VARNELL, Ga. — It was a game of missed opportunities for Coahulla Creek High School on Friday night as the Colts fell to North Murray 35-14 in a game where the Mountaineers weren’t as sharp as they could have been.

Coahulla Creek (1-5, 1-3 in Region 6-3A) had three first-and-goal opportunities inside the Mountaineers’ 5-yard line and failed to score each time as North Murray (5-2, 4-1 in Region 6-3A) bided its time until its passing game began to click.

“We have to play a lot better these next two weeks,” North Murray head coach Preston Poag said. “We just came out a little flat tonight and us coaches have to do a better job getting them ready to play.”

Playing without starting running back D’Ante Tidwell, who sat out the game with concussion-like symptoms, the North Murray offense struggled in the first half. Quarterback Preston Poag was intercepted twice in the first half after the Mountaineers had already lost a fumble on their opening possession. The North Murray defense was able to pressure Coahulla Creek quarterback Cade Bates every time the Colts worked their way inside the red zone. On multiple occasions North Murray lineman Luke Griffin sacked Bates to stall Coahulla Creek drives and force field goal attempts.

“To be honest we didn’t play very well,” Griffin said. “We came out flat and stayed flat. We played a little better in the second half, but on those goal line situations we knew if we pressured their quarterback he wouldn’t be able to make the throws so we just got after it.”

North Murray got on the board in the beginning of the second quarter when running back Noah Lunsford barreled in from four yards out. Freshman kicker Owen Hannah converted the PAT and the Mountaineers led 7-0. Lunsford, playing in place of Tidwell, finished with 18 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown.

“I tried to step up the best I could,” Lunsford said. “I don’t run the same as D’Ante but I just try to get as many yards as I can. After the first play I was real comfortable out there.”

Poag Jr. began to find his rhythm toward the end of the first half, hitting Will Campbell on a wheel route for a touchdown. The extra point gave North Murray a 14-0 halftime lead.

On his first pass of the second half, Poag Jr. connected with Ladd McConkey for a 76-yard touchdown on a seam-route down the middle of the field and found Landon Burrell for a short touchdown later in the second half. Poag Jr. finished the game 10-for-21 passing for 227 yards and with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

For Coahulla Creek, Michael King led the Colts with seven receptions for 80 yards and one touchdown. King added two interceptions on defense as well, the second coming on a one-handed spear in the second half. Titus Underwood gave the Colts a spark out of the backfield in the second half as well, carrying the ball six times for 64 yards.

The victory keeps North Murray in contention for the 6-3A region championship as the Mountaineers host Haralson County on Friday. Coahulla Creek travels to Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.