Loyd Cook Photo Bears quarterback Zack Bailey (10) is stopped just short of the goal line, during Brownsboro’s 27-21 win over Athens Friday. The Bears scored on the next play to go ahead for good. There was 10:53 left in the game after Athens had the ball to open the fourth quarter, ran three plays, and punted.

The Hornets wouldn't have the ball again for more than seven minutes of clock time, they'd be down a touchdown, and there wouldn't be much time left in the game.

The Brownsboro Bears (8-1, 4-1) defeated rival Athens (4-6, 3-2), 27-21 after marching 76 yards on 18 plays and running seven minutes and 49 seconds off the clock in the final period.

The drive capped off a run of 21 Brownsboro points as the Bears came back from being down 15 in the first half.

Bears head coach John Settle noted the toughness of the Hornets defense.

"That and the fact that we didn't have the ball much in the first half," Settle said of Athens holding down his offense. "They kept our offense off the field.

Loyd Cook Photo Bears quarterback Ryan Owens (7) throws a pass during Brownsboro's 27-21 win over Athens Friday. Owens threw two touchdown passes during the game, including a 37-yarder to Cody Strickland that tied the game in the third quarter. "But we returned the favor in the second half."

Brownsboro ran 39, second half plays to 24 for Athens. About half of the Bears' plays came on the long, fourth quarter drive.

Starting at their own 34, the Bears ran the ball 15 times and passed three times, including one play that drew a pass interference penalty.

Quarterback Zack Bailey (nine carries, 35 yards) carried it seven times for 28 yards on the drive. Senior running back Cameron Warren (18 carries, 75 yards) had the only pass completion on the drive and five carries for only nine yards during the 18-play sequence.

Loyd Cook Photo The Bears defense got a `stop' of the Athens Hornets defense at just the right time Friday in a season-ending 27-21 victory. Brownsboro's defensive unit held Athens out of the end zone on four plays from the 8-yard line in ... the last two plays from the 4-yard line. The fourth down stop gave the ball back to the Bears with 13 seconds left in the game and allowed Brownsboro to run out the clock on one `kneel down' play. The Bears finished the season at 8-1 (4-1 in District 20AAA). They play Lorena in Corsicana at 8 p.m. Saturday in a first round playoff game. But that last yard was the important one, coming on fourth-and-goal at the Athens 1-yard line with 3:04 left in the game.

It put Brownsboro up by its final margin of 27-21.

Athens almost mounted a comeback.

With 2:58 left, and the ball at their own 33, the Hornets moved the ball down the field. Two big plays on the drive - a 29 yard pass from Jack Barkley to Courtney Whitehead and a questionable pass interference play that moved the ball to the Brownsboro 20-yardline with 1:15 left in the game.

"The thing I told the kids was to stay with it, be patient, and we'd punch through. We were able to do that." Settle "It was a bad call," Settle said. "We actually didn't even touch him, he tripped over his own feet. We were fortunate to be able to overcome that at that point in the game."

A 12-yard pass completion gave Athens a first-and-goal at the 8-yard line nine seconds later.

A four-yard run moved the ball to the 4-yard line, then a running play was stuffed by the Bears defense for no gain.

With third-and-goal from the four, Athens called timeout with 24 seconds left in the game as the packed house crowd was going wild.

Loyd Cook Photo Bears defensive end Jarad Davis (23) leaps high in the air in attempt to bat down a pass by Hornets quarterback Jack Barkley during Brownsboro’s 27-21 win over Athens Friday. "I was proud of our crowd," Settle said. "There's been times this season I've really wanted them there for us. I was really proud of our fans (Friday) ... they did a good job and helped our kids."

An incomplete pass stopped the clock, but Athens and Brownsboro exchanged timeouts as the two coaching staffs assessed the situation for the fourth-andgoal play with 19 seconds on the clock.

Athens sent tight end Matt Jordan on a sideline squareout pattern, but the pass again fell incomplete and Brownsboro took over with only 13 ticks left and the victory in its pocket.

The Hornets held the ball for 16:41 of the 24, first half minutes available to an offense, on their way to posting first a 21-6 lead that was 21-13 at halftime.

At left, and above, Brownsboro players celebrate their win over Athens Athens opened the game with a 10-play drive capped off with a 12-yard scoring pass from Barkley to Whithead.

A 14-play drive made up Athens' second possession, with running back Justin Hofstetter powering in from six yards out and a 14-0 lead.

Brownsboro got on the board midway through the second quarter when quarterback Zach Bailey hit wide receiver Deondre Taylor on an 80-yard scoring strike to cut the lead to 14-6.

But Athens answered back on its ensuing possession, marching 62 yards on 10 plays. Whitehad threw a 21-yard scoring pass to Jordan off of an end-around play to put a cap on Athens' scoring for the night at 21.

"The thing I told the kids was to stay with it, be patient, and we'd punch through," Settle said of the 21-6 deficit. "We were able to do that."

Loyd Cook Photo Then came the results of Brownsboro's platoon at quarterback as junior QB Ryan Owens led the way in 2-minute drill, moving Brownsboro from its own 28-yard line. He hit Taylor for 33 yards on a fourth-and- 4 play to the Athens 33, then Warren for 13 yards to the 20.

Taylor Rogers caught a pass at the 5-yard line, then Owens hit Brad McDonald for the remaining yardage and a touchdown with 29 seconds left in the half. It cut the Athens lead down to 21-13.

"It works for us to have two of them (quarterbacks), " Settle said. "It's a luxury that not everyone has, to be able to have two that can play. We're fortunate to have (Owens and Bailey) playing for us."

Brownsboro tied up the game on its second possesion in the second half as Owens hooked up four times on the drive with sophomore wide receiver Cody Strickland.

On third-and-3 at the Bears 27, Owens hit Strickland for seven yards. Then, another third-and-3 - this one at the Athens 45 - and the duo hooked up for an eight-yard gain and another important first down.

Loyd Cook Photo Bears wide receiver Tyler Rogers (2) reaches for a pass during Brownsboro’s 27-21 over Athens Friday. Brownsboro claimed a share of the District 20AAA title with the victory. Two plays later, Strickland took a pass from Owens on a play that covered 37 yards for the touchdown.

On the 2-point conversion try, Owens hit Strickland at the 1-yard line. Strickland bounced off of a defender then dived into the end zone for the tie at 21-21 and setting up the game-winning drive.

Notes: Owens was 8-of- 11 for 126 yards and the two touchdown passes, while Bailey was 6-of-10 for 122 yards and a TD. Linebacker Dallas Huckabee had 10 tackles, while defensive lineman Dillon Croley had eight. Athens committed no turnovers, while Brownsboro had a fumble on a punt return.

Brownsboro vs Lorena at Corsicana, 8 p.m., Saturday