HOLLY SPRINGS - The second try for Athens Drive junior Tommy Evanoff resulted in a game-winning field goal for the Jaguars. Evanoff kicked a 30-yard field goal as time expired to propel the Jaguars to a thrilling 31-28 victory over Holly Springs in a Tri-Nine 4A matchup.

Athens (3-3, 2-1 Tri-Nine) recovered a Holly Springs fumble at midfield with one minute remaining in the game. Jaguar quarterback Jason West led his team down to the Golden Hawk 6-yard line, where the team elected to try the game-winning field goal on third down with 15 seconds left.

The snap was low, and the Jaguars fell on the ball at the 13, giving them one more try, which Evanoff delivered for Athens.

“I’ve got to give credit to our assistant coaches for lining us back up to kick,” said Athens head coach Jeff Smouse. “I was getting ready for overtime.”

The ending was bizarre, as Athens was out of timeouts and the officials inexplicably called for the clock to be stopped following the botched third-down play.

The extra time allowed the Jaguars to line up and snap the ball with two seconds left.

West led Athens with 288 yards passing, while Dominique Lynch scored three touchdowns on the ground, including runs of six, one and three yards.

Holly Springs (1-5, 1-3) trailed 21-0 at halftime but scored three times in the third quarter to tie the score.

The Golden Hawks capitalized when Daniel Nash and Jordan Hinton each intercepted West. Markez Davis, who led all rushers with 138 yards, scored on an electrifying 60-yard run that was reminiscent of former Houston Oilers great Earl Campbell.

Hinton’s pick set the ball up on the Jaguar 5-yard line, and three plays later Golden Hawk junior QB Brett Hudspeth scored on a 1-yard plunge to make the score 21-14.

Holly Springs then gambled and won with an onside kick, recovered by Ryan Newman in Athens territory.

Hudspeth, filling in for injured Hawks QB Mike Roach, delivered with a 23-yard pass to tight end Evan Allen to tie the score at 21-21.

To Athens’ credit, West did not get rattled with the game tied, as he led the Jaguars on a 75-yard march to open the final period. West had two key completions, a 27-yarder to A.J. Stewart and a 25-yard strike to Adrien King on a fourth down conversion.

Lynch finished off the drive with a three-yard run to give Athens the lead back.

A red-hot Holly Springs group needed just one play to tie the score again. Jerrell Herndon scored untouched on an 80-yard dash to get the home crowd in a frenzy.

The defenses held on the next few possessions, and then with the Hawks driving for the potential winning points, the Jaguars came up with their first turnover of the evening 47 minutes into the contest.

“It seemed like we did our best to give it away, but I was proud of our kids for holding on,” Smouse said. “Holly Springs made some big plays in that second half.”