LAKELAND, Fla. – Tre Woodson caught three touchdown passes and Thomas led 14-0 in the second quarter, but Warner scored the final two touchdowns of a back-and-forth fourth quarter and held on for a 28-21 win Saturday at Lakeland Christian School Stadium.
Thomas outgained Warner on the ground 154-71 and finished with 380 total yards. Fifteen penalties for 148 yards and a missed goal-line chance proved costly.
Sekhi Ashley's 40-yard punt return set the Night Hawks up at the Warner 7 late in the first quarter. After a holding penalty wiped out a Dudley touchdown run, Langford hit Woodson for a 17-yard score at 8:03.
The defense then stopped Warner on fourth-and-6 at the Thomas 45, with Brody Stinson making the tackle. Langford found Woodson again from 22 yards out, and Dudley caught the two-point pass for a 14-0 lead with 10:29 left in the half.
Warner answered with a 9-yard touchdown pass. Thomas missed a 38-yard field goal before halftime and led 14-7 at the break.
The Royals tied it early in the third quarter with a 65-yard touchdown pass on second-and-20. Thomas responded with an 11-play, 64-yard drive that reached the Warner 1, but Warner stopped three straight runs, including on fourth down with 3:47 left in the quarter.
The Royals then went 99 yards in 14 plays and took a 21-14 lead on a 15-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth.
Thomas tied it on the next possession. Langford capped an eight-play, 71-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Woodson with 9:27 remaining.
Warner regained the lead at 7:36 on a 13-yard touchdown pass. Thomas' Kendall Hinton intercepted a pass at the Thomas 33 with 2:35 left, and the Night Hawks drove to the Warner 30. Four straight incompletions ended the threat with 57 seconds to play.
Thomas outgained Warner on the ground 154-71 and finished with 380 total yards. Fifteen penalties for 148 yards and a missed goal-line chance proved costly.
Woodson set the single-game record in receptions (9), receiving yards (131) and recieving touchdowns (3). Connor Langford completed 18 of 38 passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Roshaun Dudley ran for 107 yards on 18 carries, including a 46-yard burst on the first play from scrimmage.
Mustapha Kromah led the defense with 11 tackles. Zakari Henderson added 10. Hinton finished with an interception, a sack and two tackles for loss. Joe Miracle III had seven tackles and three tackles for loss. Thomas recorded eight tackles for loss and two sacks, and Terrell Seward forced a fumble.
Thomas hosts Webber International on Senior Day, Nov. 14 at 4 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Thomasville.
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