[By Tony Kirk, Special to ETSN.fm]

TEXARKANA -- Dalton Hinton’s 42-yard game winning field goal capped off a thriller of a second half as the Pleasant Grove Hawks came back from 21 points down at the half to defeat the Center Roughriders, 45-42.

Dacorey McGee’s 113 first half rushing yards pushed the Roughriders out to a 20-0 lead with 9:30 left in the second quarter.

Kyle Parks' seven-yard touchdown pass to Tyrone Roland started the scoring for Center (2-6, 0-4).  It was followed by a McGee 31-yard scoring run and an 11-yard Parks to Javante Ellington touchdown pass.

Pleasant Grove (6-3, 2-2) finally got on the board with a nine-play, 61-yard drive finished off with a four yard DeVuntay Walker touchdown run. Hinton made the first of his six extra points on the night to make the score 20-7.

Center's Joseph Fentress slips past Pleasant Grove's Hunter Hatfield for a Roughrider two-point conversion during Friday night game at Hawk Stadium. (Evan Lewis, ETSN.fm)
Center's Joseph Fentress slips past Pleasant Grove's Hunter Hatfield for a Roughrider two-point conversion during Friday night game at Hawk Stadium. (Evan Lewis, ETSN.fm)
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But Center answered right back with an 18-yard Parks touchdown run and a Joseph Fentress two point conversion to make it 28-7 with 2:52 left in the half.

With under a minute to go before the half, Hawk quarterback Jacob Smith punched it in from one yard out to close the gap to 28-14.  Before the Hawks could get to the dressing room, Otavius Evans returned the kickoff for a Center touchdown.

The Hawks started their comeback with a 50-yard Ty Everett touchdown scamper to pull back within 14 points, 1:06 into the second half.

After the Hawks blocked a Roughrider punt deep in Center's territory, Everett recorded his second score from four yards out to make it 35-28 in favor of Center.

The Hawk defense held Center at midfield on the ensuing drive and Smith hooked up with Tyler Shelton on a 36 yard-completion to set up first-and-goal for Pleasant Grove. Smith punched it in from the one to tie the game at 35 all.

The Hawks took their first lead of the night with 7:35 left in the game on a 43-yard Everett dash for six points, his third touchdown of the night.

Center refused to submit to the Hawk comeback and answered with a 51-yard pass from Parks to Ellington. Arnol Escobedo’s point after knotted the score at 42.

Smith then directed the Hawks down to the Center 35-yard line with 55 seconds left in the game. After taking a time out prior to fourth down, Hawk coach Josh Gipson trotted out Hinton to attempt the 42-yard game winner.

The win clinched a playoff spot for the Hawks in Gipson’s first year as head coach. They will travel to Tatum next Friday night with the third playoff seed on the line.

Center will miss the playoffs for the first time in coach Kevin Godwin’s tenure.

Pleasant Grove's DeVuntay Walker pushes through several Center defenders to score the Hawks second touchdown during Friday night game at Hawk Stadium. (Evan Lewis, ETSN.fm)
Pleasant Grove's DeVuntay Walker pushes through several Center defenders to score the Hawks second touchdown during Friday night game at Hawk Stadium. (Evan Lewis, ETSN.fm)
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