Warriors’ late outburst stuns Indians

Published 2:29 am Saturday, September 20, 2014

FORT OGLETHORPE — If there were Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School football fans arriving late to Tommy Cash Stadium Friday night, they didn’t miss much.

The Warriors were late arrivals as well. 

LFO was held scoreless through the first three quarters before scoring four times in the final 10:31, erasing a 20-0 deficit to stun Murray County 26-20 on homecoming night for the Warriors.

Warriors quarterback Ryan Keefe scored the game-winning touchdown, a 15-yard sprint through the middle of the Indians’ defense to give LFO (2-2, 2-0 Region 6-3A) a six-point lead with just 25 seconds left in the fourth quarter.

It marked a heartbreaking defeat for Murray County (0-3, 0-1), which appeared to be on the verge of winning for the first time since Sept. 13, 2013. Instead, the Indians’ winless streak stretched to 10 games.

Murray County coach Chad Brewer said his team came up short by just one set of downs, and a little more offense would have negated the late defensive lapse by not letting it have the opportunity to happen at all.

“We’re trying to win the game,” Murray County coach Chad Brewer said, “and if we get a first down (late in the fourth quarter), we probably run some more time off the clock and not have their quarterback run untouched there down the middle.”

The Indians went ahead 20-0 with 10:39 to play when senior quarterback Justin Smith broke free and ran in his second touchdown of the night, an 18-yarder, but the Warriors scored quickly on their ensuing possession as running back Shamar Catoe took a Keefe handoff and dashed 56 yards to the Indians’ 24-yard line, which set up Keefe’s 1-yard plunge to make it 20-7 with 8:23 to play.

After LFO forced a Murray County three-and-out, Keefe struck again 11 seconds later, finding a streaking Tanner Bennett down the middle of the field for a 63-yard touchdown to cut the lead to 20-14 at the 6:43 mark.

LFO got the ball back with 5:01 left after another unsuccessful drive by the Indians. This time, it was Keefe and Catoe alternating runs on a seven-play, 62-yard drive, which ended with Keefe’s 3-yard run that tied the game at 20 with 1:59 remaining.

Catoe finished with 128 yards on 16 carries, while Keefe completed 14 of 19 passes for 159 yards and ran for 76.

Murray County’s Smith ended the evening with 167 yards, with his first touchdown a 2-yard score. Austin Gossett had the Indians’ other score on a 13-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

Facing a versatile LFO offense, Murray County’s defense held up for three quarters and limited LFO to 117 yards in the first half.

Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 26, Murray County 20

Murray County 0 7 6 7 — 20

Lakeview-Fort O. 0 0 0 26 — 26

Second Quarter

MUR — Austin Gossett 13 run (Juan Bautista kick), 7:51

Third Quarter

MUR — Justin Smith 2 run (kick failed), 4:43

Fourth Quarter

MUR — Smith 18 run (Bautista kick), 10:39

LFO — Ryan Keefe 1 run (Charles Davis kick), 8:23

LFO — Tanner Bennett 63 pass from Keefe (Davis kick), 6:43

LFO — Keefe 3 run (kick failed), 1:59

LFO — Keefe 15 run (kick failed), 0:25