The game came down to CeCe Green and the stout Salem defense. With 15 seconds left, ball at the Salem four-yard line and Winder-Barrow trailing 31-24, Kanome McIntosh intercepted a pass intended for Brandon Hayes and the game was all but over, or so we thought. The referee called a highly controversial pass interference penalty and it was Winder-Barrow ball at the one. Green got the call up the middle, but with no push from the offensive line Salem got the stop and the victory as the final seconds ran off the clock.
It was that kind of night. There were multiple lead changes in the second half and a lot of penalties throughout the game (Salem 13, Winder-Barrow 8), but other than the black and white stripes and yellow flags that hindered both teams, it was each team's defense that put its stamp on the game.
The Seminoles found a weakness in the Bulldoggs' defense early. Hasan Boddie hit the right edge of the defense for three quick gains of 13, 20 and five consecutively. After a penalty put Salem in second and long, the Seminoles decided to throw their first pass of the game and Bulldogg safety Cole Baggett read it all the way. Baggett intercepted the pass from Seminole quarterback Gerald Walker and returned it into Salem territory.
On the Bulldoggs' first play from scrimmage they ran a reverse pass that was thrown by Brandon Hayes intended for Bradyn Randall, but Randall drew a pass interference on the slightly underthrown ball from Noah Chapman. Had Chapman let his receiver go get it, it likely would've been a touchdown. The Bulldoggs would draw yet another penalty on the drive for a helmet-to-helmet and Winder found itself at the 10-yard line in Salem territory.
The Seminoles' defense held after a hard hit in the endzone from Evan Jones that forced a Bulldogg drop and resulted in a field goal giving Winder a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. Salem was forced to punt after a couple of first downs. Then Green went to work.
Green found running room on the Bulldoggs' next drive and eventually got into the endzone on a five-yard run and the Bulldoggs took a 10-0 lead with 11:25 left in the half. Down 10, Salem found itself in third-and-five situation looking or a crucial first down. Boddie delivered it. Making a few cuts and taking one hit that looked like it would keep Boddie short of a first helped the Seminoles' find some momentum. The next play was set up by Boddie's ability to run the ball well. The Bulldoggs were likely expecting a run, but saw Walker find Robert Cyrus on a wheel route for a 35-yard touchdown to bring Salem within three.
After the homecoming festivities at the half, the Seminole defense ignited as Nitro Brown recorded an interception on the second play of the half and returned into Winder territory. A facemask penalty gave Salem the ball at the 10-yard line. Salem then got the ball at the one after a Boddie rush and an offsides call. Walker kept it on the sneak for the touchdown, but the Seminoles couldn't convert the PAT after a high snap.
The Bulldoggs got started the ensuing drive with exceptional field position at the 50-yard line, assisted by a personal foul call after the return. Green was back in business, but this time he did his damage as a receiver.
Winder used a plethora of swing passes to get Green the ball, one of which (a 17-yarder) resulted in a Bulldogg touchdown and a 17-13 lead. Winder then forced a three-and-out on Salem's next drive and Green broke up the middle for a 66-yard touchdown run on the first play of the drive. Winder led 24-13 with time to play in the third.
The Salem defense answered when Elijah Daniels intercepted Chapman's pass intended for Hayes at the Winder 21-yard line. Walker found running room immediately scrambling for a 20-yard gain. After a false start it was Walker again running around the left side on a six-yard QB bootleg for the touchdown.
Salem chose to go for two but failed on the fade route and they trailed 24-19 late in the third quarter.
Penalties on the Bulldoggs' next drive killed them. After a 26-yard reception on a screen by Green, Winder found itself in third-and-18. Robert Chambers came up with a huge sack on the long down to make it fourth-and-27 with 10 minutes to go.
The Bulldoggs' Baggett came up with another big play on the Seminoles' ensuing drive to stop a run and put them in a fourth-and-one situation with under nine minutes to go. Salem elected to go for it and Tyriano Greene just made by a few inches. Two plays later, Walker found Salem speedster Justin Marshall streaking down the sideline, at least five yards ahead of the defender, for a 68-yard touchdown pass. Again, Salem went for two. Walker scrambled out right and cut back left to no avail, as John Pritchett tackled him. Salem up 25-24.
The Bulldoggs got the ball back at the 34. Green, who'd gotten hurt earlier on the drive, came back in but fumbled (recovered by Chambers) after a short gain and remained down for a while before being helped off the field by trainers. He would return.
After moving the ball on the ground and simultaneously running out the clock, Salem would again find itself in a fourth-and-one situation. This time there was 3:20 left in the game and Winder had one timeout left. Greene picked it up again and it looked as if the game was over. Boddie broke off a string of runs and Salem had the ball at the Winder 20 on second-and-one. The Bulldoggs chose to let Boddie score on the next play and Salem took a 31-24 lead. You want to guess what happened next? Yep. Salem went for two. This time the call was a double reverse pas (after a delay of game penalty), but the result was the same, incomplete.
It was the Bulldogg's ball with 1:36 left on the clock. Chapman completed a quick three-yard pass to Hayes, who then pitched it back to Green who ran the ball to the Salem 40-yard line. After a couple stops, Chapman scrambled to pick up 15 yards on third down. Then he found a receiver and Winder had the ball at the four-yard line.
The Bulldoggs tried the swing pass that had been working early in the game, but the throw was off and there was pressure on Green and Chapman. Chapman was looking for Randall on the next possession, and he was open but the throw was too low. McIntosh intercepted the next pass and the rest is history (not really but it's in the lead).
