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GATESVILLE – When the post season arrives in any sport, the name of the game is to survive and advance.

Gates County’s Barons did exactly that here Friday night.

Senior A.J. Hart scored two touchdowns, including an electrifying kickoff return, picked off two passes, and recovered a fumble while sophomore Cam Lee made a touchdown-saving tackle on the game’s final play as the Barons advanced to round #2 of the NCHSAA Class 1A playoffs with a 30-22 win over upset-minded Washington County.

With the win, #12 seed Gates County (7-4 overall) travels to #5 seed Northside (8-3) for a second round matchup on Friday, Nov. 22.

But to get to the next round, Gates County had to survive one final drive by Washington County.

Starting from their own 36 yardline with 3:27 left in the game, the Panthers got one first down and then faced a 4^th-and-10 play from their own 47 with 1:34 left. Washington moved the sticks thanks to a 26-yard pass from Zedakiah Simpson to Jahvier Ford. The same two hooked up on another 26-yard pass on the game’s next snap that moved the ball to the one yardline. After penalties on both teams, the ball was at the three yardline where the Panthers tried a bit of trickery as Brandon Spruill took a handoff in his own backfield on a reverse. But Lee chased him down, making a perfect open-field tackle at the seven yardline to end the game.

On their second possession of the game, Gates County got on the scoreboard first, driving 56 yards in 10 plays capped by DeAndre Smith’s one-yard touchdown run. Smith added the conversion run for an 8-0 lead at the 5:10 mark of the first quarter.

Set up by a big pass play covering 34 yards from Simpson to Christian Phelps, the Panthers answered with a five play, 65-yard drive capped by Simpson’s 31-yard scoring pass to Ford. The conversion run failed, but Washington had trimmed their deficit to 8-6 with 2:32 left in the first quarter.

Eleven seconds later, Gates County padded its lead to 14-6 thanks to Hart returning the game’s ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown. The conversion run failed.

Washington pulled even at 14-14 late in the second quarter where Simpson orchestrated a long drive with his right arm (5-of-6 passing for 93 yards) that ended with a 12-yard TD pass to Ford. The same two hooked up on the two-point conversion pass to deadlock the score.

Gates County’s string of big plays continued on the kickoff to open the second half, one that was fumbled by Washington County and recovered by Rob Baker (the kicker) at the Panthers 48 yardline.

On first down from that point, GCHS quarterback Chris Lee tossed a 48-yard touchdown pass to Zeb Woodley. Smith ran in the conversion, staking the Barons to a 22-14 lead only 16 seconds into the third quarter.

Gates County would add another touchdown in the third quarter, this one set up by Cam Lee’s interception that he returned to midfield. From there, the Barons mounted a grinding 13-play drive that consumed nearly seven minutes, which ended with Chris Lee’s 10-yard TD pass to Hart. Smith ran in the conversion, helping GCHS to its largest lead of the game at 30-14.

But Washington wouldn’t quit.

The Panthers responded with a 13-play drive of their own. Highlighted by Simpson’s 26-yard pass to Ford on a 4^th-and-15 play, Washington County moved 58 yards and scored on JaQuay Brown’s two-yard run. The conversion failed, but the Panthers had closed to within 10 points (30-20) with 10:51 left in the game.

Washington got even closer as its defense recorded a two-point safety, making it a 30-22 game.

But Hart came up with two key interceptions in the fourth quarter while Cam Lee’s game-saving tackle preserved the win for the Barons.

Smith (72 rushing yards) and Chris Lee (78 passing yards and 37 on the ground) led Gates County’s offense.

Simpson had a big night for the Panthers, passing for 298 yards (17-of-33 with three interceptions).