Prairieville High School coach Mike Schmitt had a lump in his throat to go with a heavy heart.
Schmitt watched his defense survive an incomplete pass on the game's final play, securing the Hurricanes' 32-28 homecoming victory Friday over Live Oak and sending them into share of the District 5-5A lead.
"This is another of those games that teaches you to have character and fight through adversity," Schmitt said. "We didn't play very well. We didn't win the turnover battle, and you're not supposed to win those games. The guys fought at the right time."
The win came a day after Schmitt attended the funeral services of his mother Anna. She was 80.
"We signed a card for him to express our feelings to him," Prairieville quarterback Skylar Kelly said. "We just wanted to fight for him, show him what we had, and this win definitely helps a lot."
Prairieville (4-3, 3-1 in 5-5A) pulled even with East Ascension (5-2, 3-1) for the top spot in the district followed by Denham Springs (5-2, 2-1), a 42-24 winner over Dutchtown (4-2, 2-1).
The Hurricanes scored 25 unanswered points to dig out of a 15-0 first-quarter deficit for a 25-15 lead on Kelly's 1-yard pass to Hudson Dettman with three minutes left in the third quarter.
Live Oak (2-5, 1-3) regained a 28-25 lead with 6:48 remaining on consecutive touchdowns generated by quarterback Caden Jones. His 6-yard run closed the gap to 25-22 and Cash Davis turned a slant pass into a 61-yard catch and run for a three-point lead following a failed extra-point attempt.
Jones accounted for 245 total yards (185 yards passing, 60 rushing) and four touchdowns. Davis had three catches for 101 yards for the Eagles.
"We talk about fighting for all 48 minutes," Live Oak coach Randall Legette said. "Kudos to our kids for doing that. We just fell short."
Prairieville, which held a 432-375 edge in total yards and 20-play advantage in plays run, had to convert only one third-down on its winning drive. The Hurricanes covered 80 yards in 10 plays and consumed nearly five minutes off the clock when Kelly, who scored earlier on a 66-yard run, kept from three yards out with 2:06 left.
Kelly, who averages 256 total yards per game, accounted for 327 (168 rushing, 159 passing) and four touchdowns. Tahj Wallace added 92 yards on 15 carries and Kale Daigle had a team-high five catches for 44 yards and a score.
Live Oak moved from its 20 and picked up four first downs -- including a defensive pass interference penalty -- to reach Prairieville's 8-yard line on Jones' 8-yard keeper with 17 seconds to go. Following a spike on first down, and after a timeout from the Hurricanes, Jones rolled out but his pass was incomplete in the back of the end zone as time expired.
"Coach didn't miss a day this week and was at practice every day," Kelly said. "He came to support us, and we wanted to support him."