LAGRANGE – In a game they had to have, the Lafayette Christian School Cougars found themselves on the wrong end of a 14-7 score against CrossPointe Christian.

Having dropped their first region game of the season against Central Christian, the Cougars faced a must-win scenario when they traveled to Williamson to face CrossePointe on Oct. 9.

After falling behind 7-0, CrossPointe rallied to take a 14-7 lead after scoring a touchdown with less than a minute left in the first half.

It looked like the Cougars were going to head to the locker room trailing by seven points, knowing they’d need to come from behind in the second half to even their region record at 1-1.

The Cougars had other ideas.

After CrossPointe scored the go-ahead touchdown, it attemped a squib kick on the ensuing kickoff, and Jemi Reed came up with the ball.

Reed went about 65 yards for the touchdown, and the extra point tied the game at 14-14, and the Cougars headed to the half with all the momentum.

Lafayette Christian then scored a touchdown on its first offensive possession of the second half to take a lead it wouldn’t relinquish, and it went on to win 34-22 in the eight-man football game.

The Cougars are now 1-1 in the region, and they’ll return from their off week to host Holy Ground on Friday in their final region game of the season.

If the Cougars win that game, they’ll be in the Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association state playoffs.

The Cougars are still in the playoff race thanks to the hard-earned road win over CrossPointe.

The Cougars had the early lead on an Antavious Sands touchdown run and a Morgan Channell extra point, but CrossPointe answered with a pair of touchdowns to surge ahead.

That’s when Reed, a senior play-maker, turned things back in the Cougars’ favor with his kickoff return.

“That was a huge momentum swing for us,” Lafayette Christian coach Nate Shaw said.

The halftime break did nothing to slow that momentum.

Lafayette Christian made a defensive stop to begin the second half, and Eli Shepherd then came through with a touchdown run of about 40 yards to cap a scoring drive.

The Cougars padded their lead with a 12-play scoring drive that was capped by Sands’ second touchdown run of the game.

Reed, once again showing off his big-play ability, returned an interception 83 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring and put the game on ice.

After the Holy Ground game, Lafayette Christian will complete the regular season with a road game against Ballard Christian.

Reach Kevin Eckleberry at (706) 884-7311 or on Twitter @lagrangesports