You couldn’t have scripted a more exciting ending to the Burnet Homecoming game if you had set down with paper and pen. Burnet battled through four quarters and despite being down 31-23 with just 3:00 minutes left in the game, the Dawgs pulled out a homecoming victory, 37-31.

Each team scored 17 points in the first half with Burnet coming off a Cory Cavender run, a Derek Kiser to Trenton Hafley pass, and a 25-yard field goal by Austin Huff.

The third quarter was not kind to the Dawgs. Canyon Lake controlled much of the third and when it was over the Hawks had a nice lead on the scoreboard, 31-17.

Burnet began to chip away at that with a Hafley 8-yard touchdown on the very first play of the fourth quarter, but the PAT was blocked leaving the Bulldogs trailing, 31-23.

Following that score the Burnet defense forced back-to-back Canyon Lake punts, but the Dawgs drive in between the two was held up short at their own 31.

With 4:53 left in the game Burnet used a screen pass to Jordan Barnard and four Hafley runs to cash in a huge score with 3:00 minutes remaining. A direct snap to Hafley for the two-point attempt was denied, leaving the Dawgs trailing, 31-29.

The ensuing on-side attempt by the Bulldogs went out of bounds and the Hawks set up shop on their own 44 with under three minutes to play.

After a Hunter Thomas stop on a QB keep and two incomplete passes the Bulldogs were back in business following a punt with just 1:47 on the clock.

A Kiser screen to Hafley picked up a few, then a Hafley rush gained a first down at the Burnet 34. Two incomplete passes followed leaving the Dawgs in a third and ten situation at their own 34. Following a big hit on Cavender that didn’t gain any yards the Dawgs were running out of time and options with a fourth down and 10 starring them in the face. Kiser took the snap out of the shotgun and found a streaking Cameron Langley in the center of the field for a new-life first down at the Canyon Lake 44. A quick screen to Parisher netted Burnet seven more steps, but an incomplete pass on the next play had Burnet facing a third and three from the 37 with just 50 seconds on the clock.

Kiser again dropped back and this time found a sprinting Jake McElroy down the visitor’s sidelines. McElroy hauled in the pass and was tackled at the 2-yard line. A facemask call put Burnet on the one and one play later Hafley dashed in for the game winning score. Burnet also tacked on the two-point conversion with a pass from Hafley to Barnard, and after a short lived Canyon Lake drive with only 27 seconds on the clock the Bulldogs were celebrating homecoming with a 37-31 win.

Burnet, now 2-2 will play their final non-district match next Friday on the road at Taylor. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. For a complete game recap pick-up next Wednesday’s Burnet Bulletin.