Armwood 38, Hillsborough 16, Final

For a short span Thursday night, there was actually panic on the No.2 nationally ranked Armwood Hawks' sideline.

Two turnovers and a penalty on a lengthy kickoff return led to the visiting Hillsborough Terriers eyeing a chance to tie the game with a touchdown and 2-point conversion with just over six minutes remaining in their Class 6A-District 8 showdown.

But just as it has done all season, Armwood's defense sealed the win with two interceptions returned for touchdowns to give the undefeated Hawks a 38-16 win.

With the win, Armwood (8-0) clinched the district title and home-field advantage in the state region playoffs.

"The same thing happened last year," Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. "We were up 21-0 and they came back and we talked about that at halftime. I told my kids I'm really kind of glad we dealt with some adversity early. We got to see a different look out there on the sideline and on the field."

Armwood led 24-0 with just under eight minutes left in the game when Hillsborough senior Armaud Herndon intercepted a pass and returned it for a 30-yard touchdown. The Terriers (6-2), failed on the conversion, but on Armwood's second play of the next possession, senior running back Matt Jones fumbled the ball near the Hawks' 6 and fell on it in the end zone for the safety.

On the ensuing kickoff, Hillsborough junior Lilrobert Wilson found a hole and returned it for 55 yards, but on the tackle, Armwood was called for a horse collar, putting the Terriers on the 13-yard line. Freshman quarterback James Pensyl, filling in for a battered Jeremy Agrinzonis, found senior Evan Jennings for a touchdown pass, which snapped the Armwood defense's record of 27 consecutive scoreless quarters. Jalen Hill rushed in for the 2-point conversion to make it 24-16 with 6:10 left to play.

Hillsborough got the ball back after forcing Armwood to punt, but Pensyl's first pass of the drive was intercepted by Armwood's Antonio McCullough, who returned it for a 13-yard touchdown.

"Our kids didn't give up," Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia said. "We had it going there at the end, but we just had a hard time against (Armwood's) defense."

The Hawks defense had four interceptions and two sacks for the night.

 A – Richardson 7 run (Feely kick)
A – Jones 3 run (Feely kick)
A – Feely 45 FG
A – Ingram 5 run (Feely kick)
H – Hernon 30 INT return (run failed)
H – Safety
H – Jennings 13 pass from Pensyl (Hill run)
A – McCullough 13 INT return (Feely kick)
A – Baines 27 INT return (Feely kick)