Friday night’s game against Palmetto is one Countryside will look back on often throughout the rest of the season.
Not just because they won to improve to 3-0. It was the way they won. The Cougars had to come from behind in the fourth quarter for the 15-14 win to post their third-straight victory.
Countryside built a 9-0 second quarter lead thanks to kicker Martin Turowski’s 40-yard field goal and wide receiver Scott Dailey’s 35-yard touchdown return off a blocked punt.
But on the ensuing kickoff after Dailey’s score, Palmetto’s Quincy Washington returned the kick 99 yards for a touchdown. Just before the end of the first half, Washington put the Tigers ahead with a two-yard touchdown run and the extra point made it Palmetto 14, Countryside 9. The go-ahead score was set up by De’arius Washington’s 25-yard reception from Jack Allison.
In the fourth quarter, with Palmetto clinging to a five-point lead, it was Countryside’s turn to block a punt. That led to senior running back Dante Satcher’s winning touchdown run, which he help set up with a 33-yard run for first and goal.
Palmetto had three more possessions to try and come from behind, but on the first try, Countryside defensive back Deondre Kleidon came up with a big third-down sack to force the Tigers to punt. On the second possession, Cougars defensive back Felix Dixon intercepted Allison.
And the Countryside defense came up with another big sack to thwart Palmetto’s final come-back attempt.
Click on the video to see how Countryside improved to 3-0.