Greenbrier rattles ARC

Consider it the greatest comeback Greenbrier fans have seen - this year.

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In a game that mirrored last year's come-from-behind dramatic win over Evans, the Wolfpack picked up an unlikely 26-24 win at Richmond Academy in the final seconds of the game.

"We talked to the kids all week long about having character and responding to adversity," Greenbrier football coach Scott Chadwick said. "We showed that tonight, but that's really not the way I was expecting us to show it."

The Wolfpack (3-2, 2-2 Region 3-AAAA) trailed 24-7 with less than nine minutes to play at Richmond Academy. The 17-point hole was dug by an offensive letdown and a weak defensive effort through the first three quarters.

The Greenbrier defense gave up two passing touchdowns and a 57-yard touchdown run. Greenbrier quarterback Nick Richards completed only two of 10 passes for a total of 11 yards by halftime. The numbers didn't lie.

"It was awful. Just awful. I don't think there's a better word to describe those first three quarters," Richards said.

As bad as the performance was heading into fourth quarter, the final nine minutes of the game showcased a completely different looking Wolfpack squad. Greenbrier's defense woke up and shut out Richmond Academy the rest of the way.

The offense shifted into high gear and churned out 19 points in less.

"There were some heads hanging, but I never gave up the whole time. I knew we could do it," Greenbrier junior Dylan Turner said. "I told everybody to keep playing, and that we were going to win. They eventually bought into it."

After Greenbrier scored on an 11-yard touchdown run by Bryan Andrews with 8:19 left in the game, Richmond Academy threatened with a second-and-goal situation on the Greenbrier 5 yard line. Turner broke through the Musketeer offensive line on the next play and tackled tailback Jerrel Anderson for a 5-yard loss. Richmond settled for a 30-yard field goal attempt and failed to convert.

Greenbrier responded with one of its fastest scoring drives of the year. The Wolfpack started on their 20 yard line and drove 80 yards in 27 seconds on four plays and a Richmond penalty. The final play was a 38-yard leaping touchdown grab by senior Andy Gray.

Richmond went three-and-out on its next possession, and the Wolfpack took over on their 9 yard line with 3:04 left. It took Greenbrier 15 plays and 3:02 to reach the Musketeer 1 yard line. Richards dove over the pile on a quarterback sneak with 2.2 seconds on the clock to take the lead.

Time expired on the ensuing kickoff, and Greenbrier moved into a tie for fifth place in the Region 3-AAAA standings. The Wolfpack will hit the road to face Statesboro in a region game Friday.