A sluggish start doomed Augusta Christian on Friday and dampened the school's homecoming.

But if there was a positive for the Lions, it was that their 28-18 loss to Wilson Hall did not mar their region record.

The Barons started Friday like it was their own homecoming -- controlling the clock, moving the ball on the ground and throwing to receivers who enjoyed their height advantage all game.

"It took us until late in the game to figure out what we need to do, but we were out of time," Lions coach Keith Walton said. "You got to show up right now."

Augusta Christian was buoyed by the play of senior Christian Croft, who rushed for a team-high 74 yards and booted a 39-yard field goal.

Croft's 24-yard touchdown scramble to start the fourth quarter brought the crowd to its feet for the first time since a pirate-themed skit at halftime.

"He was carrying us," Walton said.

Lions freshman quarterback Tyler Roberson overcame a slow start to throw for 154 yards and no interceptions. He had success finding receivers in the flat in the second half, including a 46-yard completion and run to receiver Caleb Harmon. The score brought the Lions within 10.

But they had no answer for a physical Barons offense. After Wilson Hall established the run, which it did the entire first quarter, it went to the air.

Augusta Christian had trouble containing the taller Barons receivers.

"We tried to take advantage of the height," said Barons receiver Chris Sharp. "But we had our running game going so well tonight, we couldn't see no to the running game."

Walton said the Lions were not prepared for the veer, the misdirection and the multiback sets of the Barons running game. The schemes were not what he had seen Wilson Hall run on film.

"It was a good little wrinkle," Walton said. "And it caught us off guard."

Wilson Hall owned the clock during the first half. The Barons' first drive ended with a turnover on downs but spanned 13 plays and ate nearly seven minutes of clock.

After a scoreless first quarter, Barons quarterback Josh Glenn used a nifty inside fake to escape around the right end for a 30-yard touchdown sprint. Glenn scored again on a 1-yard sneak on the next Wilson Hall possession.

The Lions' ground game gained life after that. Behind hard running from Croft and Cole Turner, Augusta Christian drove to the Barons' 12 before penalties set the Lions back.

Croft's 39-yard field goal was true with 21 seconds to go before the half.