HELENA, Alabama -- Joseph Roberto scored a 10-yard touchdown run in double overtime as Helena won a thriller 41-35 against McAdory in a Class 6A non-region game in Husky Stadium Friday night. With the game tied at 28 in regulation, both teams scored in the first overtime, but McAdory was stopped on a 4th and one run by the Helena defense and on the first play for the Huskies Roberto scored the game winner.

Roberto scored both of his touchdowns in overtime and nothing was going to stop him on the winning touchdown run. "I told myself before the snap that I have to get into the end zone," said Huskies LB Roberto. "I just wanted our lineman to keep pushing me and they did. What a great win for this city and for this team. This is a big step for this program."

Helena (6-0) scored all four of their touchdowns in the first half as McAdory kept them from scoring in the second half but get the big home win. "I love this team, they don't know how to quit, they don't have it in them," said Huskies head coach Richie Busby. "I hope later in life when they face adversity playing football in this program that it has taught them to never give up. We almost kicked the field goal because we didn't want to fumble but we said lets go one shot and see what happens. Joseph could be our other tailback he is so talented. We try not to use him like that because it is hard on his body. Situations like this, he is clutch."

The one guy that carried the rushing load for the Huskies was Jordan Washington. The sophomore running back rushed for 270 yards on 34 carries and four touchdowns. "Jordan had a great game tonight," added Busby. "He took a lot of hits and carried most of the load for us for the last six weeks. We have to get some other backs some carries. Our offensive line missed some blocks in the second half, but they got it done in overtime."

McAdory (5-1) scored first in the game. With 10:02 left in the first quarter, Cam Shepherd threw deep to Kris Merritt for a 38-yard touchdown. With the score, the Yellow Jackets took a early 7-0 lead. McAdory forced a punt from Helena and took the football right back. The combination of Shepherd and Merritt connected again. This time it was a 35-yard touchdown pass and with 5:58 left in the first quarter, McAdory took a 14-0 lead. 

With 2:14 left in the first quarter, the Huskies came back with four touchdowns in the rest of the first half. With 2:14 left in the first quarter, Washington raced 13-yards for a Huskies touchdown. With the score, that cut the McAdory lead to 14-7. With 10:30 left in the second quarter, Washington scored on a 11-yard touchdown run and the game is tied at 14-14. A Washington 73-yard run setup the last score. 

With 4:44 left in the half, Washington broke off another long run scoring on a 70-yard touchdown run. With the score, the Huskies took a 21-14 lead late in the second quarter. With the last play of the first half, Helena scored on a 2-yard run by Washington as time expired in the first half. With the score, Helena took a 28-14 lead into halftime.

In the second half, McAdory made some changes on defense and the offense picked up the scoring again. With 8:47 left in the third quarter, Shepherd made a great run for a score, going thru the line of scrimmage and then bouncing it outside while diving into the end zone. With the score, McAdory cut the Helena lead to 28-21. With 7:02 left in the fourth quarter, Rod Thomas scores on a 3-yard touchdown run and the Yellow Jackets tied the game up at 28 all. 

Helena had the ball late in the game and had the ball in McAdory territory, but safety Labarryon Moore sacked the Huskies quarterback and the game ended in regulation at 28-28.

In the first overtime, Roberto scored on a 10-yard touchdown run and Helena led 35-28. When Helena took over, Thomas took the ball for nine yards down to the one yard line and on the next play Shepherd scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. With the extra point, the game was tied at 35-35 at the end of the first overtime.

In the second overtime, McAdory had the ball first and on a third down play Shepherd threw to Thomas for a 9-yard pickup but on fourth down the Huskies stopped Thomas short of the goal line to give Helena the football. On the first play, Roberto scored on the first play in double overtime and the Huskies go home with the win.

For McAdory, Shepherd had a big game. The senior QB completed 9-of-20 passing for 231 yards and two touchdowns with 98 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown. Thomas had nine carries on 22 yards and a touchdown. Peyton Ryans had 36 yards on 10 carries. Merritt had four receptions for 91 yards and two touchdowns. Jabari Strait had six receptions for 105 yards. "I was a little disapointed that we needed to match their intensity and their physicality and that was the difference in the ballgame," said Yellow Jackets head coach Aryvia Holmes. "We just lost in those two areas and that is on me. We need to run the ball a little better on offense. This is a learning lesson for us. A playoff type atmosphere and they made a couple more plays then we did. We need to control the ball a little better to keep the defense of the field."

Up next, both teams move back in region play as McAdory will host Brookwood as Helena will host Chilton County.