TONY STINNETT, Courier Co-Editor
Sunday, September 4, 2011 7:00 am

Bo Bryson makes a big catch (JOEL FRANKLIN photo)

The JR Lions’ best effort of the season was not enough to land the team in the win column for the first time in three outings against Gordonsville Thursday (Sept. 1), but it did leave players enthusiastic about the prospect of the remainder of the season.

Gordonsville scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:30 remaining and added the crucial two-point conversion to sneak out of town with a 16-14 win at Swartz Field.

Cannon County had scored what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown when Collin Anderson plunged in from one-yard out to give the Lions a 14-8 lead with 3:33 remaining. The two-point conversion attempt failed.

“I felt good about our chances when I scored that touchdown,” said Anderson, who finished with 25 yards on seven carries. “I wanted the ball and when I ran it in I was all fired up. We just ended up falling short.”

Gordonsville regained possession and drove 45 yards on five plays to score what proved to be the game-winning touchdown with 1:30 remaining. A 31-yard pick-up on second-and-15 was the big blow during the drive.

The Lions narrowly missed pulling off what would have been a remarkable game-winning drive themselves by marching from the Cannon County 20 to the Gordonsville 14 before the drive finally staylled. Quarterback Brady Page completed three passes on the drive.

Eighth-grader Bo Bryson gave the JR Lions the early lead when he scored just before halftime.

Cannon County gained possession in a scoreless game with 1:38 remaining in the first half and drove 56 yards in six plays and scored when Bryson went up over a receiver to haul in a Page aerial for a 7-yard touchdown. Bryson added the two-point conversion run to give the Lions an 8-0 lead.

“That was actually supposed to be a running play,” Bryson said of his touchdown grab. “We saw I had an advantage over the defensive back and the defensive back wasn’t paying attention  so I was able to cut in front of him and then go over him to catch the ball.”

Cannon County’s defense pitched a shutout in the first half, but Gordonsville came out strong in the second half and tied the game on its second drive with an 83-yard drive.

Bryson, Anderson, Austin Miller, Anthony Jackson, Julio Dominquez and Jake Walkup had strong defensive showings for the JR Lions.

Page was 10-of-28 for 121 yards and the one touchdown. He also threw an interception and rushed for 17 yards. Dominquez had 48 yards rushing on just six carries to lead the Lions on the ground.