BELLBROOK — The Bellbrook Golden Eagles (1-5, 1-2 SWBL) managed to hold on to a second half burst for a 21-16 win over conference rival Valley View Spartans (4-2, 2-1).

With a five point lead, the Eagles punted the ball to the Spartans who started their drive from their own 33-yard line with only 27 seconds remaining.

After picking up a first down, they were left with only 0.8 seconds. However, QB Kyle Pohl’s Hail Mary was intercepted by Bellbrook’s Derek Andrews to seal the victory.

“I was just yelling at that clock to go faster,” Bellbrook head coach Kevin Basinger said with a laugh. “It’s just had that eerie feeling in your stomach saying, ‘We’ve been here before,’ although we haven’t been in the situation with the lead to finish the game. We’ve either been behind or we’ve been tied.”

The Eagles drew first blood in the first quarter on a 3-yard run by QB Jay Bucher, which was set up by a 35-yard pass to Kyle McKinnis on a diving grab.

The Spartans responded in the second quarter on a 65-yard touchdown pass and run from Pohl to Justin Griffiths. The Eagles managed to block the PAT, but a penalty allowed the Spartans to try again and Pohl ran it in for two on a fake FG to give them their only lead of the game at 8-7.

The Spartans appeared to be on their way to enhance their lead before half, but as they reached Bellbrook’s 20 yard line Pohl was hit as he threw and the pass was intercepted by Sean Northgraves.

The Eagles came out on their opening drive of the second half to run 11 plays for 78 yards before Bucher found Brad Combs for an 18-yard touchdown pass.

The Eagle defense pinned the Spartans inside their own 10 yard line, so when they punted the Eagles had great field position, starting their drive at Valley View’s 34 yard line. Eight plays later, Bucher ran the ball in on fourth down from one yard out. Though the two-point conversion was good, it was called back on a holding penalty so Mike Morgan had to work for the 36 yard PAT, which he nailed, keeping him perfect.

The Spartans were able to find the end zone inside three minutes in the fourth quarter on a three yard touchdown pass to Tyler Schenck (the snap was bad on the PAT but Bucher threw to Ben Fannin for two), but it was too little too late.

Next week the Eagles will host Eaton.

“It doesn’t get any easier there,” Basinger said. “Hopefully we can get back there again next week and just take one step at a time and playing well. They’re a very good team so hopefully we’re ready to play, we give them a good game and come after them.”