True, it was the Georgia Power Company that supplied the electricity before the Holy Innocents-Hapeville Charter Homecoming football game, but unfortunately it was the Hornets that supplied the late juice in slipping past our Bears 20-17 in overtime.
 
It was a game where Hapeville led in time of possession and on the stat sheet, but the Bears were still up 14-0 after three quarters. The last 5:27 seconds turned down our light switch, however, as HI dropped to 5-2, 2-1 in the region.
 
"This is a feeling we're going to have to remember, and it doesn't feel that good," Coach Nick Perrotta said afterwards. "We made some critical mistakes, and we just gave them too many chances. We had opportunities to put the game away and we didn't. This is one we've got to learn from."
 
HI went up right off the bat in the opening period after Preston Massie blocked a punt on the Hornet's first possession. Recovering at the 5, the Bears scored on the first play when Denim Stevens raced into the end zone. 
 
Early in the second period, Perrotta & Company went up 14-0 when A.J. Donnelly picked off a Hapeville pass and raced 15 yards into the end zone to give the Bears a temporary cushion.
 
Hapeville, after having two touchdowns called back in the first half, finally found the end zone with 5:27 left in regulation on a 10-yard scoring pass to cut the lead in half. On a Bear punt on their ensuing possession, the ball bounced off a Golden Bear player and Hapeville picked it up and raced 58 yards for the score to tie the game.
 
It appeared the Hornets were about to seal the deal late in the game with the ball on our 20, but Jordan Mays picked off a pass and returned it to midfield to keep things tied and send it to OT. 
 
In the overtime, Mitchell Bainbridge kicked a 35-yard field goal to put the Bears up 17-14, but the Hornets answered with a 14 yard run to the 1 before punching it in two plays later to earn the victory.
 
The defensive stars were many for HI – Bennett Burroughs, Lucas Tiliakos, Myles Jackson, Miller Wimberly, Donnelly, Jake Berte, Finn Ferrero, and Brayden Bailey were just some of the standouts. Bainbridge was a busy man on special teams with plenty of punts to go with his field goal in OT.
 
Looking ahead, the Bears will travel to Lakewood to take on Carver this Thursday at 7:30 p.m. as region play continues. 
 
Fifth quarter notes: The first game under the lights at Baker Field in school history drew a huge crowd. Jackson and Evie Price were named Homecoming King and Queen, and our cheerleaders electrified the crowd at half with a remarkable performance. Great night, tough ending.