3-4A stunner: Raiders score 16 points in final 2:38, upset Dons

Randall quarterback Hunter Alford spinning, throwing and completing an over-the-shoulder pass on fourth down.

Randall scoring 16 points during the final two minutes, 38 seconds.

Randall coach Bryan Wood going for two with four seconds remaining and trailing by one.

The Randall Raiders recorded their first win of the season Friday in wild-and-crazy fashion, scoring 23 points in the final quarter - the last two on a two-point conversion run by Alford with four seconds remaining - and pulling out a 37-36 District 3-4A decision against Palo Duro at Dick Bivins Stadium.

Randall's upset gives first-year coach Wood his first victory with the Raiders and opens the door to the playoff race in 3-4A at 1-1.

"I have had a few wins in my career," Wood said. "But this one ranks right up there."

The ending included 38 points combined in the fourth quarter, the Raiders trailing 36-21 with 4:29 remaining, Alford completing his fourth-down 24-yard desperation pass to Tre' Norton with 18 seconds remaining, and that gutsy two-point conversion.

Randall's Aaron Whited recovered an onside kick with 2:37 remaining to set up the nine-play, 54-yard game-winning drive.

The fifth play of the drive was the game-saver when Alford, a junior who threw for 251 yards, faced a fourth-and-15 at the 30-yard line and appeared to be sacked. Alford somehow spun free and out of nowhere lofted a pass caught by Norton inside the Palo Duro 10.

Four plays later, Alford found his favorite target in the game, receiver Brett Scheve - nine catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns - on a 4-yard out, scoring with four seconds remaining and pulling the Raiders to within 36-35.

Wood called for his team to go for two points.

"We are 0-6," Wood said. "That wasn't just for the win. That was for the mentality of this team. These kids have to know I am going to take some chances and trust in them. Win or lose, it was important where we are at to let them know I thought we could do it."

The same Alford-to-Scheve pass play that had scored Randall's last 14 points was called again.

However, Alford pulled up to pass, found Scheve covered and decided to run out the back door, scoring standing for the one-point victory.

Palo Duro quarterback Jaren Grayson's Hail Mary pass was knocked down as time ran out.

Randall players gathered in a pile near midfield to celebrate.

"We have had our ups and downs," Randall senior guard Trevor Cardenas said. "We came out here and played hard. In the past, we probably would have given up. The coaches are working hard, the linemen are blocking, the defense is there, everything is there. We didn't give up and went hard.

"Right there in the huddle at the end it was about heart. When Coach called for the two-point conversion, we loved it."

Randall outgained Palo Duro 383-356 in total offense and survived what is becoming the Dons' forte - a prolific running game.

Palo Duro rolled up 600-plus yards rushing last week in a 55-42 win against Caprock. Against Randall, the Dons ran for 306 yards led by Ty Hicks' 201 yards and four touchdowns on 16 carries.

Grayson appeared to put the game away with a 42-yard touchdown run on a keeper with 4:29 to play, making the score 36-21.

But Randall countered with a solid run-by-committee effort from Alford (39 yards), Bryce Ballard (61 yards) and Gage Moore (32 yards) and Alford's passing.

"I want to give Randall all the credit in the world for fighting hard," said Palo Duro coach Steve Parr, his team 1-1 in district. "I felt like they went and won the ball game there at the end. They executed a lot of things. I didn't think we played bad."

Randall 7 0 7 23 - 37

Palo Duro 0 14 7 15 - 36

R-Tre' Norton 59 pass from Hunter Alford (Norton kick)

PD- Ty Hicks 35 run (Clemente Flores kick)

PD-Hicks 4 run (Flores kick)

R-Bryce Ballard 34 run (Norton kick)

PD-Hicks 21 run (Flores kick)

R-Gage Moore 4 run (Norton kick)

PD-Hicks 59 run (Kylor Williams run)

PD-Jaren Grayson 42 run (Flores)

R-Brett Scheve 4 pass from Alfrod (Alford run)

R-Scheve 3 pass from Alford (Alford run)

Palo Duro Randall

First Downs 13 18

Yards Rushing 306 132

Yards Passing 50 251

Total Yards Gained 356 383

Comp-Att-Int 3-8-0 19-31-1

Punts-Avg. 2-49.5 4-34.2

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0

Penalties-Yards 7-42 3-20

Individual Statistics

RUSHING - Randall: Hunter Alford 13-39, Bryce Ballard 12-61, Gage Moore 11-32. Palo Duro: Ty Hicks 16-201, Denzel Everhart 8-17, Jaren Grayson 6-87, Jerry Hill 3-1.

PASSING - Randall: Hunter Alford 19-31-1-251; Palo Duro: Jaren Grayson 3-8-0-50.

RECEIVING - Randall: Tre Norton 4-92, Skylar Moseley 1-(-)2, Brett Scheve 9-129, Leighton Tapia 2-5, Todd Hartley 2-15, Bryan Borchardt 1-11. Palo Duro: Jerry Hill 2-12, Chris Acosta 1-38.