By PAUL JONES

Special to the Journal

COLUMBUS - It may have been the opening game of the season, but Friday's Columbus-Aberdeen showdown featured plenty of late-season intensity.

Columbus blocked Aberdeen's point-after attempt in double overtime to slip past the visiting Bulldogs, 27-26.

Although the defeat was tough to stomach, Aberdeen head coach Chris Duncan found plenty of positives concerning the Bulldogs' season opener.

"We got down early and lost our starting quarterback on the second drive of the game," Duncan said. "We played a guy at quarterback that has practiced there for three weeks. But there was no quit in our guys and we fought back. That is what a championship club does.

"We are playing a (Class) 6A school and we stuffed them for two quarters. I am proud of them."

After Aberdeen senior QB Aaron Andrews suffered an ankle injury, junior Desmond Brown took over the offense. And so did senior running back Jamerson Love.

With his team trailing 20-7 at the break, Love inched the Bulldogs closer with a 7-yard scoring run in the third quarter.

Brown then tied the game up at 20-20 on a 10-yard touchdown scamper.

Love finished with 22 carries for 152 yards and a touchdown.

Columbus built its early lead in the first half largely due to the running of sophomore backs Randy Jones and Damian Baker, who both finished with more than 90 yards rushing.

But after Columbus rushed for 168 yards in the first half, Aberdeen stepped up its defensive effort in the second half.

"We figured they couldn't throw the ball," Duncan said. "So we just walked our safety down and put nine in the box. We just got after them and just played better on defense in the second half."

In the first overtime period, Aberdeen fumbled on the second play from scrimmage. But the Bulldogs' defense held as Columbus misfired on a 26-yard field goal attempt.

Columbus took a 28-21 lead in the second overtime, only to see Aberdeen's Brown throw a 6-yard scoring pass to senior wide receiver Erik Buchanan, who had five catches for 55 yards and one touchdown.

But Columbus senior Caleb Richardson got a hand on the extra-point attempt to preserve the Falcons' victory.

"This is big for us because we are so young," said Columbus head coach Bubba Davis. "Aberdeen is a solid squad and they are going to do great in 3A. They gave us all we wanted tonight."