South Walton and Walton, it hasn’t even been a full week, and another game has already overtaken yours for game of the year.

• That would be Niceville at Crestview on Friday night at Jack Foster Stadium. The Eagles came away with a 42-41 win in the first game played in the area since Hurricane Isaias, on a night that was also Crestview’s homecoming.

The Bulldogs struck first on their opening drive. Zy Tassin hit Rayshaun Cargle for a 32-yard gain into Niceville territory, and Tassin then took it in himself from 15 yards out.

Niceville responded with a strong drive. Deegan McCoy fired consecutive big gains to Thomas Hoffman and Jaxon Dark before the Crestview defense stiffened. That forced the Eagles into their “heavy” package, and Noah Renes took the direct snap for the game-tying touchdown.

On Crestview’s next drive, DJ Stafford intercepted a pass from Brock Spears and returned it all the way for a touchdown to give Niceville the lead. The Niceville defense then forced a stop, and a Crestview punt gave the Eagles excellent field position. They capitalized when McCoy hit Malachi White on a 40-yard flea flicker for a touchdown and a 21-7 lead.

The Bulldogs came storming back, starting with Manwell Robinson, who ripped off a long run deep into Niceville territory and then took it in himself to make it a one-score game. Crestview’s defense forced another stop, and Jaden Robinson went 47 yards for a touchdown to tie it at 21.

The Eagles had an answer. Jakobe Gilyard broke off a long run, and Dark scored on a jet sweep that was called back on a penalty. The penalty didn’t deter Niceville, though. Before long, Renes had his second rushing touchdown of the night, sending the Eagles into halftime ahead 28-21.

• Niceville moved into Crestview territory on its first drive of the second half, but the drive stalled and the Bulldogs took over. Tassin hit Jaxon Gathings, who took it all the way to the 1-yard line. A few plays later, Tassin scored himself to tie the game.

On Niceville’s next possession, JD Dortch intercepted McCoy, but the Bulldogs had to punt back to the Eagles shortly afterward. Neither team scored the rest of the third quarter, and the game was tied at 28 heading into the fourth.

The Eagles’ offense opened the fourth with another strong drive. McCoy hit White, who took it inside the 5, and a few plays later McCoy kept it himself for a touchdown.

Crestview responded again. The Bulldogs got a break when Caleb Leonard dropped a would-be interception, and Manwell Robinson then ripped off a run into Niceville territory. A few plays later, Tassin hit Cargle for the game-tying touchdown.

Both defenses tightened up from there, and nobody scored again until the final moments. With under two minutes left, a Crestview punt gave the Eagles the ball in Bulldogs territory. Crestview forced a fourth-and-1, but Renes took a direct snap out of the heavy package. He converted the first down and carried the ball deep into Crestview territory.

“Noah is a beast, and that’s why he’s going to Georgia Tech,” Niceville Head Coach Adron Robinson said.

“There was never a doubt, not at all, especially on fourth-and-1,” Renes said.

McCoy then hit Austin Stanley, who took it inside the 5, and McCoy kept it himself for a touchdown that put Niceville up 42-35.

“Deegan is the best QB in Northwest Florida, bar none,” Robinson said.

“I saw the pylon and said I had to go for it. There was nothing else besides that. We had to score, it was a must-score, so I went for it,” McCoy said.

With 26 seconds left, that looked like the dagger, but Tassin led one more drive. He hit Cargle, who took it into Eagles territory with 17 seconds remaining. Tassin then kept it himself for a big gain and got out of bounds to stop the clock with 10 seconds left.

• On the next play, Stafford came down with a Tassin pass, but he was out of bounds. That gave the Bulldogs one more play with 4 seconds left.

On the final play of the game, Tassin hit Jaden Goldsmith for a touchdown. Renes then blocked Spears’ extra-point attempt to seal the 42-41 win. The Niceville sideline erupted, and the players and the student section rushed the field.

“We found a way to win. They fought to the very last play. All summer, we talked about everything matters, and that extra point matters, and we were able to get the block and the win. We’re 3-0 in district, and that’s all I want to talk about,” Robinson said.

“As soon as my hand hit the ball, I was like, ‘Oh yeah,’ that’s game,” Renes said.

Niceville travels to Dunnellon on Friday and then plays Pace for the district title Nov. 4.