A dramatic fourth-quarter comeback led Highland past host Liberty Benton in the first round of the Division V high school football playoffs.

The Scots (6-5) scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter of the contest to take a 21-17 lead and then held off their opponents with a goal-line stand to close out the game and advance to Friday’s regional semifinal round.

The game was tied at the half. Liberty Benton opened the scoring with a four-yard rush by Mason Modd in the second quarter, but Highland responded with a 63-yard run for points from Dane Nauman.

Liberty Benton would break the 7-7 tie in the third quarter, as Modd scored again on a three-yard run. They would add a field goal later in the period to lead by 10 points with 12 minutes left on the clock.

However, Highland would be able to forge back into the game on a four-yard Kolton Stover run. Then, trailing by three late in the game, Nauman took a short pass from Stover 82 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. One defensive stop later and the Scots picked up the hard-fought win and ended Liberty Benton’s season with a 9-2 mark.

Nauman finished with 156 rushing yards and added two catches for 88 more. Stover passed for 113 yards on 6-of-18 passes and also contributed 49 yards on the ground. Kort Sears recorded four receptions for 25 yards.

Rob Hamilton can be reached at 419-946-3010, ext. 1807. Connect with him on Twitter at @SportsMCS