Mary Ann Miller | Special to the TimesValwood running back Sam Clements (5) runs past a Brookwood defender during a game Friday at Goddard Field.

HAHIRA –– Brookwood’s Nathan Yokely drilled a 36-yard field goal with no time remaining as the Warriors (7-3, 2-0 Region 3-3A) sank the Valwood Valiants (3-6, 1-1) 27-24 Friday night.

A week after defeating rival Southland 22-20 on Brock Blais’s last-second field goal, the Valiants were dealt the same heartbreak –– missing out on clinching the region championship.

Brookwood’s Dallas Forsyth found Jacob Lauderdale for a 12-yard touchdown to tie the game at 24 with 2:34 left.

Into the final minute, things got a little wild as both teams got a final chance at a game-winning drive. 

With 27.8 seconds left, the Warriors got their first shot but Valwood’s Worth Kimbro had other plans as he picked off Forsyth to give the ball back to the Valiants with 20 seconds left.

Valwood’s first play didn’t go as plan as Brookwood flushed Pate Hogan out the pocket and forced a bad throw. Yokely, who was in at defensive back, was sitting and waiting on the interception to shift momentum back in the Warriors’ favor.

With just under 15 seconds left in the game, Forsyth threw an out route to TJ Thomas to get the Warriors in field goal range.

From there, Yokely took care of the rest –– putting the Warriors in position to possibly clinch the region championship and handing the Valiants their first loss in region play.

Going into the third quarter, both teams were tied at 17 apiece and trying to break away from one another. 

The Valiants received the opening second-half kickoff and started in great field position. 

Valiants quarterback Pate Hogan tried to connect with target Harrison Hamsley only to be picked off by Yokely to end the drive. 

The Valiants defense didn’t give an inch as the Kimbro Brothers –– Wright and Worth –– fueled the defense with great plays, forcing a three-and-out. 

Valwood’s special teams unit came up big on fourth down as Russell Hunter got his hands in to block the punt, setting up great field position for the Valiants’ offense.

However, the Valiants offense wouldn’t have much success with the short field as they went three-and-out.

The Valiants defense came back on the field and made quick work as Hamsley shot into a passing lane to intercept Forsyth for another Brookwood turnover.

Hamsley’s pick was the prelude to the Valiants capitalizing. Hogan decided to play bully ball to get his team into the end zone as he kept the ball and ran in for a 10-yard touchdown, pushing the Valwood ahead 24-17 with 6:42 in third quarter –– the Valiants’ first lead since the first quarter.

Valiants head coach Justin Henderson knows his team must take care of business in their final regular season game and see where the chips fall. 

“It’s not over for us as Southland whooped up on Tiftarea tonight and we got a shot there,” Henderson said. “All we can do is control us and go up to Tiftarea and play as good as we can.”

UP NEXT

The Valiants travel to Chula, Ga., to face the Tiftarea Academy Panthers this Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.