The Blue Devils outran the Lions tonight in Norcross. Photo courtesy Norcross High School

The Peachtree Ridge Lions and the Norcross Blue Devils each entered Friday night’s Region 7-AAAAA tilt having lost last week to fall one game behind North Gwinnett in the standings. Both teams displayed a conservative approach early, Peachtree Ridge by design and Norcross perhaps not wanting to fall back 28-0 like last week.

The Lions offense could not get untracked with either Diandre Atwater or Raham Dixon gaining any real yardage, but Tanner Mack found find some open grass on several buck sweeps. Mack was able to punch the ball into the endzone with less than twenty seconds to play in the first half to take a 7-0 halftime lead.

In the second half, Norcross got back to playing traditional Blue Devil football as mobile-QB Matt Poole and tailback Kendrix Huitt seized control of the game. After a scoreless third, the Blue Devil backfield tandem connected for a nine-yard touchdown on third and goal to knot the game at 7-7 with less than eight minutes to play.

After the two teams exchanged punts, Poole scampered in from 25 yards out to give Norcross its first lead of the game at 14-7 with 2:21 left. Martavius Edwards sealed the win for Norcross with an interception on 4th and 3 and returned it to the one-yard line, where Poole took a knee to end the game.

Norcross now moves to 6-1 on the season and 3-1 in region play while Peachtree Ridge drops to 5-2 and 2-2 in region play. The Lions now are tied for the final playoff spot in the region and could very well be on the outside looking in when the playoffs roll around as the Lions must still face North Gwinnett. Meanwhile if Norcross continues to play its brand of football, the Blue Devils will certainly be a team to watch come playoff time. The Blue Devils are not as bad as they looked last week. Now they will surely want a shot at revenge to see just how good they can be.