OCILLA — Irwin County is back in the Class A public school state finals.

In a semifinal football contest that resembled and sometimes sounded like a heavyweight fight, the Indians defeated Emanuel County Institute Friday, 38-35.

“We knew going in it was going to be a tough one,” said Irwin head coach Buddy Nobles following the win. “Coach (Chris) Kearson has a great team.”

Irwin improved its record to 12-1 for year. The Bulldogs finished with an 11-2 mark.

The Indians, advancing to their third state finals game in four years, will take on Region 2-A rival Clinch County in the championship. Clinch (11-2) was a 23-20 winner over Mount Zion in their Friday semifinal.

Irwin’s win was a comeback. The Indians trailed 22-8 and 29-14 at various points, the latter deficit one play into the third period after a 51-yard run by Eric Dixon.

Down 35-30 in the fourth quarter, Irwin got a 10-yard touchdown run from D.J. Lundy with 6:34 remaining in the contest. With Irwin operating without a placekicker, Lundy also scored a two-point conversion, diving for the left pylon.

Lundy, who officially ran for 132 yards for the evening — 97 during the second half — almost was not there to make the play. With 7:30 remaining in the second quarter, Lundy cracked helmets with an ECI player on a run, a sound heard throughout the stadium.

Lundy fumbled on the play, which ultimately led to an ECI touchdown. He did not play for the remainder of the quarter.

At halftime, Nobles said Lundy was evaluated.

“We got the doctor in there, got his mom and dad in there and they said he could go. So we said, ‘We’re going to ride you the second half.'”

Lundy carried the ball six times in the third quarter. In the fourth, nine of Irwin’s last 11 plays were handoffs to Lundy. A run by Javon Stanley and a knee taken by Will Stephens at the end of the game were the other plays.

At the time of the Lundy hit, Irwin trailed 15-8.

Eight plays after recovering the ball at the Irwin 45, the Bulldogs went ahead 22-8 after a three-yard run by Dixon at 4:00. Tyler Flakes kicked the extra point.

Though their top rusher was out, the Indians quickly regained composure.

On third down at their own 47, Stephens found Jamorri Colson open in the middle of the field. Colson sped past a single defender and ran into the left corner for a 53-yard touchdown at 2:31.

The Indians failed to convert a pass for two points, leaving them to trail 22-14 at intermission.

Irwin attempted an onside kick to start the second half, and ECI not only fielded it, but after an offsides penalty against the Indians, Dixon ran 51 yards for the score. Flakes kicked again for a 29-14 lead.

Then Irwin became nearly unstoppable.

Shaking off a sack on a halfback option pass, Stephens threw to Hunter Spires for a 22-yard touchdown at 9:19 in the third. Stanley caught a two-point conversion pass and Irwin made it a one-possession game.

The sides traded punts and as Chase Whitehead was guiding the Bulldogs down the field again, Irwin caught a break.

Bobby McNear fumbled the football at the Indians’ 21, Will Hudson recovering the pigskin. Lundy, Colson and Jamal Paulk each ate up more than 10 years each on runs as the game moved to the fourth quarter.

Stephens then threw a pass to Stanley and he scored on a 27-yard touchdown with 11:02 to go. The Indians then grabbed a 30-29 lead on Hudson’s grab at the goal line of a Stephens throw.

“Great catch on the two-point play,” said Nobles.

ECI quickly moved down the field, Whitehead connecting on a 16-yard pass, then McNear bursting up the middle for 34 yards and a new lead at 10:09. Flakes’ kick made it a 35-30 contest.

But Irwin was not going to be denied on its own field.

With Hudson grabbing a third down heave from a scrambling Stephens to keep the drive alive, Paulk, Lundy and Colson did the rest on the ground.

Lundy scored at 6:34 and Irwin fans had to hold their breath with a 38-35 lead and plenty of time to play.

The Indians ended the drama quickly.

At their own 34, Tysean Carswell ran for a yard, then Whitehead went to the air. This time, all he found was Davion Pollard.

Pollard gave Irwin the ball at 5:30. A steady diet of Lundy kept the chains moving and after ECI spent its last timeout with 28 seconds left, all there was left to do was for Stephens to kneel on the ball to seal the win.

Irwin scored first in the game, an eight-yard run by Stanley at 3:10. They made it an 8-0 advantage when Hudson caught a two-point pass from Stephens.

ECI tied the game 28 seconds later on a 13-yard run from Carswell. Whitehead got them in position for the score with a 55-yard pass to Peyton Mercer. Mercer also caught the conversion pass from Whitehead.

Whitehead himself gave the Bulldogs their first lead, diving into the end zone on a one-yard sneak at 8:20 in the second.

Stephens was nearly perfect for the game, connecting on 10 of 11 passes for 165 yards. He threw for three touchdowns. Seven receivers caught a pass from him, Colson’s 53 yards on a single catch being the most from anyone.

Beyond Lundy’s huge night, Colson ran for 79 yards on eight carries. Paulk added 48 yards.

Whitehead completed 6-of-11 passes for ECI for 160 yards. He scored on his only rush attempt of the evening.

Dixon was the Bulldogs’ most productive runner with 97 yards on 14 attempts. He scored twice. McNear had 59 yards and Carswell added 50. Mercer caught three passes for 79 yards.

“We got the breaks tonight,” he said. “Pretty good for a group of sophomores.”

Irwin defeated Clinch 21-7 earlier this season. The two are not only no strangers, but no strangers in the finals. Clinch won the 2015 Class A public championship over the Indians, 24-7.