BY TERRI BARKER
ANNA-MELISSA TRIBUNE
GARLAND -- Nick Palmer's third-quarter touchdown stood up after Melissa stopped Prairiland's two-point conversion in the fourth quarter as the Cardinals defeated the Patriots, 7-6, in a Class 2A Division II Region II bi-district game at Homer B. Johnson Stadium on Friday night.
Neither team could get anything going offensively in the first quarter and a Prairiland injury early in the first quarter forced the Patriots (9-2) to use all their time-outs to adjust.
The defenses owned the second quarter as well and the teams went into half-time with no points on the board.
After the teams traded punts to start the third quarter, Melissa (9-2) finally took advantage. After a 42-yard completion from Wes McQueen to Brandon Hunter that put the Cards at the Patriot 13-yard line, McQueen then connected with Brodie Russell for 10 more yards. Palmer then waltzed in to score and Conner Monroe's PAT split the uprights.
The Patriots then methodically marched down the field, using the last six minutes of the third quarter, to the Cardinal 10.
To begin the fourth quarter, the Cardinal defense only allowed 2 yards and forced the Patriots into a fourth and goal situation. The Patriots made a brilliant play when the quarterback handed off to his tight end, who ran towards the sideline and then chipped the ball to a wide open receiver in the end zone.
Prairiland attempted the two-point conversion and the Cardinal defense allowed nothing.
After 12 plays and burning a little more than five minutes off the clock, Melissa lost possession at the Patriot 23. When the running game failed the Patriots, they went to the air on fourth-and-11 only to be intercepted by Aaron Bush.
The Cards were again unable to convert a first down and punted to the Patriot 8 with 1:26 left in the game. With only seconds left, the Patriots were desperate for yardage and after three incomplete passes, Dallon Bates intercepted the fourth-down pass and ran the ball back to the Patriot 19 to seal the victory.