Last night's Carver-Mount Tabor game belonged to the Yellowjackets' Mike Lawrence and Richard Daniels … for three quarters.
But after giving up three long touchdown passes to Carver's senior playmakers and trailing 21-3 entering the final period, Mount Tabor stormed from behind to come away with an improbable 27-21 nonconference victory.
The Spartans tightened on defense and took advantage of some costly mistakes by the visiting Yellowjackets down the stretch.
Quarterback Brad Morton's 23-yard touchdown run on an option keeper around the left side with less than two minutes left capped the 24-point run.
"We never backed down," Morton said. "We knew if we kept fighting, we could come away with a win."
Mount Tabor took possession of the ball on Carver's 38, 48, 10 and 20 in the fourth quarter to put three touchdowns and a field goal on the board. In addition to Morton's touchdown run, D.J. McCain scored on two short runs, and Lawson Furr booted a 31-yard field goal, his second of the night.
The Spartans were finally able to finally contain Lawrence and Daniels down the stretch, and Carver, which was pinned deep in its own territory most of the second half, had a high snap on a punt and a costly interception to set up Mount Tabor's tying and go-ahead touchdowns.
"It's been that type of season for us," said Coach Laymarr Marshall of Mount Tabor, which improved to 4-2. "We knew we were going to be in for a dogfight. The kids really showed a lot of cool. My hat's off to our kids. But it was a tough loss for them."
The Yellowjackets, who fell to 2-4, were stunned by the developments in the final 12 minutes after the amazing performance by Lawrence and Daniels, who had a combined five catches for 217 yards. Lawrence threw for 315 total yards, including scoring strikes of 37, 58 and 83 yards to Daniels.
"They are big-time ball players," said Carver coach Brent David. "They did all they could. To have a team like Mount Tabor on the ropes like that, it's really hard.
"The field position in the second half killed us. It would have been such a big win for us."
The Spartans got a field goal from Furr on the last play of the first half and trailed 14-3 at halftime. The third Lawrence to Daniels touchdown connection made it 21-3 midway through the third quarter.
"We were finally able to make something happen in the fourth quarter," Marshall said.
Carver 0 14 7 0 -- 21
Mount Tabor 0 3 0 24 -- 27
C -- Daniels 37 pass from Lawrence (Banas kick)
C -- Daniels 58 pass from Lawrence (Banas kick)
M -- Furr 35 FG
C -- Daniels 83 pass from Lawrence (Banas kick)
M -- McCain 5 run (Ashford pass from Furr)
M -- Furr 31 FG
M -- McCain 1 run (Furr kick)
M -- Morton 23 run (kick failed
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