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The Lafayette Christian Middle School football team won the GAPPS state championship on Tuesday night in front of a packed home stadium, defeating football powerhouse Unity 26-22. The Cougars fell just short in the state championship game last year, losing in heartbreaking fashion on their own turf. Not this season, this was the year of the Cougar.

The game was back-and-forth and truly a game down to the wire. The Cougars would score the game-winning touchdown with just 27 seconds on the clock as Tobin Parrott plunged over the goal line from four yards out just two plays after the team picked up a crucial fourth down conversion by the Lions jumping offsides. 

Lafayette Christian’s sideline celebrated, but kept it calm, knowing the potency of the Unity offense. The Cougars would never give it back to the Lions, recovering a surprise onside kick that iced the game with Unity only having one timeout to stop the clock. A somewhat tame Lafayette Christian sideline was tame no more as jubilation overtook the home side.

Unity made the Cougars fight for every blade of grass and every score. Lafayette Christian took the first lead of the game when quarterback Jeremiah Hinton ran the ball in from a couple yards out to put the team up 6-0.

The Lions would strike back quickly, taking an 8-6 lead with just under 30 seconds to go in the first half.

The back-and-forth nature of the game was just getting started as the Cougars retook the lead on the ensuing drive. A long kickoff return gave the home team the ball on Unity’s 35-yard line. It did not take the Cougars long to score as Parrott got his first touchdown of the night from a yard out.

Unity would come right back to tie the game up at 14 with 3:08 left in the first half.

The Cougars were unfazed, mounting an impressive drive to end the half with a touchdown as Hinton connected with Lawson Carroll on a touchdown with nine seconds left to play in the second quarter, allowing the team to take a 20-14 lead into the break.

The Cougars got the ball to start the second half and carried the momentum right down the field until a fumble on the doorstep of the red zone gave the ball back to the Lions. 

Unity would make the Cougars pay for their error, driving 75+ yards and scoring a touchdown to take a 22-20 lead with seven seconds to go in the third quarter. 

The fourth quarter was an absolute war until Carroll made the play of the game for the Cougars. Carroll blocked a punt, scooped it up and returned it to the Unity 21-yard line with 2:19 left in the game, ultimately setting up the game-winning score.