Navarre victory over Pace

NAVARRE — The stands were packed, the intensity was high and the home team made an inspired defensive stop to preserve the win.

This wasn’t a run-of-the-mill kickoff classic.

Boasting a new attitude and perhaps the most talented team of coach Chad Lashley’s three-year tenure, Navarre took the final step toward the 2010 season in style by beating Pace 14-13 in one half of varsity play at Bennett C. Russell Stadium.

View a photo gallery from the game »

Pace kicker Nathan Lord’s 29-yard attempt at a game-winning field goal hit the cross bar with 19 seconds left to seal the win for the Raiders.

Both schools’ varsity teams played the second half after the freshmen teams played the first quarter and the junior varsity teams played the second.

“All we talked about going into the game was to play with outstanding effort and be physical,” Lashley said. “We knew Pace would do that. Our kids did everything we asked them to do.”

The last-second theatrics came after it looked like the Raiders had the win sewed up. With 4:29 to play, Pace punted the ball away after a three-and-out. However, Navarre punt returner Nick Benton fumbled the return and gave the ball back to the Patriots at the Navarre 40-yard line.

The Raider defense responded to the challenge despite a fourth-down conversion that gave the Patriots the ball at the 10-yard line. After a short running play and a false start, Lord was forced to kick.

“I feel great about our kids,” Lashley said. “This group has something special about them. They want to be the ones that turn it around here.”

Navarre took the lead in the fourth on a slick run by tailback Dewayne Carter with 5:27 to play. Trailing 13-7 with 5:27 to play, Carter took an option pitch from quarterback Colton Kane and broke several tackles on his way to a 57-yard touchdown run.

The Patriots looked to be in control behind the ground game of running back Richard Carrion, who led all rushers with 80 yards on 19 carries. Carrion put Pace on the board with a 19-yard touchdown run with 8:22 left in the third.

Navarre answered on the next drive on the strength of Kane’s running. He carried the ball six times on Navarre’s first drive, capped by an 8-yard touchdown run.

The tie that resulted from Kane’s touchdown lasted until Austin Autrey rumbled in from 2 yards out with 10:05 left in the game to give the Patriots their second lead of the game. Navarre made sure that lead didn’t hold up.

“This was more than a kickoff classic for us,” Kane said. “This is our year. This is when we show people what we have here.”

The first quarter was played by the two schools’ freshmen teams and ended in a 0-0 tie. Neither team’s offense moved the ball inside their opponent’s 20-yard line.

Navarre’s JV team topped the Patriots 8-6 on a 2-yard run by Andrew Rieves with under 20 seconds left in the quarter. Brice Moore threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Kalvin Peterson for Pace.