In a heavyweight title fight, Cloudland came up painstakingly short on Friday night.
The ‘Landers dropped a 27-26 decision to Cosby in Region 1-A play at Orr Field. With the loss, Cloudland saw a 35-game winning streak against Region 1-A teams snapped with the loss.
It was a battle from the opening kick.
Cloudland took the opening kickoff and moved quickly down the field as the offensive attack paved the way. Landon Barnette scored on a 27-yard run as the Blue and Gold took a 6-0 lead a minute into the game.
Cosby, however, answered as they moved down the field on a 12-play, 70-yard drive. The drive was capped as Matthew McMahan scored on a QB sneak.
After the ‘Landers were unable to move into the endzone on their next drive, Cosby took the lead as Devonte Wigfall caught a 35-yard pass from McMahan for a touchdown.
Cloudland battled back with a 10-play drive as Barnette scored on a six-yard run. The ‘Landers took a 14-13 lead with a Grayson Cole two-point conversion.
The Eagles answered quickly as the next offensive play as Wigfall and McMahan connect for a 67-yard touchdown to regain the lead.
Cloudland moved quickly on the next offensive possession, and closed the gap as Cole scored on a 10-yard run.
Cosby held a 21-20 advantage at the half.
The defenses came up big in the third quarter as Cloudland’s Jacob Stinnett ended the first drive of the half with an interception, but the Eagle defense forced the Cloudland offense off the field on fourth down after a 14-play drive.
The Eagles pushed the lead out to 27-20 in the opening minute of the fourth as McMahan and Wigfall connected for a 51-yard touchdown.
Cloudland, however, kept battling.
Midway through the quarter, the ‘Landers went 77 yards on seven plays and scored when Cole ran in from 45 yards out. The two-point conversion, however, was unsuccessful.
After the ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Eagles, the Cloudland defense forced Cosby off the field with 39 seconds left, but the CHS offense was unable to mount an attack.
Cole finished with 23 carries for 178 yards. Barnette had 10 carries for 116 yards. Bryce Birchfield and Stinnett each had an interception.
Wigfall had four catches for 150 yards. David Baker had 98 yards on 22 carries for Cosby, while McMahan went 8-of-16 for 164 yards.
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