-outs before the Tigers were pinned deep. After a holding call, Jordan had a 47-yard run across midfield. Adams and Jordan earned consecutive first-down runs before Jordan scored from 21 yards out. Bartholomew’s PAT took the score to 21-20 with 1:18 left. The Gamecocks converted a fourth-and-1 before the half ended.

New Brockton reclaimed a 27-21 lead with an 82-yard touchdown run by Silar on the second play of the second half. Jordan started the next possession with a 21-yard run, while Jeremiah Toole had three carries for 17 yards and another first down. Mack McIntyre finished the drive with a 9-yard touchdown run, and Bartholomew added the extra point to give Straughn a 28-27 lead with 5:07 left in the third.

Kolton Cauley delivered a huge tackle for a turnover on downs, but the Tigers fumbled the ball right back. The Gamecocks used an 11-play drive and retook the lead on a 5-yard touchdown run from Jacob Fisher with 10:19 left in the game. The score stayed 33-28 following a missed two-point try.

Straughn stayed true to Jordan on the ground and tallied three first downs on its next possession. New Brockton made a fourth-down stop and took over.

The home defense forced a three-and-out and then blocked a punt as Cade Pittman recovered the ball at the opposing 30-yard line. The Tigers needed only three plays and scored again when Jordan found the end zone from 15 yards out. Watson found Gay open on the two-point conversion for a 36-33 lead with 2:34 to go.

Silar gained a first down with a 4-yard run for the Gamecocks before Zac Dixon sacked him for a 10-yard loss. Cauley sealed the game with an interception.

Straughn will conclude region play next week in a huge rivalry matchup at Opp (6-2, 4-2) on Friday, Oct. 25.

“Opp has been a very successful team this year, and you factor the rivalry in, so it will be exciting to play them,” Windham said.