Riner…The Fort Chiswell Pioneers got a 12-yard touchdown run from Denver Brown with under 4:30 left in the game for a hard earned come-from-behind 20-14 road win at Auburn.

Brown finished the game with 163 yards on 26 carries. He also scored on a 56-yard run in the first quarter to get the Pioneers on the scoreboard.

Auburn scored first when quarterback Payson Kelly ran in from five yards out, and Carter Brockman’s kick put the Eagles up 7-0. They would then go up 14-6 in the second quarter as Kelly hit Malachi Spencer for a 61-yard pass for six. Brockman’s point after let them take the 14-6 lead into intermission.

The Pioneers (3-2, 2-1) would finally put a drive together as it capped it off with quarterback Brody Crockett running in from four yards out, but their two-point conversion pass fell incomplete leaving Auburn up 14-12 going into the fourth quarter. Fort Chiswell, after a couple possessions, finally put a drive together that was capped off with Denver Brown scoring with 4:17 left in the game. Brown would then run in the two-point conversion to put the Pioneers up 20-14.

The loss dropped the Auburn Eagles to 3-3 and 0-2 in the Mountain Empire District. It was their second straight game that they had led in the fourth quarter, only to lose late in the game.

“We made some plays in the second half and our defense shut them out. It’s a big win for us on the road,” said Fort Chiswell head coach Josh Wingate. He then said, ”Our offensive line did a real good job in the second half, and we got a hard earned win.“

Auburn’s Kelly rushed the ball seven times for 30 yards. Running back Triston Perry finished with 21 yards on eight carries. Carson East had 17 yards on five rushes.

Besides Brown’s big rushing night, the Pioneers quarterback Brody Crockett rushed the ball 19 times for 86 yards. He was four of eight passing for 48 yards.

The schedule doesn’t get any easier for the Pioneers as they will be back home this Friday to take on the Galax Maroon Tide. Kickoff this Friday is slated for 7:00 pm.

Fort Chiswell 6 0 6 8 – 20

Auburn 7 7 0 0 – 14