Parkview Wins in Overtime, Heads to Quarterfinals

Parkview’s final play in Friday’s 26-23 win over West Forsyth in the second round of the Class AAAAAA football playoffs didn’t go exactly the way it was drawn up.

That may be a bit picky, considering it resulted in the game-winning touchdown.

“Honestly, I was supposed to hand it off to Shaq [Vereen],” said Justis Rosser, who ran virtually untouched around the left end for a 15-yard TD on Parkview’s first play of the overtime. “I fumbled the snap. It was supposed to go to Shaq, but then we just played it out.”

As they say, all’s well that ends well.

Rosser’s run not only helped Parkview beat a very talented West Forsyth team, it propelled the Panthers (9-3) back into the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2005. The four-time state champions will play in their 12th final eight in school history when they host Colquitt County next Friday.

West Forsyth, which led by 10 points in the second quarter in front of its home fans, finished the season 10-2.

“They fight,” Parkview coach Cecil Flowe said of his hard-working bunch. “That’s what I ask them to do. Just fight. Nobody’s giving us a chance [to win] and our kids just keep playing hard. …

“We stopped a great quarterback. Frank’s [Hepler, West Forsyth’s coach] got a really great football team.”

It was the second straight week Rosser won it in overtime for Parkview. His 15-yarder on the first play of the second OT, lifted the Panthers to a 20-17 win at Walton.

“I really love winning for my team,” said Rosser, a junior who has helped Parkview pick up the slack with the season-ending injury of star running back Chris Carson. “But it’s a team effort. We came out and did it and we get to play another week.”

Read the rest of the report on Lilburn Patch