SAND ROCK – By the time the game ended just before 11 o'clock, the field was wet and muddy, the fans were damp and frazzled, and the Wildcats had allowed a game they controlled from the opening kickoff to slip through their hands.

Following a 90-minute lightning delay, the Geraldine Bulldogs beat favored Sand Rock 12-7 in a Class 2A Region 6 battle that they didn't lead until the final seconds.

Trailing 7-6 late in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs took advantage of a 55-yard punt by Josh Strange to pin Sand Rock deep in their own end of the field. Geraldine then stuffed three consecutive running plays from inside the 20-yard line and re-took possession on the 35 after a 15-yard Wildcat punt.

Seven plays later, aided by a pass interference call at the goal line that brought shouts of protest from the home grandstand, Geraldine running back Ty Rooks recovered his own fumble into the end zone and scoring from two yards out with 10.6 seconds left.

Quarterback Anthony Wright failed to reach the goal line on the two-point conversion try, but the 12-7 margin held up when a final Wildcat attempt to drive down the field ended at the 15-yard line as time expired.

Rooks, a senior, led all rushers with 23 carries for 154 yards and two TDs. Sand Rock managed only 154 yards of total offense, but the defense forced seven fumbles and three interceptions -- two by junior Justin Kyser -- and kept the ball between the red zones until the final Bulldog drive.

The Wildcats had several turnovers as well, one before the storm arrived on an errant snap from center that hit a running back on the leg as he motioned right. The first of many turnovers on the night gave the Bulldogs the ball near midfield on the fourth play of the game. But Sand Rock held on third and 7, forcing a punt.

Last week, Sand Rock coach Russell Jacoway said one of the areas of his team that most impressed him after three games was the improvement of his young skill players.

He must have been pleased three plays later when sophomore quarterback Drew Norris fired a 60-yard touchdown pass to Matthew Cole. Cole then added the PAT. Four minutes into the game, the score was 7-0.

Three minutes later, lightning began flashing in the southern sky. Officials declared a 30-minute delay that stretched to an hour and a half as storm clouds continued to threaten.

When play resumed at 8:45 p.m., there were just over three minutes left in the first quarter. Driving rain made conditions treacherous for both teams for the rest of the half.

Bulldog running back Dustin Cooper slipped and fell on the first play from scrimmage, and Wright threw the second of his three interceptions three plays later.

Neither team threatened again before halftime, although Geraldine advanced to the Sand Rock 28-yard line just before the end of the second quarter. Several Wright passes towards the end zone were slapped away by the Wildcats.

The rain stopped early in the third quarter, but neither offense was able to take advantage of the improved weather. The teams swapped punts and turnovers until halfway through the fourth when Rooks picked up a teammate's fumble on a botched reverse, darted past several defenders, and scored from 36 yards out. The Wildcats blocked the PAT to preserve a one-point lead.

Jacoway and several Sand Rock players -- the offensive line in particular -- participated in the game despite suffering the effects of the swine flu.

This week, Sand Rock (3-1, 2-1) hosts Gaston, the No. 2-ranked team in Class 1A.

Gaston whipped Spring Garden 49-28 Friday night, but the Bulldogs' all-state running back, Demont Buice, broke his ankle during the game and will miss the rest of his senior season.