COLUMBIA - Blackville-Hilda played a football game Thursday at Boldin Stadium.

Following the 8-7 loss to C.A. Johnson, the Hawks were playing the “might have been” game in their heads. A victory over the Hornets would have put B-H (6-3, 4-2) in position to face county rival Williston-Elko on Oct. 30 for a share of first place in Region 4-A.

Instead, the Hawks dropped to fourth place after squandering scoring opportunities in the second half. On three occasions, B-H drove the football inside the Red Zone of C.A. Johnson (7-2, 5-1) and came up empty.

It was the same on fourth down conversions where the Hawks were stopped three times by the Hornets. No stoppage was more critical than with 29.6 seconds left when quarterback Chris Kearse was stopped on fourth-and-one at the C.A. Johnson 11.

C.A. Johnson had better success on fourth down, highlighted by a 4-yard touchdown pass from Jonathan Goodman to Kendale Wilson with

9:03 left in the fourth quarter. Tyrick Adamson rushed in the 2-point conversion which provided the margin of victory.

“We missed opportunities time after time after time,” B-H head coach David Berry said. “Had the chance to make the big plays. We didn’t make the plays. Bottom line. You’ve got to suck it up and make the plays when it counts and we didn’t do it.”

The first half saw both offenses find success moving the football, but no points to show for it. C.A. Johnson outgained B-H 136-80, but found itself down 7-0 with 2:54 left in the second quarter.

Fielding the punt from his own 32, the Hawks’ Larry Johnson scampered down the visiting sidelines and, getting timely blocking from teammates, raced into the end zone for a 68-yard touchdown.

C.A. Johnson tried to respond quickly before halftime. Kendale Wilson returned the kickoff 48 yards to the B-H 45 and Goodman had back-to-back runs of 18 and 16 yards to move the Hornets into scoring position.

The Hawks’ defense stiffened, however, as it forced one of three turnovers committed by C.A. Johnson. Goodman fumbled after he was stopped at the 9-yard line and Freddie Glover made the recovery.

B-H had two productive drives running the football to open the second half, only to see one end on an interception and the other when Ronnie Thomas was tackled for a 3-yard loss at the C.A. Johnson 17.

The Hornets took over and went 12 plays and 83 yards for the game’s only scoring drive in the fourth quarter. After forcing B-H to punt with 4:24 left, C.A. Johnson looked to run out the clock.

As Adamson carried the football for what appeared to be another first down, B-H’s Jevon Dukes snatched the football away. He started rushing towards the end zone, only to get tackled at the C.A. Johnson 20 with 1:08 left.

The very next play saw a wide-open Glover drop a potential touchdown pass from Kearse. It was the lest scoring opportunity for B-H as it eventually turned the football and the game over to the Hornets on downs.

C.A. Johnson travels to Hunter-Kinard-Tyler on Oct. 30.

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