MARYVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) - Nick Myers threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more as Maryville beat Alcoa 42-24 in a nationally televised high school football game on Sunday afternoon.
Alcoa led 24-21 in the fourth quarter, but two costly turnovers helped give the win to Maryville.
Their head coach compared the game to a 15-round heavyweight title fight.
"About the 13th round we just started getting beat up a little bit," said Alcoa head coach Gary Rankin.
"(We) made some bad mistakes the last five to six minutes. We had so many kids going both ways, I think mentally we lost our edge there at the end."
Maryville jumped out to a 7-0 lead, but Alcoa tied the game on a long touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Hillis to receiver Malik Love.
Alcoa lead 14-13 at the half.
The Torndoes took a 24-21 lead mid-way through the fourth quarter, but Maryville drove the field to re-take the lead 27-24.
Alcoa fumbled the reception on the ensuing kickoff, giving Maryville another change to score.
They did.
Myers hit T.J. Kimball on a pass to make it 35-24.
On their next possession, an Alcoa pass was intercepted by Maryville linebacker Hayden Townsend.
The Rebels scored again on a run by Shawn Prevo to seal the win for Maryville.
"Turnovers were a key," said Maryville head coach George Quarles.
"Ya know, they had two turnovers. We scored two touchdowns off of those. The muffed kick was huge. But we felt conditioning might be a key. I am not sure they got worn out or anything but we seemed to make some plays in the fourth quarter.
