Rabbits defeat Leopards in thriller, 41-38

The Atlanta/Liberty-Eylau contest has always been a back-and-forth affair.

Since the two teams began playing one another in 1960 neither school could claim more than a 3-game winning streak against the other.

Although the two teams didn’t play in 1996 or 97 Atlanta had a 7-game winning streak going against L-E until 2004, and the most the Leopards could do was a 5-game winning streak.

Aside from a few close games over a span of nearly 60 years most of those games were lopsided.

This past Friday night was not one of those games.

The Leopards erased a 25-point Rabbit lead, tied the game, missed the point after and then it got really crazy a week after Friday the 13th.

Two late penalties against the Leopards pushed the Rabbs into L-E territory where, with time expiring, sophomore kicker Daniel Hernandez kicked the game-winning 42-yard field goal.

The ball bounced off of the bottom cross bar and in to seal a Rabbs’ 41-38 victory.

Before the game began Freddie James, George Jackson and Ravon Justice were inducted into the Atlanta Athletics Hall of Fame. Those three of the Class of 2019 join the Class of 2018 where five were inducted in the Hall’s inaugural year.

First Quarter

Atlanta won the coin toss and elected to receive.

The first play from scrimmage featured Rabbit quarterback Kade Wood taking the ball 20 yards from the 31 to the L-E 49.

Wood took the next snap and gained another seven yards before an incomplete pass brought up third down.

Dra Nelson carried the ball four yards for a first down followed by two wildcat runs by Caleb Hamilton which took the ball to the L-E 26.

From there Wood connected with receiver J.J. Fields on a 26-yard touchdown reception.

Daniel Hernandez kicked the PAT and the Rabbs were up 7-0 with 9:54 left in the first quarter.

L-E set up shop at the 35 on its first drive of the contest.

The Leopards ran just four plays before the L-E QB found his receiver on a screen pass and the receiver bolted 48 yards for a score.

The PAT was successful and the game was tied with 8:16 left in the opening frame.

Atlanta’s next drive ate up nearly four minutes of clock but the Rabbs turned the ball over on downs after a 10-play drive which ended at the 4:55 mark.

L-E had an impressive drive on its next possession in which the Leopards took the ball from the 46 down to the Rabbit 11.

Atlanta’s defense stood strong on the drive and forced a turnover on downs at the 2:05 mark.

Working from the 9-yard line, Wood connected with wideout Keyshawn Easter for eight yards followed by an 8-yard outburst from Nelson.

A pass interference call against L-E gave Atlanta new life and a first down at the 39.

From there Nelson bolted free for 21 yards and then Wood hit Fields for a 7-yard gain to the Leopard 33.

Hamilton took the next two handoffs for a total of 10 yards as the first quarter came to a close.

Second Quarter

The second stanza opened with Hamilton gaining three yards to the L-E 20 where Atlanta faced a third-and-2 situation.

Wood tucked the ball on the next snap and picked up 14 yards to the L-E 6-yard line and from there Hamilton took the ball across the goal line for his first score of the night.

Hernandez connected on the PAT and the Rabbs were back on top 14-7 with 11:04 left in the second quarter.

Atlanta received a gift from the Leopards in the form of a fumble on the next drive and the Rabbs set up shop at the L-E 34.

Hard runs by Nelson and Hamilton eventually set the Rabbs up at the 1-yard line.

Wood took the snap on third-and-goal and snuck his way into the endzone for a touchdown.

The PAT by Hernandez increased Atlanta’s lead to 21-7 with 6:36 left in the first half.

L-E scored on its next drive which spanned 11 plays and three minutes.

The point after was no good but the Leopards cut the deficit to 21-13 with 3:42 left in the quarter.

Atlanta’s next possession began at the 43-yard line.

Explosive sophomore running back Keith Kinney entered the contest and promptly took three handoffs in a row for a total of 13 yards.

After a short run by Wood the elusive QB hit Alijuah Drayton for five yards on the next play which moved the ball down to the L-E 38.

Nelson had a nice run on the next play but a personal foul penalty against L-E set up the Rabbs at the 23 with a first down.

Nelson gained eight yards to the 15 with time running out on the half.

Hernandez came in and hit a 32-yard attempt as the buzzer sounded.

The score stood at 24-13 as the two teams entered the halftime break.

Third Quarter

L-E received the ball to begin the second half but a nice stand by the Rabbit defense forced the Leopards into a three-and-out quickly.

L-E punted the ball away with 11:06 left in the third quarter.

The punt didn’t travel far plus a penalty against the Leopards set up the Rabbs at the L-E 23.

From there Hamilton sprinted into the endzone from 23 yards out for his second score of the game.

Hernandez hit the PAT and the Rabbs were up 31-13 with 10:23 left in the quarter.

L-E moved the ball into Rabbit country on its next drive but the Atlanta defense once again stood tall and forced a turnover on downs at the 7:54 mark.

Working from the 41, Wood connected with Fields once again this time for a 59-yard touchdown.

The PAT by Hernandez put the Rabbs up by a commanding 38-13 lead with 7:43 left in the third frame.

L-E started its next drive on the 26-yard line and moved the ball from the 26 to the Atlanta 14 after a pitch play netted the Leopards good yardage.

Again the Atlanta defense stood tall and forced L-e into a fourth down situation.

Unfortunately the tall wide receiver for L-E snagged the ball out of the air on fourth and long for a TD. The 2-point play was no good but L-E cut into the Rabbs’ lead at 38-19 with 4:48 left in the third quarter.

Atlanta’s next drive had flashes of hard-nose carries by Kinney but the Rabbs eventually turned the ball over to L-E at the 1:17 mark.

The quarter ended with L-E turning in a big run from the 20 to Atlanta’s 30.

Fourth Quarter

Two plays into the final quarter and L-E was back in the endzone for another TD.

The 2-point play was no good but the lead was cut to 38-25 with 11:41 left in the game.

The next few possessions from both teams resulted in punts or turnovers including a huge stop by Conner Samples on fourth-andshort at the 4:52 mark.

Atlanta would punt, however, after a quick threeand-out.

L-E scored on its next drive and after the PAT the lead was now just six at 38-32 with 2:58 left in the game. Atlanta’s next drive stalled and punter Cooper McClure sent a nice endover-end punt deep into L-E territory.

Out of nowhere an L-E player snatches the ball out of the air and returns it deep into Rabbit country.

Working from the 6-yard line, L-E scored in just two plays.

The contest was now tied at 38-all with 38 seconds left on the clock.

L-E’s kicker pulled the ball way to the right on the PAT attempt and the game stayed locked up at 38-38.

The Rabbits began its final drive at the 45.

After an incomplete pass Hamilton took the next handoff for a few yards, but a personal foul against L-E put the Rabbs at the Leopard 35.

With just nine seconds left on the clock Wood hit Nelson on a route for five yards. Nelson got out of bounds which stopped the clock with three ticks left on it. To this point Hernandez had hit every extra point and already made a 32-yard field goal at the buzzer to end the first half.

Now the outstanding sophomore, who had been playing defense also, lined up for one last kick before the end of regulation.

With McClure to hold the ball was snapped, put down by McClure and Hernandez put everything he had left into the kick with L-E defenders closing in for a block.

The ball hit the cross bar and bounced in to give the Rabbs a 41-38 victory in a wild game.

Wood had 115 yards passing with two touchdowns and added 47 yards on the ground with a TD.

Fields had three catches for 92 yards and two scores, Hamilton rushed for 105 yards with two touchdowns, Nelson had 86 yards on the ground and Kinney recorded 34 rushing yards.

Hernandez had a perfect night as he went 5-5 on extra point attempts and 2-2 on field goal attempts including the game winner.

When asked after the game how the play developed and how he felt about icing the game with the winning kick, Hernandez had this to say.

“Everything moved in slow motion after the snap but I’m happy it went through. It’s a great moment for us,” Hernandez said.

This Friday, Sept. 27, the Rabbs (2-2) begin district play and celebrate Homecoming against Redwater.

The game is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m. with the crowning of a new Homecoming queen before the contest.