DeKALB – The DeKalb and Sterling football teams sent the regular season out in style.

In a wild game that featured a 20-minute delay because the stadium lights went out, Sterling converted on a 2-point conversion in double overtime to grab a 43-42 victory over the Barbs in a battle between two of the best teams in the state in their respective classification.

After six consecutive rushes in overtime – including a 1-yard touchdown run by Andrew Spalding in the second overtime – Sterling quarterback Trey Morse found Nolan Sullivan on a play-action pass in the end zone.

"I think it's kind of a positive," DeKalb coach Matt Weckler said about the tough loss. "Sometimes it's good to have some adversity going into the (playoffs)."

The Warriors, who came into the game ranked No. 2 in Class 5A, initially sent out kicker Antonio Diaz for the extra point, but Sterling coach Jonathan Schlemmer called timeout and sent the offense back out for the game-ending 2-point conversion.

"We were having trouble stopping them, they're so dynamic offensively, so once we got it in there, our offensive coordinator had a great call and executed it really well," Schlemmer said. "I can't take the credit. The kids executed the play."

The Barbs (7-2 overall) were led by quarterback Derek Kyler, who went 16 for 40 with 272 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, along with rushing for 121 yards and two scores. His favorite targets on the day were Cole Tucker (6 catches, 66 yards, one touchdown) and Zuerek Day (four catches, 121 yards, two touchdowns).

With Sterling (9-0) leading 28-21 late in the fourth quarter, he led the team on a 7-play, 70-yard drive that featured a 27-yard pass to Day on third-and-28 and a 40-yard connection to Tyrese Dyson and capped it with a 10-yard touchdown run with 1:13 remaining.

Then things got wacky.

Before DeKalb kicker Connor Tierney could come out and tie it 28-28, the stadium lights went out to extend the suspense another 20 minutes. Weckler laughed that he had never seen that happen before in a game.

"We had to keep the kids focused," Weckler said of the delay. "They're high school kids, so just like anything else – when something strange happens, you have to keep them focused. The biggest thing was to keep them warm."

For Sterling, running back Nyrel Sullivan had 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns and scored on a 3-yard run to open up overtime. DeKalb answered with a 10-yard run by Day to make it 35-35.

In the second overtime, Kyler found Tucker on a slant for a 10-yard touchdown on the first play to give DeKalb its first lead of the game, but Sterling answered with Spalding's touchdown and the 2-point conversion.

DeKalb also had a pair of costly fumbles in regulation.

On the second play of the game, Sterling defensive end Treay Martin scooped up a fumble and took it 27 yards for a touchdown. In the second quarter, with the Warriors leading 14-7, DeKalb got inside the Sterling 10-yard line but fumbled it again – this time Elias Edmondson jumping on the loose ball on the 9.

"All year we've been very good at controlling the ball and not turning it over and the turnover ratio has been been in our favor all year," Weckler said. "When you play in a big game, we can't have turnovers like that. They capitalized on them."

The Warriors led 21-7 going into the fourth quarter, but the Barbs rallied to tie it twice in the wild quarter.

Kyler scored on a 34-yard run in the second play of the quarter and after forcing Sterling to punt, he connected with Day for a 58-yard touchdown to tie it.

After Nyrel Sullivan gave the Warriors the lead on a 29-yard touchdown run with 2:55 left, the Barbs went 70 yards in 1:45 to tie it again with Kyler's 10-yard run.

Both teams will find out who their opponent will be in the first round of the state tournament on Saturday.