The Long County High School football team lost a heartbreaker Friday at home by falling, 25-18, in overtime to Atkinson County.  
The Blue Tide took the lead 2:53 seconds into the game off Vanda Vereen Jr.’s 25-yard touchdown run. Randall Behrendt missed the extra-point attempt.
Long County led, 6-0, at halftime.  
In the second half, the two teams continued to battle tooth and nail until regulation ended with the game tied at 18-all.  
Atkinson County got the ball first in overtime and scored on a touchdown pass. After a successful extra-point attempt, the visiting team led by seven.  
The Blue Tide still had their opportunity to tie or win the game. Long County took possession of the ball at the 15-yard line, but the Rebel defense was stingy, only giving up five yards on the Blue Tide’s first three plays. On fourth down, Long County freshman quarterback Dylan Stewart took the snap and rolled out to his right — with a wall of Rebel defenders in front of him — and tried to hit one of his receivers. However, the ball fell incomplete.  
Long County and Atkinson County each had a 1-3 record after the game.  
A full game story on this game will be in Wednesday’s Courier.