KOUNTZE — Kountze running back Trey Howard went four yards for a touchdown and Chris Shogball kicked the biggest PAT of his life with 0:21 left in the third period, as the heavily underdog Lions authored one of the biggest shockers of the 2007 by knocking off previously undefeated East Chambers, 14-13, here Friday night.

Kountze improves to 6-3 on the year, one of its best season’s in a long, long time, and finds itself with a 3-2 District 24-2A mark. EC watched its unbeaten season go down the drain, as the Bucs fall to 8-1, while still holding the district lead at 4-1.

Making the upset win that much more remarkable is the fact that the Lions limited EC to only 287 yards total offense and just two touchdowns.

It remains to be seen what the outcome would have been if the Bucs hadn’t had to play almost the entire second half without the services of all-state quarterback/safety Tramain Thomas, who had a severe case of turf toe and was forced to watch from the sidelines.

Although he played the first half with the toe injury, Thomas’ injury kept him off the field the entire second half, with the exception of four plays late in the fourth quarter when the Bucs tried to stem the upset bid of the Lions.

Howard, who had 119 yards on the ground, led a Kountze rushing attack that put up 286 yards on one of the best 2A defenses in the area.

After the Lions had tied things up late in the fourth period, and with blue chip prospect Thomas watching from the sidelines, Kountze kept the EC offense out of the end zone to secure the victory.

With the Bucs facing a crucial 4th-and-1 situation midway in the fourth period, Thomas was sent in to try to get the all-important first down. But Kountze was up to the task and held Thomas for no gain and the ball went over to the Lions on downs. It was the first action Thomas had seen in the second half.

But with time running out in the final seconds, and EC’s undefeated campaign in serious trouble, Thomas tried to work some magic. But this time, it again wasn’t to be East Chambers’ night.

Taking over the football at Bucs own 10 with just 0:15 remaining, Thomas entered for just the second time and it was bombs away. He first completed a 20-yarder to Donte Raymond. He then threw an incompletion to stop the clock.

With the ball on the EC 30 and just 0:04 left, Thomas hit Kendall Barrow who raced 60 yards before being tackled at the 10 as time ran out on the Bucs, and as Kountze’s joyous celebration had begun.

In the first half, the Lions opened the game with an onsides kick and recovered setting up the game’s first score. A shell-shocked EC team trailed 7-0 after just 1:45 had elapsed, after Thomas Wolcott’s 30-yard dash and Chris Shogballís PAT.

The Lions scored on the game’s third play from scrimmage.

It would be their only lead, though, in the first half as the Bucs regrouped and took a precarious 13-7 lead into halftime on the strength of Thomas’ three-yard dash at 5:04 of the first and Raymond’s 38-yard bolt with just 2:43 left before intermission. Raymond would lead all EC rushers with 122 yards, while Thomas was limited to just 13 yards on seven carries.