The Stoughton High football team fell one play and one point short of knocking off another Kelley-Rex team on the road this season, losing 22-21 in overtime at North Attleboro Thursday evening.

Tied at 14 heading into overtime, Stoughton scored on its first possession, a 3-yard run by Aaron Mack. Mack ran the ball three times, starting from the NA 10, scoring on third down.

But, NA wasted no time in answering, scoring on a 10-yard pass on the first play of its first overtime possession. NA quarterback Spyro Varetimos found Paul Norris in the corner of the end zone, with the senior tight end getting one foot down in bounds.

With Stoughton up 21-20, the Red Rocketeers could have kicked an extra point and sent the game into a second overtime period. Instead, NA coach Don Johnson went for a two-point conversion and the win.

Unfortunately for Stoughton, Johnson cashed in on his gamble.

Stoughton defenders pressured Varetimos up the middle, and his receivers were covered in the end zone, but he found Norris open in the middle of the field and connected with his tight end on a screen pass. Norris went into the end zone untouched, giving NA the win.

NA fans rushed the field, swarming the players, as Stoughton defenders, shocked, walked towards their sideline.

The end of the game marked the only point in the contest in which NA had a lead. Stoughton went up 14-0 in the first half as Alex Fernandes threw two touchdowns to Marcus Middleton, but the Red Rocketeers chipped away at the lead, tying the game at the end of the third quarter.

Stoughton had a chance to win in regulation, but Fernandes’ 25-yard field goal attempt with three seconds left was blocked as Alex Jette used his speed to come off the edge and get his hand on the ball. This was the first overtime game for either team since the Hockomock League adopted overtime rules.

The Black Knights fall to 3-2 (2-1 in the Hockomock League and 1-0 in the Davenport Division) while NA improves to 5-0.

Stoughton outgained North Attleboro, had more first downs, and scored 21 points against a Red Rocketeer defense that coming into Thursday’s game, had allowed only 20 total points in their first four games. But, the Black Knights came up short in their attempt to beat NA for the first time since 2006.

“It was a great game. We played well. There were things we could have done better, of course, but we were right there,” Stoughton coach Greg Burke said. “I’m very happy with the way we played. I would have liked to win; I thought we deserved to win, but I guess we didn’t.”

Johnson had next week’s Kelley-Rex divisional game against King Philip on his mind when making the decision to go for the two-point conversion in overtime. Had he elected to simply tie the game, the overtime process would have just repeated itself until one team came out on top.

“We have a tough game against KP and the way the overtime works this thing can go on for six, seven, eight [periods] and I was thinking in the back of my mind, we have to save these kids for next week,” Johnson said.

Stoughton was unable to come up with the defensive stand on the two-point attempt, but the Black Knights came up with a key 4th and goal stop on NA’s opening drive in the first quarter.

Wesley Nicholls had runs of 14 and 44-yards to put the Red Rocketeers in a goal-to-go situation, but Stoughton stopped four straight NA run attempts.

Stoughton got the ball back and Mack had a 23-yard carry on the first play of the drive to give the Black Knights some breathing room. On the next play, Fernandes found Middleton, who scored on a 74-yard catch and run with 1:51 left in the first.

The Black Knights also stopped NA on fourth down on their ensuing drive when Mack came up with a pass defection on fourth down around midfield.

Runs from Mack and Frankie Morris, who both ran the ball well against the Red Rocketeer defense, set up a 5-yard touchdown pass from Fernandes to Middleton with 4:18 left in the second quarter.

North Attleboro went three-and-out on their next possession, but Stoughton fumbled on their own 30-yard line after getting the ball back. The Red Rocketeers capitalized, scoring three plays later on a 1-yard run by Varetimos to cut the Stoughton lead to 14-7 before the half.

“That was huge. That was our fault. We threw it away,” Burke said. “Instead of being up 14-0 at the half, it’s a different ball game…Mistakes are mistakes, but you shouldn’t make that one in game five.”

The Stoughton defense continued to play well in the second half, coming up with an interception (Middleton) and forcing a three-and-out, but on their other second-half possession, NA scored.

John Olsen and Alex Kimball came up with key stops on the NA scoring drive, but the Red Rocketeers bounced back each time, converting a 3rd-and-long and a 4th-and-4, before Jette scored on a 4-yard run to tie the score heading into the final quarter.

Stoughton maintained possession on offense for the final 5:49, with Fernandes and Mack coming up with big runs, setting up the game winning field goal attempt, but Jette blocked it, sending the game into overtime.

“They’re an outstanding football team,” Johnson said of Stoughton. “They’re good upfront and they’ve got a number of athletic kids out on that field that can make plays for them. They’re legit.”

“We’re going to be alright,” Burke said. “Definitely.”

Stoughton hosts West Springfield next Friday at 7 p.m.