AMORY – It came down to an inch.

On fourth down from the Amory 3-yard line in overtime, Shannon running back Keon McGaughy punched in the game winner for the Shannon Red Raiders (4-0) in a 13-7 win at Amory.

The rain – often heavy - came down from the opening kick to the final horn. The final results came down to the final horn too, and then some.

In overtime, Amory was stopped on its try from the 10 yard line. Shannon was stopped on three straight runs before McGaughy scored his second touchdown of the night.

Officials had to clear the pile before a 20 second delay that went in favor of the Daily Journal's top-ranked large school.

“We won the game by an inch. That's what we won it by,” said Shannon coach Chad Cook. “(Amory) could have easily won it by an inch.”

With only one of the game's nine lost fumbles already accounted for, Shannon scored first on McGaughy's 1 yard run midway through the first quarter.

Following a Shannon failed third-and-10 attempt to open the second quarter, Amory recovered the game's sixth fumble, this one on a punt at the Shannon 36.

On third-and-6 from the Shannon 31, Amory quarterback Forest Williams found freshman Drew Carter on third-and-6, a pass good for 20 yards to the 11 with 8 minutes, 44 seconds left in the half.

Amory ties it

As the bottom fell out of the sky, Amory tied the game at 7 when Tay Nichols picked up Williams' fumble in the end zone and Zack Khima's point after tied it with 8:07 to play.

Each team had its chances to score.

Shannon couldn't punch it in after a pass interference call put the ball on the Amory 13 with 4.8 seconds to play.

Shannon quarterback Legilbert Bogan couldn't come up with the snap and was sacked by Nathan Kendrick and William Ezell.

Amory failed to convert on Khima's 38 yard field goal try with 11 minutes, 51 seconds to play.

Amory coach Pat Byrd was more than pleased with his Panthers (0-5).

“They played their butts off, beginning to end, they played their butts off,” said Byrd. “Not very good in spots, but the effort, that's all I can ask for. They played their butts off.”

Shannon kicker and punter Jake Scott left the game with a lower leg injury, leaving Cook with few choices if Amory had scored in overtime.

The Panthers were stopped on third down from the 3 yard line though on a fake field goal attempt.

“If they score and kick the extra point, there's no way I can put a kid out there with a game on the line," said Cook. "I want to congratulate Coach Byrd on an outstanding job. They were prepared."