Shelby Valley held a comfortable 14-point lead with 1:43 remaining on the clock against Hazard.
The Wildcats nearly let it slip away as the Bulldogs scored twice in the final 31 seconds to pull within an extra point of tying it up.
Hazard rolled the dice as quarterback Max Pelfrey fired a pass into the endzone which the Wildcats were able to drive and break up to escape with a 28-27 win in the regular season finale played at Hobart Clay Johnson Field on Friday night.
Quarterback Russ Osborne tossed a pair of touchdown passes – one each to Jayden Newsome and Brady Bentley. Osborne finished with 168 yards through the air.
Newsome rushed for 104 yards and a score on 21 carries and one touchdown.
Valley’s only points in the first half came on Lincoln Billiter’s 30-yard interception return with 8:44 remaining in the second period to tie the game at 7-all.
Shelby Valley, now 8-2, will host Morgan County (1-9) in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs on Friday. Game time is 7 pm.
At Robinson Creek
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
HZ (6-4)……7 0 0 20 – 27
SV (8-2)……0 7 7 14 – 28
Scoring:
First Quarter
HZ – Max Johnson, 58-yard pass from Max Pelfrey (Mia Rouse kick), 5:07
Second Quarter
SV – Lincoln Billiter, 30-yard INT (Trey Compton kick), 8:44
Third Quarter
SV – Brady Bentley, 10-yard pass from Russ Osborne (Trey Compton kick), 6:36
Fourth Quarter
SV – Jayden Newsome, 2-yard run (Trey Compton kick), 9:05
HZ – Jayvon White, 32-yard pass from Max Pelfrey (Mia Rouse kick), 7:20
SV – Jayden Newsome, 21-yard pass from Russ Osborne (Trey Compton kick), 1:43
HZ – Max Johnson, 35-yard pass from Max Pelfrey (Mia Rouse kick), :31
HZ – Max Johnson, 24-yard pass from Max Pelfrey (pass failed), :00
Next up: Shelby Valley (8-2) vs. Morgan County (1-9), Class 2A playoffs, 7 pm, Nov. 4.