Atlanta tops Brook Hill 35-28 in close game

Atlanta got a good test against Brook Hill on Homecoming night last Friday as the Rabbits edged the Guard 35-28 in a back-and-forth contest.

First Quarter

Brook Hill received the ball first and scored after a 64-yard drive ended on a touchdown pass with 8:17 left in the first frame.

The point after was good and Brook Hill was up 7-0. Atlanta answered on the ensuing kickoff as Markeylin Batton took the ball 90 yards to the house for a score. Juan Campos hit the point after and the game was tied 7-7 with 8:04 left on the clock.

The two teams traded possessions for the rest of the quarter.

Second Quarter

Neither Atlanta nor Brook Hill could get into the endzone until the 8:13 mark.

Sophomore running back Jamarion Austin scored on a 70-yard run play for the Rabbs and Campos hit the PAT to put the Rabbs up 14-7.

Nice defensive plays by Ike Chandler, Dim Limbrick, Brenden Clayton, Carmello Henderson, Zamarian Ivery and Christian Banks helped keep the Guard offense on its heels.

Brook Hill took advantage of a Rabbit miscue at the 6:16 mark and scored on a scoop-and-score fumble return from the 6-yard line.

The PAT tied the score at 14-all. Atlanta answered on its next drive as Kam Dickerson picked up 26 yards on the ground and Batton accrued 28 yards rushing with the latter 17 being a touchdown jaunt.

The PAT was no good but Atlanta was up 20-14 with 4:48 left in the first half.

After a solid defensive stand by the Rabbs, Brook Hill found itself punting the ball away on its next drive. Stacy Darty picked up 17 yards on the ground to open up the Rabbs’ next drive and later Harrison connected with wideout Jayden Riley on a nice pass play, but time ran out before the Rabbs could score.

Third Quarter The third stanza was a defensive battle for a bit until the Guard scored with 4:48 left in the quarter.

The PAT was good and Brook Hill was up by a narrow margin of 21-20. Atlanta answered on the first play of its next drive as Dickerson bolted across the goal line from 46 yards out at the 4:38 mark.

Darty ran in the 2-point try and the Rabbs were back in front 28-21.

Brook Hill worked its way into Rabbit country on its next drive but Atlanta’s defense came up clutch and forced the Guard to attempt a 42-yard field goal.

The FG attempt was no good and Atlanta took over at the 25. Darty picked up nine yards on the ground and the quarter ended as Russ Limbrick gained 10 yards on a bubble screen.

Fourth Quarter

A few plays into the final frame had Atlanta attempting a fake punt which Brook Hill snuffed out.

The next drive for Brook Hill was another gift for the Guard as Marquavion Owens intercepted a pass on the eighth play of the drive and a Brook Hill player ripped the ball from his hands and scored.

The PAT tied the game up at 28-28. Neither team could score again until the final seconds of the contest.

Atlanta started its last drive with 1:10 remaining in the ball game. Both Batton and Darty ran backto- back 25-yard gains before Dickerson muscled his way for five yards to the 6-yard line.

From there Harrison spun off of a tackle, and drug two defenders into the endzone with him for a bigtime score. Campos hit the PAT and Atlanta was up 35-28 with 25 seconds left. Brook Hill attempted a Hail Mary with three seconds left but it was knocked down by the Rabbs. Harrison had 58 yards passing and one rushing touchdown, Dickerson rushed for 88 yards with a TD, Darty tallied 73 yards on the ground, Batton added 63 yards rushing with a score and Austin had one 70-yard run for a score. Russell Limbrick had 23 receiving yards, Riley had 20 and Ahmani Jackson 11.

The Rabbs have a BYE this week.