MARYVILLE – Berry quarterback Gavin Gray connected with wide receiver Deiondre Wilson on a 50-yard touchdown pass in the closing seconds for a 31-24 decision over Maryville here Saturday.
The strike came with just 13 seconds left on the clock and denied the Scots an opening victory all decked out in their new orange jerseys and after they showed the home crowd so many improvements.
Maryville had possession of the ball inside the final minute with decent field position and the score tied 24-24. But the Scots went 3-and-out and turned it back to Berry at its own 40 with 29 seconds remaining. The Vikings needed just three plays to cover 60 yards and prevent this one from going to overtime.
"I told our kids before the game that if they would run as fast as they can and play as hard as they can, and love each other the whole time, that it was going to be an awesome game and they were going to like where they were at the end," Maryville head coach
Ben Fox said. "With a minute left, we had the ball and it was a 24-24 game. You've got to like your odds when that happens.
"I was really proud of our team. It will show that a lot of freshmen scored the touchdowns and made the plays, but we don't get in position to score without our older guys playing like they did."
Berry led 10-7 at the end of one quarter and held that lead into the second half, when the Vikings made it 17-7 on Brandon Cade's 49-yard run on their first snap of a possession. Maryville's
Luke Pinkston lined a field goal through the uprights from 21 yards out to narrow the margin to 17-10 heading to the fourth.
Furious Fourth Quarter
That's when the team's traded touchdowns.
Maryville first-year quarterback
Bryson Rollins tossed an 18-yard TD pass to fellow freshman
Steph Carter Jr., and it was 17-17 early in the quarter. Berry answered with Gray's 3-yard run with 6:58 remaining, but then Maryville answered back when Rollins found another freshman wideout in
Kevon Samuels for a 30-yard TD and a 24-24 tie with 1:59 showing.
Rollins finished 15-of-29 passing for 228 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He rushed 16 times for a net of 38 yards, including a 2-yard scamper for Maryville's opening TD of the season.
Cody Estep was the Maryville rushing leader with 84 yards on 22 tries, and Samuels was the receiving leader in yards with 78 on three catches.
Hunter Burke added two catches for 63 yards.
Cameron Spivey was the Scots tackle leader with eight and a fumble recovery, with
Devon White adding six and
Jamarcus Dunn five.
Tyler Barrett posted his first career sack, and pass breakups went to
Grant Henderson,
Anthony Green and
Keshon Seay.
The total yardage numbers were pretty even despite Maryville owning a 38:30 to 21:30 time of possession edge. The Scots were whistled for 14 penalties accounting for 99 yards, while Berry had just four for 40.
