Huge third quarter rally helps South Grand Prairie to big district victory over Lamar
In perhaps the wildest third quarter of the year, South Grand Prairie scored 21 points to overcome a halftime deficit and hold on for a 21-19 District 8-6A win over Arlington Lamar Friday afternoon at Gopher-Warrior Bowl.
The win for the Warriors (5-2 overall, 3-2 district) wasn’t secure until tall and athletic wide receiver Deamikkio Nathan leaped high to secure an onside kick by the Vikings with just two minutes remaining to play.
It was a clutch play by Nathan, who earlier seemed to ice the game when he hauled in a pass from South Grand Prairie quarterback Sean Stegall and raced 84 yards untouched for the Warriors’ third touchdown of the third quarter.
That jolt of lightning score came with only 27 seconds left in a crazy third quarter that also included two other big plays, an 81-yard blocked extra point return by Lamar’s Lonell Cunningham and a 59-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by South Grand Prairie’s Kent Robinson.
To complete the theatrics, Lamar junior kicker Blake Ford executed a perfect onside kick that he recovered himself after just booming a 40-yard field goal.
Lamar led 7-0 at halftime with both teams showing stout defenses in what looked like a bland battle between two conservative and evenly matched teams with notable athletes.
Lamar (3-6, 2-4) scored the only points of the first half on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Jaden Morris to stellar running back Anthony Williams and the extra point kick from Ford. The entire first half lasted only 44 minutes.
South Grand Prairie looked to have tied the game in the third quarter when the Warriors got on the board with a 7-yard run from Stegall, but the point after kick was blocked and returned by Cunningham for a 9-6 with 7:34 left in the frame.
Lamar defensive back and UNT commit Harold West returned the ensuing kickoff 54 yards to the Warriors’ 26. The Vikings failed to reach the end zone, but settled for the 40-yard field goal by Ford.
The momentum quickly surged back to South Grand Prairie when four plays later, Robinson scooped up the loose ball on the turf and raced in for a touchdown. The Warriors led 14-12 after a successful 2-point attempt with 2:39 left in the third.
Lamar stalled on its next drive and punted to the Warriors, who soon converted on the long pass for a score by Nathan.
Stegall was the offensive standout for South Grand Prairie, rushing for 70 yards on 11 carries with one touchdown while passing for 140 yards and one TD.
The final quarter was more subdued, but Lamar had its chances. The Vikings drove down to a first-and-goal from the 5 on a drive set up by an interception and 26-yard return from West. But Williams was denied twice from the Warriors’ 1. Williams rushed 22 times for 105 yards in the game.
Lamar threw a scare into South Grand Prairie later on a third-and-13 from its own 32 when Morris connected with a wide open Le’Andre Roberts for a 68-yard score.
Then Ford tried his magic again on a beautiful onside kick that bounced high in the air only to be grabbed by Nathan. The Warriors were then able to run out the clock.