Pike Central had one last drive in hopes of coming from behind to knock off Lawrence County.
The Hawks fumbled away the football in the final minute, allowing the host Bulldogs to escape with a 22-20 victory in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs on Thursday night.
Central lost to the Bulldogs for the second time this season by the two-point margin.
The Hawks, who trailed 22-14, pulled within two on Keegan Bentley’s 12-yard touchdown run with 1 minute, 50 seconds to go. Tayvian Boykins was tackled on the conversion run.
Central recovered the on-side kick and moved to the Bulldogs 26 before turning the football over.
Lawrence County’s Dylan Ferguson had second quarter TD runs of 15 and two yards and ran in both conversions for a 16-8 lead.
Central’s first points came on running back Matt Anderson’s eight-yard run and Boykins’ conversion run. Boykins later in the quarter raced 45 yards to pull the Hawks to within two at the break, 16-14.
Quarterback Alex Strickland pushed the Bulldogs, now 4-1, up 22-14 on a 46-yard run.
Central’s season ends at 4-5.
Lawrence County will move on to face the Belfry/Magoffin County winner next Friday.
At Louisa
(Class 3A playoffs)
SCRE BY QUARTERS:
PCC (4-5)…..0 14 0 6 – 20
LC (4-1)…….0 16 6 0 – 22
Scoring:
First Quarter
No scoring
Second Quarter
LC – Dylan Ferguson, 15-yard run (Dylan Ferguson run), 11:53
PCC – Matt Anderson, 8-yard run (Tayvian Boykins run), 9:25
LC – Dylan Ferguson, 2-yard run (Dylan Ferguson run), 4:24
PCC – Tayvian Boykins, 45-yard run (pass failed), 2:52
Third Quarter
LC – Alex Strickland, 46-yard run (run failed), 3:04
Fourth Quarter
PCC – Keegan Bentley, 12-yard run (run failed), 2:15
Next up: Lawrence County (4-1) vs Belfry/Magoffin County winner, Nov.27; Pike Central’s season ends.