Summer Creek and Manvel advance in football playoffs with bi-district victories.

Summer Creek defensive back Brandon Neal could tell that C.E. King was looking to make a big play on its last drive to win the game Thursday night.

The Panthers’ option offense had run the whole game and had one pass through four quarters.

Neal knew the Panthers were about to make another passing attempt with the game on the line.

“I knew it was late in the game, and C.E. King is a great program,” Neal said. “They had been running the ball all night, and we knew that they were going to try to make a big play.”

Neal’s interception with 1:18 left in the game sealed the Bulldogs’ 29-28 win over the Panthers in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game at Turner Stadium.

Summer Creek (8-3) advances to the area round and will play the winner between Clear Creek and Dawson next week with a date and time to be announced.

Coach Kenny Harrison got his first playoff win at Summer Creek and was proud to see one of his seniors extend the season for the Bulldogs.

“Brandon Neal is a young man that has done a tremendous job as one of our senior captain,” Harrison said. “He usually comes down and lays those bone-crushing hits normally, but it was great to see one of our captains make a big play for the program.”

Bryan Bush, who was 14-of-24 throwing for 172 yards and two touchdowns, connected with Jamison Frazier for a 15-yard touchdown to cut the Panthers’ lead to five with 5:20 left in the game.

On the ensuing kickoff, C.E. King fumbled the football, and the Bulldogs took over on the Panthers 21-yard line.

Bush scored on a 3-yard touchdown to give Summer Creek the lead for the first time since the first quarter on the Bulldogs’ opening drive.

The Bulldogs’ signal-caller had 28 carries for 101 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

“That was his first playoff game and he answered the call,” Harrison said. “He’s 1-0 in the playoffs and now he understands the tempo in the playoffs. He’s only a sophomore, and he’s going to get better.”

The Panthers dominated in the first half and led by as many as 11 points but took a 21-17 lead into the locker room at halftime

C.E. King’s option offense rushed for 317 yards on 43 carries.

Senior quarterback Ulysses Bentley led the Panthers (8-3) with 29 carries for 235 yards and two touchdowns.