The Landrum football team lost its first game of the season Friday, Sept. 23, but they didn’t go down without a fight in a 27-24 loss to Liberty.
The game appeared to be over after a 17-play, clock exhausting drive in the fourth quarter by the Red Devils.
Liberty, led by quarterback Brandon Alexander, burned eight minutes off the clock, but couldn’t punch it in.
The Cardinals still had a chance.
With 1:08 minutes left in the game, the Cardinals (4-1) took over on their own two-yard line. For Brandon Cannon and the Landrum offense things looked bleak, but that would quickly change.
On the first play from scrimmage, Cannon found Peyton McCarter behind the Red Devil secondary for a 42-yard gain. Two plays later, with just 29.2 on the clock on a fourth down, Cannon found Jacob Lindsey for a 26-yard completion. Cannon connected again with Lindsey on an 11-yard pass on the next play.
After a Cannon spike, the Cardinals lined up with 14.1 seconds left on the clock. Cannon rolled right, pumped and then tossed the ball towards Lindsey on the right side of the end zone.
Liberty’s Alexander, who let McCarter get behind him on the first play of the drive, stepped up and intercepted the pass to clinch the game for the Red Devils.
Liberty coach Kyle Stewart was impressed with his future region rival. The Cardinals will move up to 2A next season.
“That’s the most physical game we’ve played all year,” Stewart said of the Cardinals. “They were hungry and came to play.”
Landrum coach Russell Mahaffey was pleased with what his team left on the field Friday, despite the score.
“They didn’t have any quit in them tonight,” Mahaffey said. “We just have to continue on.”
Cole McDowell ran for 114 yards and a touchdown. McCarter had 131 receiving yards and a touchdown. Lindsey had 69 receiving yards and a touchdown. Cannon threw for 234 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 64 yards and a touchdown.