Barton, Buzek Lead Grace Christian to First Win of Season

Grace Christian Academy quarterback Blake Barton hit Gabriel Buzek with a 2-point conversion pass in overtime, providing the winning points in the Lions’ 46-44 overtime win over Mt. Pleasant on Friday. 

Barton’s 12-yard rushing touchdown put the Lions up six. Mt. Pleasant answered with quarterback Zyshon Anderson’s 10-yard scoring run, but the Lions kept the Tigers out of the end zone on the game’s last play. 

The Lions’ first win of the season came with plenty of other drama, too. Anderson’s 1-yard touchdown run with 4:33 left put Mt. Pleasant up 10.

But Barton hit Cole Scott for a 17-yard touchdown pass with 2:37 left, Cruz Hartman’s point-after pulling the Lions within a field goal.

And then, the Lions got the field goal they needed when Hartman hit a 36-yard field goal with 11 seconds to play. 

Barton (15 of 23 passing) threw for 281 yards and rushed for 112. That helped overcome a fantastic performance by Mt. Pleasant’s Alderson, who threw two touchdowns and ran for four.  

Barton found Scott with a 67-yard touchdown with 1:18 left in the first quarter, with Hartman’s point-after giving the Lions a 7-0 win. 

Mt. Pleasant answered with a touchdown, but Buzek returned the ensuing kickoff for an 85-yard touchdown for a 13-6 lead.

An Alderson touchdown run, followed by his 2-point conversion, put Mt. Pleasant up a point. Barton hit Buzek with a 66-yard toss, followed by Hartman’s point-after. 

But GCA again fell behind 22-20 when Anderson connected with Keshawn Hudson on a 14-yard pass, followed by Anderson’s 2-point conversion run, with a second left before half. 

Barton then scampered 84 yards for a touchdown with 5:39 left in the third quarter, then, caught the 2-point conversion from Dawson Bechman. 

Anderson then hit Hudson for a 62-yard score, and his 2-point conversion put Mt. Pleasant up, 30-28, at the end of three quarters.

Grace Christian (1-7) ends its regular season at Fayetteville next week.