Millbrook carried a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter, but a quick score by Jordan and defensive stop gave the Falcons a chance to tie the game.

Jordan lined up to attempt a 33-yard field goal to tie the game with less than four minutes left, but a bad snap meant the holder had to throw the ball. Millbrook’s Zaire Hines intercepted the pass and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown, sealing the 16-7 win for the Wildcats.

“That’s one of the single best football players I’ve ever seen in my career,” Millbrook coach Laymarr Marshall said of Hines after the game. “Just a great job by that young man.”

Hines is a senior on the Millbrook team, which features a lot of underclassmen in key positions. The senior leadership is important for Marshall’s squad, but he’s also done talking about the youth in the program. The Wildcats finished non-conference play with a 5-0 record, and now enter conference play in the NAC 6.

“We’re not young anymore, we can’t use that an excuse. They’re varsity football players, we’re halfway through the regular season. We want to make a long run, so we’re just going to keep playing and trying to get better every day in practice,” said Marshall.

Millbrook and Jordan were scoreless through one quarter on Thursday night, but the Wildcats scored twice in the second quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, Austin Battle connected with Justin Battle, who was alone in the back corner of the end zone. The 10-yard reception and ensuing extra-point attempt gave Millbrook a 7-0 lead.

Then with 1:15 left in the quarter, Angel Gomez-Corona connected on a 30-yard field goal. The Wildcats led 10-0 at halftime.

Jordan started the second half with possession, but went three & out. Riding a wave of momentum, it looked like Millbrook may begin to pull away. On the first play of its next drive, the Wildcats’ Malachi Gilchrist picked up a big gain down to the Falcons’ 5-yard-line.

That momentum shifted two plays later though. Micheal Koonce recovered a botched Millbrook snap at the 4-yard-line, and Jordan got the ball back. That began a 96-yard drive that ended with a touchdown. Omaris McMiller Jr. broke a 20-yard run down to the 6-yard-line, then Landon Melton scored on a four-yard run on Jordan’s first trip to the red zone.

Jordan trailed Millbrook 10-7 with 10:57 left in the fourth quarter, but the next Jordan drive was the pick six by Hines, which sealed the win for the Wildcats.

Millbrook (5-0) opens conference play next week with a home game against Heritage. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday night. Jordan (3-2) also opens conference play next week when it hosts Chapel Hill on Friday at 7 p.m.

Source: highschoolot.com