CHESTER—In an inversion of the old cliché, Thomas Dale won most of the wars Thursday night, but it was

L.C. Bird that ended up winning the Battle of Chester, 7-6. Not only did Dale drop the game to their biggest rival at home, but the loss sent them to a rare 0-2 start on the season. Bird improved to 1-1.

This year's version of one of the region's most intense rivalries was characterized largely by tough defense, with each team sprinkling in a few big offensive breakouts—usually followed quickly by turnovers, sacks or penalties. That changed over the game's final six minutes.

"This is the way a rivalry game is supposed to be played," said Bird Head Coach

David Bedwell. "It was a great football game."

The Skyhawks took over at Dale's 45-yard line with 6:05 to play in the scoreless ballgame. Bird had started to find some room to run in their previous drive, when the senior tandem of

Kenyon Lewis and Jerry Brown picked up 70 yards on seven plays, getting as far as the Knights' 17-yard line. A fourth-and-six situation became fourth-and-11 after one of many holding penalties on Bird, and when the Hawks went for it Dale DB

David Williams leveled a terrific hit on WR Chris Moore two yards shy of the first down.

Bird's defense held, however, and that gave the Hawks offense the short field. Brown took them from the 45 to the 10 on two runs, and from there Lewis grinded out the short yardage, scampering into the end zone on an end run around the right side from three yards out with 3:28 to play. Lewis led all rushers with 75 yards on 15 carries on the night, while Brown chipped in 70 yards on 10 carries.

"They broke off a couple of big runs while we were resting some guys," said Dale coach

Vic Williams. "We wore down a little bit and they were able to take advantage."

The single touchdown was all the Skyhawks needed for the victory, but the Knights didn't go quietly.

Bird couldn't shake their penchant for penalties, and the Hawks lost 15 yards on their kickoff due to a holding infraction, giving Dale the ball at Bird's 46. Three plays and 51 seconds later the Knights were in the end zone. Williams, also Dale's QB, ran for 11 yards and then followed that with a gutsy 26-yard pass Justin Hunt that moved the ball to the Bird 9.

Jamal Baylor took it up the gut on the next play and found pay dirt.

The Knights' Achilles heel—their kicking game—proved their unraveling, however. Sophomore kicker

Andrew Bartee had missed badly on two previous field goal attempts, with the ball barely clearing the line either time. Rather that try for the tying PAT, coach Williams elected to go for two points and the win.

Dale came agonizingly close on a Williams keeper down the right sideline. Headed for the end zone, Williams was tripped up by Skyhawk

Xavier Myles; Williams' outstretched hand was only a couple feet from pay dirt.

"That was a big gamble Vic took, and it almost paid off," said Bedwell. "That's what makes rivalry games so tough—you end up trying things you may not try in a normal game. I don't think I would have had the guts to do that, so you have to give him credit for that."

Still, the game wasn't over. With 2:37 to play, Bird had merely to hold onto the ball and keep the clock running after recovering Dale's onside kick attempt at their own 37. A timeout and a pair of delay of game penalties stopped the clock, though, and the Knights blocked Brown's punt attempt. Dale had the ball at Bird's 37 with 12.5 seconds left.

The Knights had only one shot at the end zone, though, as Anthony Harris picked Williams' 32-yard toss, putting the nail-biter to rest.

"We should have had 14 points in the first half, but we couldn't overcome our mistakes" Williams said. "It hurts to lose two games by one point. We're going to have to build character from this or things could go downhill real fast."