Patriots run past Crawford : Big Game: Patrick Henry rallied in the fourth quarter for a victory.

All week, Crawford High prepared to defend against the guy who last year was the county’s second-best quarterback.

Their preparation paid off--sort of. Friday night, Patrick Henry High senior Luke Lowrey threw for only 139 yards, well below his average of 212.6 of a year ago and far from the 220 he had in last week’s victory over Granite Hills.

But a main factor in Lowrey’s total was that Patrick Henry chose to stay on the ground most of the game. Though the strategy appeared to be a failure in the first half, the Patriots wore down the undermanned Colts in the second half and won, 23-10.

“Our motto,” Patriot Coach Jerry Varner said, “is the fourth quarter belongs to us. If we’re in the game going into the fourth quarter, we feel we can beat anyone because of our conditioning.”

Sure enough, the Patriots overcame a 10-7 deficit in the final quarter. They tied it with 7:27 remaining when Travis Wilson capped a 12-play, 72-yard drive by converting a 26-yard field goal.

Then they relied on some poor play by Crawford, taking over at the Crawford 14 with 4:10 remaining after a botched punt.

Only three plays later, Lowrey found David Paul in the end zone with an eight-yard pass. Patrick Henry led, 16-10.

The final score came as Brent Dulin intercepted a pass from Phil Parker at the Colts’ 37 and returned it for a touchdown with 10 seconds remaining.

Lowrey finished the game with two touchdown throws and 139 yards on seven-for-13 passing.

It appeared as though the Patriots would have a big lead at half time, but poor play of their own kept them from doing so.

Up 7-3 with less than five minutes remaining in the second quarter, Paul stepped in front of a pass from Parker at his 45 and returned it to the Crawford 48.

But the Patriots could go nowhere.

Chris Rose sacked Lowrey for a five-yard loss on second and seven, then a blitz forced Lowrey into hurrying a screen on third down that fell incomplete.

After Travis Walker punted the ball out of bounds at the 27, and Crawford’s William Walker moved it up to the 37 on runs of two and eight yards.

On first and 10 at the 37, Parker then threw a 63-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Wadas.