JAY – The Dirigo High School football team needed a big play and it finally happened in the nick of time Friday night.

Wingback Spencer Barry caught a 32-yard TD pass from quarterback Dekota Holmquist with 46 seconds left as the Cougars rallied to upset previously unbeaten Jay 8-6 in a Class C Campbell Conference game at Taglienti Field.

Dirigo utilized a staunch defense that held Jay (2-1) to 102 net yards, including forcing a punt with 55.6 seconds left. The Cougars stopped the Tigers three times in the red zone, and Keith Gaudet recovered a fumble.

“The field position wasn’t great early on,” Dirigo coach Doug Gilbert said. “But we shot ourselves in the foot by turning the ball over. The team needs to play with confidence, and this is a big win for the program.”

Dirigo (2-1) received a 25-yard punt return to the Jay 32. On first down, Holmquist sprinted back to avoid the rush and aired out a long pass toward the end zone.

“They had been blitzing all night,” Holmquist said. “I just knew that I needed to get the ball to Spencer.”

Berry had gotten behind the coverage and hauled the ball in after the Tigers’ Nick Bourassa tipped the ball.

”I had a hitch,’ ‘Berry said. ”(Austin Clark) bit on it and (Bourassa) stepped up and tipped it. I reached back and caught it with my left hand.”

Jay tried to throw the ball long, but QB Issac LeBlanc as intercepted by Enrico Ross. Dirigo had recorded a safety with four minutes left.

Josh Daley led the Cougars with 72 yards on 17 rushes, and the Tigers had seven first downs and converted two of nine on third down.

“We crisscrossed all night,” Dirigo tackle Pat O’Leary said. “Shutting down their receivers was a key for us.”

Trevor McCourt and Zane Armandi were bottled up on the ground. Armandi recovered a fumble and returned it to the Dirigo 20. He scored on an 8-yard sweep.