CENTRAL—Despite coming back from a 21-point lead late in the third quarter, the Daniel Lions were unable to stop Clinton from scoring the winning touchdown in the final minute of Friday night’s game, falling 35-28 and losing the Upstate AAA Championship game for the second straight year.

Daniel ends the season with a 13-1 record for the second straight year. Clinton, 11-3, came into the playoffs as the fourth-seeded team from Region III-AAA, but will play defending AAA champions Myrtle Beach Saturday night in Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia, for the 2009 AAA state title.

In the Big 16 State Championship, Byrnes will play Dorman noon, Saturday.

In the AAAA-Division II State Championship, Berkeley will face Northwestern 8 p.m., Friday.

In the AA State Championship, Fairfield-Central will face Dillon 3 p.m. Saturday.

All state title games will be played in Williams-Brice Stadium, Columbia.

Daniel trailed 21-7 at halftime, and seemed to be edging back in the game early in the third quarter when DeAndre McDaniel returned a punt 65 yards for an apparent touchdown. But a block-in-the-back call erased the six points from the scoreboard.

Another Clinton touchdown increased the Red Devils’ lead to 28-7 before C.J. Davidson began the Lions’ actual comeback with a 3-yard run with just one second left in the third quarter.

Daniel place-kicker David Gammon recovered his own on-side kick on the final play of the third period, lead to a 2-yard touchdown run by the Lions’ William Wingard, cutting the lead to just one touchdown with 10 minutes remaining in the game.

With just under six minutes remaining in the game, Daniel quarterback Tevin Robinson scored on a 2-yard run to tie the game 28-28.

But Clinton put together a 12-play, 78-yard drive that was capped by a 5-yard touchdown run by Taviouzie Booker with less than a minute remaining in the game that gave the Red Devils a 35-28 lead. Clinton held on to take the win and the Upstate title.