In a game that started early in an attempt to avoid bad weather, Locust Fork and Westminster Christian decided to keep everyone late by battling through three overtime periods before the host Hornets got a goal line stand to defeat the visiting Wildcats 46-38. The three overtimes marked the longest game in Locust Fork history.

Fear of inclement weather caused the kickoff to be moved up half an hour, but early on it was the Hornets who appeared ready to play as they roared to a quick 13-0 first quarter lead.

Quarterback Chase Rice found wide receiver Tyler Boniella for a 43-yard scoring strike less than four minutes into the game.

Then defensive back Chase Biles recovered a Wildcat fumble on the visitors’ first offensive play, which set up the second Hornet touchdown. Rice, attempting to pass, instead found a hole in the middle of the Westminster defense and raced 22 yards for the second Locust Fork score with 6:15 still remaining in the first quarter. Dakota Karluk’s point after was blocked.

The guests from Huntsville dominated the remainder of the first half while punching across a pair of touchdowns of their own.

Wildcat quarterback Jared Smith, who had 187 rushing yards on 33 carries with two touchdowns for the night, first scored from a yard out to complete a 16 play, 67 yard drive. The extra point by Caleb Murphree was blocked, leaving the Hornets up 13-6 with 10:28 left in the second quarter.

A few minutes later, Smith found receiver Ian McCoy open for a 10-yard scoring toss. A 2-point attempt failed, and the teams went to the dressing room with Locust Fork clinging to a 13-12 advantage.

A steady but light rain fell throughout most of the second half, but that did not damper the scoring efforts of both squads.

Locust Fork got the only points scored in the third quarter as running back John Payne found paydirt from five yards away with 2:18 left in the third stanza.

Things got crazy in the last eight minutes of regulation, as Westminster struck on a 62-yard touchdown run from Tavian Garrett. Smith ran for the two point conversion to tie the game at 20-20.

Locust Fork then roared down the field and took back the lead when Payne scored again, this time on a 17-yard run. Karluk’s extra point was blocked, leaving the Hornets up 26-20 with 5:58 remaining in regulation time.

It took the Wildcats only 35 seconds to even the score when Smith avoided several tacklers – including a highlight-reel hurdle of one Hornet defender – on the way to a 60-yard touchdown run. Murphree’s point after was wide to the left, leaving the game tied at 26-26 with 5:23 left in regulation.

After a Locust Fork punt, Westminster moved to the Hornet 18 and on the last play of regulation, Murphree missed a 35-yard field goal that would have won the game. Instead, for the second time in four weeks, it would be overtime for the Hornets.

In the first extra period, the Hornets scored when Rice passed 19 yards to Dylan Hurst. The Hornets thought they had scored two points on a fake point-after attempt, but a penalty negated the play and a pass attempt failed but Locust Fork led 32-26. Westminster answered on Smith’s 6-yard pass to McCoy, but Smith’s attempt to win the game on a 2-point conversion run was stopped short, and it was off to the second overtime tied at 32-32.

Westminster, having the ball first, took the lead for the first time in the game when John Parker ran two yards for a touchdown. Smith’s pass attempt for two points was incomplete, and it was 38-32 in favor of the Wildcats.

Rice tied the game with a 4-yard run for the Hornets but Karluk’s point-after kick to win the game was blocked.

With both teams now noticeably tired, Rice started the third extra period with a 10-yard scoring run on the first play. He then ran for the key 2-point conversion, giving the Hornets a 46-38 lead.

Westminster pushed down to the 1-yard line, but on fourth down Parker was stopped just short of the goal by the center of the Hornet defense.

Payne led Hornet rushers with 62 yards on 13 attempts and three touchdowns. Rice ran for two scores and passed for two more.

Locust Fork (2-2, 1-1 region) visits rival Oneonta next Friday in a key Class 4A Region 7 tilt.