Galax had three chances to win this one in the final 20 seconds of the game. However, the Maroon Tide came up short each time, as Clintwood held on for a 33-28 win in the Group A, Division 1 championship game Saturday afternoon at Salem Stadium.

The Maroon Tide (14-1) jumped out to a 14-0 lead within a span of one minute in the opening quarter. Steven Peoples scored on a 21-yard run to make it 7-0 at the 4:08 mark. Peoples' then picked off a Greenwave pass and raced 30-yards to the house to make it 14-0 with 3:14 showing.

The second quarter was all Clintwood (13-3). A 3-yard run by Austin Dotson and Tanner Brooks PAT made it 14-7 with 8:11 on the clock. The Greenwave tied the game, 14-14, at the 5:31 mark after recovering an onside kick and capping it off with a 26-yard pass from Dalton Dahley to Jacob York and making the PAT. The Greenwave would then fake a punt to earn a first down and three plays later, Robbie Mullins scored from 8-yards out and the PAT sailed right to make it 20-14 at the half.

In the first half, Galax tallied 160 yards and eight first downs, compared to 119 yards and four first downs for Clintwood.

The turning point of the opening half was three Galax turnovers (two fumbles and an interception).

Clintwood picked up in the third quarter were they left off in the second quarter. A 73-yard scoring strike from Dahley made it 26-14 after the two-point conversion failed with 9:02 on the clock. A 28-yard scamper by Gavan Meade extended the Greenwave advantage to 33-14. Galax finally ended the drought with 22 seconds left in the quarter on an 80-yard gallop by Jacob Fisher.

The Maroon Tide cut their deficit to 33-28 with 1:58 left in the fourth quarter on a 47-yard pass from Austin Pack to Deion George and the PAT was good.

Galax had three chances in the final 20 seconds to win the game after driving to the Clintwood 18-yard line. However, three pass attempts fell short, thus allowing Clintwood to hold on for the 33-28 win.

Clintwood finished with 370 yards of total offense. Gavan Meade led the ground game with 146 yards on 27 carries. Dalton Dahley completed 3-of-14 passes for 117 yards.

Galax tallied 400 yards of offense. Jacob Fisher had 83 yards on two carries and Jordan Vaughan added 75 yards on 10 carries. Austin Pack completed 13-of-28 passes for 179 yards. 

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Photo: Galax's Jacob Fisher (#9) makes a ctach in front of the Clintwood defender during Saturday's game. (Photo by Wendell Jones)