By CHRIS MEGGINSON / Special to the Reporter 

LUVERNE – A last-minute touchdown, two interceptions, a missed field goal and double overtime. Opportunities and excitement were plenty Friday, but Cornerstone Christian fell three yards short of its first win of the season in a double-overtime loss at Crenshaw Christian Academy, 19-13.

Cornerstone led 13-7 most of the second half until Crenshaw evened the score with 1:10 to play in regulation. The Cougars made the go-ahead extra point, but a penalty forced another try – no good.

The Chargers threw an interception on its ensuing drive, but then picked off the Cougars to gain one more shot. CCS moved down to the 15 to set up a last-second, game-winning field goal try for eighth-grader Jace Bailey, but the 32-yard try was no good.

Both teams failed to score in the first overtime. While Crenshaw scored to open the second OT, CCS blocked the extra point to give the Chargers yet another chance to win. The Chargers’ double OT drive fell short as Tyler McNamee’s roll-out pass to the end zone fell incomplete on fourth-and-goal from the 3.

“This one was a tough one to lose,” CCS coach Tim Smith said. “The kids never quit and played hard. It was a well-played ballgame. We cut down on our turnovers.”

Coming out of an off week, Smith abandoned his game plan from the season for the old double-wing. A move, he felt, set the tone for the night.

“I thought they bought into our game plan with the double wing,” Smith said. “I told them we were going to play tough-man football all night, and that’s what we did.”

Logan Tucker led the way in the new formation with 111 of the Chargers’ 191 rushing yards. It was Michael Norwood though that put CCS on the board, 7-0, with a 7-yard touchdown run with 1:10 left in the first quarter. Bailey’s extra point try was good. Justin Bruno was the second-leading rusher with 57 yards on 11 carries.

Crenshaw tied the game, 7-7, with 6:34 to play before halftime. Cornerstone regained its lead, 13-7, on a 3-yard QB keeper by McNamee, but the Chargers’ extra point was blocked.

Norwood led the Chargers’ defense with eight tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery. Bruno followed with six stops and forced fumble, while Tucker had four tackles, a tipped pass and recovered a fumble.

Cornerstone will return home to Michael B. Willis Memorial Field on Friday, Oct. 23 for Homecoming, as it hosts South Montgomery Academy (0-6) for Homecoming at 7 p.m. Homecoming festivities will begin Thursday, Oct. 22 at 6:15 p.m. with a bon-fire between the CCS baseball and football fields, followed by a free movie, “Facing the Giants”, at the football stadium. Community members are invited to all events.