TUNNEL HILL, Ga. - The homecoming candidates shivered their way through halftime ceremonies at Northwest Whitfield High School.
The conditions played a role - opinions differ as to how much - in Heritage's 21-19 win over Northwest that came down to a missed two-point conversion with six ticks to tock.
"We're a good passing team, but everybody's hands were numb and the ball was hard and wet," said Bruins quarterback Caleb Shiflett, who led the potential tying drive and completed 21 of 37 passes with two touchdowns.
The playoff picture is for still muddy for both teams. Each is 3-3 in Region 7-AAAA play - Heritage at 5-4 overall, the Bruins at 4-5.
"I really don't care," Heritage coach E.K. Slaughter said. "I hope this win helps us. I know we need more wins than Southeast Whitfield."
Said Northwest Whitfield coach Josh Robinson: "It's still basically a jumbled mess. It depends on next week and should still be a jumbled mess."
Early in the game, Grant Gunter burst through the Bruins' protection and deflected a punt by Bryan Villa. That set up the Generals 37 yards away from the end zone.
They covered that distance in seven plays. Sophomore Corbee Wilson faked a handoff and threw a 9-yard strike to Luke Grant over the middle for a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Generals also made a mistake on special teams. Jorge Ramos dropped a snap and had three Bruins all over him by the time he tried to kick on fourth down. Alejandro Coronel picked up the loose ball and returned it to the 16-yard line.
Shiflett connected with Clay Phillips on three straight passes, including a 3-yarder that Phillips bobbled but caught in the end zone. Villa tied the game with an extra point.
Northwest officials estimated they sold at least 300 cups of hot chocolate by halftime and bought everything on the shelf at a local Food Lion.
Heritage running back Khalyl Hood injured his left leg on the third snap of the second half and essentially was carried off the field.
"I had to step up," said running back Carter Beekman, who scored in the fourth quarter.
The Generals broke the tie when Wilson scored from 5 yards out. The Bruins added two field goals. With less than two minutes left, the Generals were driving and Northwest Whitfield let Beekman score.
The Bruins drove the length of the field - thanks largely to a 42-yard flea-flicker - and Shiflett found Phillips for the 12-yard score.
That just left the two-point conversion.
The Generals flushed Shiflett to the right, and his pass sailed out of the back of the endzone.
"I was on the sideline holding hands with Isaac Miller," Beekman said. "We were praying they wouldn't get it."
"This is another step in the process," Slaughter said. "We're learning how to win. We made big plays at the right times on defense, and we made big plays on offense."
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/Uchiyama