In their first big test of the season, the Mustangs of Pillow Academy got a passing grade on effort but not execution.
After starting out with a pair of blowout wins against much lesser opponents, the Mustangs lost a heartbreaker, 24-17, in double overtime to Washington School Friday night at PA's Bill Davis Field.
The loss leaves Pillow at 2-1 overall, 0-1 in the North AAA Division II standings, while the defending state AAA Division II champion Generals move to 2-1, 1-0.
"This one hurts, but our season is not over by a long shot. We've got a lot of conference games left, and this team will get better each week," PA coach Michael Fair said. "That was a good team that beat us. I bet we will see them again (in the postseason)."
Pillow had a chance to break a 14-all tie late in the fourth quarter, when it took over at its own 33-yard line with 4:46 remaining. On the first play, quarterback Will Andrews hit wide receiver Hunter McNeer with a 19-yard pass, and then tailback Tyler Fondren ripped off a 15-yard run.
But a pair of 5-yard penalties quickly slowed down the Mustangs who had to settle for a 40-yard field goal attempt, and McNeer's kick sailed wide left with 53 seconds left.
"Those two penalties really hurt, but then again, if we block and tackle better, we're not even in that position to be hurt by the penalties," Fair said.
PA got the ball first at the 10-yard line in the first overtime. After three runs by Fondren that netted seven yards, McNeer booted a 20-yard field goal to put Pillow up 17-14.
The Generals managed just three yards on three plays before Nathan Noble kicked a 23-yard field goal to force the second extra period.
Washington then scored from 10 yards out on a pair of 5-yard runs by tailback Michael Griffin.
On PA's first offensive play of the second overtime, Andrews was sacked for a 6-yard loss. After a 6-yard pass to Bo Farmer and 5-yard run by Fondren, the Mustangs faced a fourth-and-5 - and that's when Andrews' pass into the end zone fell incomplete, sealing the win for Washington.
"We just didn't execute like I thought we should have," Fair said. "Give Washington credit, though. They made a few plays when we didn't."
Washington, which has now won three straight over PA and leads the all-time series 25-13, was up 14-7 at the half.
The Mustangs controlled most of the second half, holding the Generals to just 87 total yards. Washington finished with 264 total yards - compared to 241 for the Mustangs.
Griffin was the workhorse for the General offense with his 35 carries accounting for 70 percent of his team's 50 plays. The 5-foot-6, 170-pound senior finished with a game-high 179 yards and two touchdowns.
Washington opened the game with a 6-play, 73-yard TD drive - keyed by a 57-yard pass from backup quarterback Robert Evans to wide receiver Robert Burle. Evans was playing in place of injured starter Eric Brozovich, who didn't dress out after suffering a mild concussion in a game the week before.
Griffin capped the drive with a 1-yard plunge.
Pillow tied the game at 7 midway through the second quarter after a turnover gave the Mustangs a short field at the Washington 21.
Andrews found the end zone on a 1-yard sneak. He also had a 3-yard run on a fourth-and-2 play for the 14.
Andrews, Pillow's leading rusher this season, finished with 75 yards on 13 carries.
Washington came right back with a 65-yard touchdown drive to regain the lead three minutes later.
Griffin had seven carries for 54 yards on the drive, which was capped with a 5-yard scoring strike from Evans to fullback Hill Ray, putting the Generals up 14-7.
Pillow opened the second half with a 63-yard touchdown drive to tie the game at 14-all. Andrews keyed the drive with a 52-yard run and capped it with an 8-yard TD pass to Fondren.
Andrews finished with three completions on 10 attempts for 32 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Fondren led the PA ground game with 85 yards on 20 carries.
