Priceville Stuns No. 8 Guntersville in First Round Overtime Comeback Thriller

GUNTERSVILLE, AL – In a dramatic Class 5A first-round playoff showdown, the Priceville Bulldogs pulled off an incredible comeback to upset the No. 8 Guntersville Wildcats 24-21 in overtime Thursday night at Chorba-Lee Stadium.  Trailing by two touchdowns with just 1:51 left in regulation, Priceville showcased resilience in all three phases of the game to secure the unlikely victory and advance to the second round of the Class 5A postseason.

The game began with Guntersville, the second seed from Region 8, holding a strong 21-7 lead late in the fourth quarter. With 1:51 remaining, the Wildcats were in control, facing a third-and-11 at the Priceville 26-yard line. However, the momentum shifted when Guntersville’s quarterback faked a run into the line and attempted to break outside. Priceville’s Julian Avalos delivered a game-changing play, knocking the ball loose, which a teammate recovered at the Bulldogs’ 23-yard line.

Priceville’s offense, led by quarterback Sheldon Graham, quickly went to work. Graham completed 4-of-5 passes, moving the Bulldogs 77 yards in just 51 seconds. He capped the drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Urijah Burnham, narrowing the deficit to 21-13. However, Graham’s two-point conversion attempt fell incomplete under heavy pressure from the Wildcats’ defense.

With time running out, Priceville’s special teams stepped up. The Bulldogs executed a perfectly placed onside kick, which was recovered at the Guntersville 49-yard line. Despite an initial setback—a 9-yard sack on first down—Graham kept his composure. On second-and-19, he connected on a 25-yard pass to the Guntersville 33-yard line. After spiking the ball to stop the clock with 13.8 seconds left, Graham found Burnham again for his third touchdown of the night, this time with just 5 seconds remaining. Bronson Carroll then powered into the end zone on a dive play out of a triple-option formation for the game-tying two-point conversion, sending the game into overtime at 21-21.

In the extra period, Priceville’s defense held firm, forcing Guntersville to attempt a 34-yard field goal. The kick went wide, giving the Bulldogs a chance to complete their comeback. Priceville’s Landon Byer seized the moment, nailing a 30-yard field goal to secure the victory and send the Bulldogs to the second round of the playoffs.

The win marked Priceville’s first-ever victory over Guntersville, having lost to the Wildcats in their previous two meetings in 2008 and 2009. The Bulldogs, now 8-3 on the season, have made a remarkable turnaround under head coach Chris Parker, who led the team to this success after a 2-8 finish in his first season.

Looking ahead, Priceville will face the winner of Friday night’s matchup between the Moody Blue Devils and the Corner Yellow Jackets in the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.