PRINCETON - It was a night of contrasting offensive approaches as Princeton hosted its first playoff game in nearly three decades when Hayesville of the Smoky Mountain conference came calling last Friday night.

The Bulldogs' quick-strike passing attack had paid dividends all season long as the wins and points piled up. The Yellow Jackets, on the other hand, employed a ground control, take-time-off-the-clock offense that collided with the Princeton high wire act in the first round of the 1-A state playoffs.

Although both approaches were equally effective (both teams totaled 274 yards of total offense, exactly), the Bulldogs had just enough dynamite to get by, squeaking out a 28-25 win to advance to the second round.

The Yellow Jackets' ground attack kept the potent Princeton offense on the sidelines for much of the game as Hayesville ran 46 more offensive plays than did the Bulldogs.

And, when Cody Gibson turned the Bulldogs' fourth turnover of the night into a touchdown via a 29-yard fumble return, it appeared as though the Yellow Jackets' 320-mile return trip home would be a joyous one.

The only problem, as it turned out, is that Hayesville gave David Gurganus and his crew too much time.

With 4:33 remaining in the Bulldogs' season and 60 yards to go, Gurganus led the Bulldogs down the field in a hurry.

The senior quarterback found Dillon Daughtry first for an eight-yard gainer. Gurganus then went to Patrick Jacobs as their 17-yard connection set the Bulldogs up at the Yellow Jacket 35-yard line.

As he did 80 times during the regular season, Gurganus again dialed up Jacobs' number, this time on a bubble screen that resulted in Jacobs racing down the sideline.

Jacobs stepped out at the 3-yard line but Gurganus cleaned up the rest with a quarterback sneak up the middle. Benton Myers added the two-point conversion on a run up the middle to give the Bulldogs the three-point advantage with 4:04 remaining.

Princeton coach Russell Williamson reflected on the game-winning drive. "We were in the huddle when we had the ball the last time," Williamson said, "I walked out and told them, 'Look, we've got 10 seniors on the field right now. We've been here before and we can do this.'

"They showed the kind of character and ability they had. They didn't quit and they got it done."

Hayesville continued to run its normal offense that was successful at getting small chunks of yardage all night long as their following drive started with five running plays. Although the Yellow Jackets found themselves in Princeton territory, the clock was becoming more of a factor.

At the Bulldogs' 44-yard line under 90 seconds to play, the Yellow Jackets were forced to go to the air on a third-and-14.

Hayesville quarterback Brack Martin let fly down the sideline but his pass fell into the hands of Princeton's Phillip Mitchell. The interception sealed the playoff victory for the Bulldogs, their first since the Reagan administration.

The Yellow Jackets controlled the clock and the game for much of the first half. Up until three minutes remaining in the second quarter, the only score of the half came on a Bradley Nuckolls five-yard run. The run capped off an 18-play, 81-yard drive that took 7:29 off of the clock.

"I knew coming in [Hayesville] had a good football team," said Williamson. "Their conference plays a good brand of football. They didn't deviate and they didn't panic. They do what they do and they do it well."

The Bulldogs finally responded after Matt Williamson intercepted a Martin pass and rumbled all the way down to the Hayesville 17-yard line. Two plays later, after a six-yard loss, Gurganus chose to keep the ball himself and ran it in from 23 yards out.

On the ensuing kickoff, Amber Brush booted the ball toward the sideline where the ball hit the soggy turf and died just enough for Chris Hill to pounce on it.

Princeton running back Jeremy Carmichael took the handoff on the following play, cut back to the left and scored from 31 yards out to make the score 14-6.

The Bulldogs then held the Yellow Jackets to a three-and-out for the only time of the night.

Following a 14-yard punt, Gurganus drove the Bulldogs 45 yards in just five plays and finished the drive with a 17-yard quarterback keeper that gave Princeton the 20-6 halftime lead.

And just like that, the Bulldogs had scored 20 points in two minutes and 23 seconds.

The Bulldogs persevered despite four turnovers and an inability to stop the Yellow Jackets run game, namely Bradley Nuckolls. The bruising senior almost single-handedly ended the Bulldogs' season with 173 yards on 40 carries and two touchdowns.

The Yellow Jackets mounted a second-half comeback and put up 19 unanswered points before Gurganus posted his third rushing touchdown of the night.

After Jocquise Lloyd scampered in from 19 yards out, Hayesville decided to go for two points. Chris Hill stopped the option cold as the visitors decided to use Nuckolls as a decoy.

Again, after the Yellow Jackets' next score put them up by five points, the decision was made to go for two points. And yet again, Nuckolls was not called upon as Brack Martin's pass was picked off.

Patrick Jacobs turned in an outstanding performance for Princeton as his nine catches for 123 yards led the way for the Bulldogs.

Princeton again plays host this Friday as Hobbton comes to town. The Bulldogs took care of the Wildcats in Newton Grove the first game of the season, 19-12.

"They got a good program and a fine coaching staff and a lot of good athletes," said Williamson. "I know they're playing better than what they were when we played them the first time. It will be a good game."