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GATESVILLE – It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win.

Chris Lee scored on a 16-yard run with 5:43 left in the game and Jamel Reid sealed the victory with an interception roughly two minutes later as Gates County survived an upset bid by winless Southside High School, knocking off the Seahawks, 12-7, here Friday night.

The road to Gates County’s fourth straight win was full of potholes as the home team struggled to find an offensive rhythm. The Barons were also flagged for 105 yards in penalties, to include three unsportsmanlike infractions and a pair of personal fouls.

Defensively, GCHS limited Southside to 124 total yards, all on the ground. The Barons recorded four quarterback sacks, two each by Cam Lee (for a combined -16 yards) and A.J. Hart (-15 yards). DeShawn Sherman assisted on Hart’s second sack.

It was the GCHS defense that set-up the team’s first touchdown. On the second snap of the game, Southside lost a fumble, which Reid recovered at the Seahawks 29 yardline. Five plays later, Chris Lee darted to paydirt from 14 yards out. The conversion run failed, but the Barons had a 6-0 lead at the 9:01 mark of the first quarter.

But despite multiple scoring opportunities that followed, the Barons wouldn’t find the endzone again until late in the fourth quarter.

Taking over at Southside 47 yardline following a 7-yard punt with 5:54 left in the opening period, Gates County failed to moved the sticks and lost possession on downs at the Seahawks 42 yardline.

Early in the second quarter, after taking over at midfield following a GCHS punt, a key sack by Cam Lee on a third down play stalled a drive and Southside gambled and failed on a 4^th down snap at their own 37 yardline where the Barons took over on loss of downs.

Eight plays later, GCHS had driven to the Southside 16 yardline where a 4^th down pass from Chris Lee to DeShawan Parker came up just short of the first down marker and the Barons turned it over on loss of downs.

GCHS opened the second half with a drive to Southside’s 21 yardline. On the seventh play of that drive, Chris Lee scrambled for 11 yards, but lost the handle on the ball, a fumble that Southside recovered at their 10 yardline.

Aided by four, 15-yard penalties on the Barons (two for unsportsmanlike conduct, one personal foul, and one face mask infraction), Southside moved 90 yards in 12 plays capped by Isiah Knight’s 15-yard TD run and Jonathan Salas Agullera’s PAT kick that staked the Seahawks to a 7-6 lead with 3:22 left in the third quarter.

Southside then pulled off a successful onside kick, gaining possession at midfield. But the GCHS defense stiffened and forced a three-and-out as the Seahawks punted the ball away.

Highlighted by five carries by DeAndre Smith totaling 27 yards, two rushes by Chris Lee for a combined 20 yards and his 26-yard pass to Parker, Gates County marched to Southside’s 4 yardline. However, a fourth down pass was batted down in the endzone as the Barons came up empty-handed with a little under nine minutes left in the game.

After forcing Southside to a three-and-out, GCHS took over at the Seahawks 25 yardline after a short punt. Four plays later, Chris Lee punched in the game-winner with his touchdown run. The conversion run failed, but the Barons had the lead for-keeps at 12-7.

On Southside’s ensuing possession, Reid’s leaping interception over the middle at the GCHS 35 yardline sealed the win.

Offensively, Gates County had 219 total yards. Chris lee led that effort with 89 rushing yards on 13 carries plus 39 yards through the air. Smith added 78 rushing yards on 24 attempts.

MyQuan Clark rushed for a game-high 91 yards to lead Southside.

Gates County, who improved to 4-1 overall, has an open date on their schedule this week. The Barons will return to action on Oct. 4 when they pay a visit to Martin County High School.