HANCOCK COUNTY — Hancock County spoiled a halftime lead with missed opportunities, penalties and turnovers and Bay High took advantage to claim a 21-20 victory over its cross-county rival on Friday night.

The game dropped the Hawks to 2-1 while improving the Tigers to 2-1.

Bay High coach Jeff Hopgood said credit for the win goes to his assistant coaches and his players who overcame, “my bad play-calling in the first half.”

Quarterback Braxton LaFontaine completed a 12-yard pass to put the Tigers up 7-0 in the first quarter, but the Hawks countered on a 33-yard pass play by Keagon Gillihan to tie the game.

Hancock High scored late in the second quarter on an Adrian Whavers 17-yard run with 7 seconds left to put the Hawks up 14-7 at the half.

A Gillihan interception ended another drive that could have put the Hawks up by three scores at the half.

Gillihan scored on a three-yard plunge in the Hawks first possession of the second half to cap a 12-play, 94-yard drive to go up 20-7, Gillihan finished with 19 carries for 143 yards and 13-of-20 for 113 yards and a pick.

But then Bay High went to work, scoring on a seven-play drive capped by a LaFontaine completion to Marshall Hoffman from the 5-yard line and a 20-13 score.

A Hancock fumble and a punt forced turnovers in the fourth quarter that resulted in a final drive by Bay High. The Tigers hooked up with LaFontaine and Hoffman for a 4-yard strike and a 21-20 game with 1:02 to play.

Hancock tried to pass downfield but Gillihan couldn’t find a receiver and tried to finish the game with a 47-yard field goal attempt by Josh Reyer that went wide with :05 seconds that ended the game.

“It was a hard-fought football game,” Hopgood said. “They played hard, our kids played hard. I was the best football game we’ve played since the Long Beach game right after Katrina.”