Kecoughtan scored 24 points in four minutes as Nansemond River went dry in the final moments of a 34-12 loss Friday evening. After the Suffolk Warrior team (both teams carry the Warrior nickname) maintained a 12-10 lead for the first 19 minutes of the second half, their Hampton counterparts intercepted two passes and pulled away a fumble in the last minutes.

The River offense managed just 13 yards through the first 22 minutes, but Justin Topping breathed some life into them with a 65-yard touchdown pass to Darryl Freeney with 1:29 to go in the first half to end the second period down 10-7. Freeney returned the second-half kickoff 78 yards to put River up for the first time, but Suffolk would only get one more first down.

Meanwhile, the defense managed to fight off nearly every Kecoughtan attack, as Brian Pisani and Mark Jackson recovered fumbles inside the River 10. The Warriors kept Kecoughtan out of the endzone after a first-and-goal from the five, but Kecougtan went back up with a field goal with 4:16 to go – and that’s when everything fell apart.

On first down at the River 20, Chris Boothe fumbled a Topping pitchout. Kecoughtan recovered and scored at the 2:46 mark.

Topping’s next pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, and he was picked off again with a minute left, leading to another Kecoughtan score.

The Warriors hope to reverse their luck at Wilson next Friday.

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com