MOBILE – The Foley Lions lost 31-29 in the closing seconds to the Murphy Panthers on Thursday night at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

Trailing by two with no time outs and less than one minute to play in the game, Foley lined up for a hurried field goal attempt that missed to the right.

“This was a really good high school football game,” Foley head coach Todd Watson said. “The people who came out tonight certainly got their money’s worth.”

From the onset, the teams traded leads and big plays.

Murphy scored first when wide receiver Solomon Patton, a University of Florida commitment, scored on an 86-yard sweep to the right on the Panthers’ first play from scrimmage.

Foley got on the board after an eight play drive capped by a 14-yard score by Marcus Washington. Washington, a running back, took a direct snap at quarterback and scampered in for the score.

Patton caught a swing pass and took it in for a 27-yard score on Murphy’s next possession.

Foley drove 80 yards in 17 plays for its next score, a one-yard rushing touchdown from Washington, followed by a one-yard touchdown run by Murphy’s Jarvis Boone to close out the first half. Murphy led 19-14 at the break.

Jorge Santa Maria hit a 47-yard field goal to start the second half for Foley, then Boone scored from 36 yards out for the Panthers to make the score 25-17. Foley quarterback Darius Powell scored on an eight-yard run to close out the third quarter scoring.

Down 25-23 to start the fourth quarter, Foley’s Shaun Fields intercepted a Murphy pass and Foley took over at the Panther 34. Washington scored three plays later and Foley led 29-25.

Murphy’s next score, a touchdown catch by Hollis Brown, was the game-winner.

“I am proud of our kids for the way they played tonight,” Watson said. “They played hard for 48 minutes.”

The Lions only attempted 11 passes on the night. Powell completed 6-of-11 passes for 65 yards. Foley gained the bulk of its yardage on the ground, with Powell leading the way with 129 yards and a touchdown. Washington, a senior, added 100 yards and three touchdowns, while sophomore Kalif Koen added 64 yards rushing.

“We just went with what was working,” Watson said. “Our offensive line was blocking well, so we put it on their shoulders in the running game.”

Foley (0-1) will play at Baldwin County in a Class 6A, Region 2 game on Friday.