DAWSONVILLE — West Hall football continued its impressive surge on Friday night -- and did so in large part thanks to the leg of Israel Lopez.
The senior placekicker booted two field goals -- one from 45 yards and another with just 15 seconds remaining -- to lift the Spartans to a 13-10 victory over Dawson County and their fourth straight win since a season-opening loss.
"I feel like we're a much better team than the one that started the season," Spartans coach Tony Lotti said. "We're maturing physically and mentally, and I'ms eeing growth spurts."
Quarterback Michael Thompson is certainly a player that has grown in 2017, and Lotti singled the starter out for more praise on Friday after he scored the Spartans (4-1) lone touchdown and rushed 20 times for 150 yards.
"He really played well and broke some runs to get us down the field; Cameron Shirley made some big catches too," Lotti said.
Lopez's second field goal came from 20 yards and broke a 10-10 scoreline after Dawson County kicker Peyton Allen had knotted the game with a 42-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
Yet Dawson County also narrowly missed on a go-ahead field goal attempt just prior to Lopez's game winner.
The Tigers' Shawn Thomas countered Lopez's first field goal, ripping off a 20-yard run to give Dawson County a 7-3 advantage. He paced the Tigers (2-1) with 72 yards rushing on 13 carries. But Thompson countered with a 1-yard scoring plunge in the second quarter, as the Spartans held a 10-7 halftime lead.
"This team is just taking everything in stride, and it has been a tough week, but we played a bad hand very well," Lotti said.
West Hall travels to face Rabun County in the Spartans final non-region contest next week.
Dawson County will travel to face White County next week.
