The Nansemond-Suffolk Academy football team went to 7-2 on the season after a four-overtime loss to Fredericksburg Christian School.

The Saints went on the road Saturday to take on Fredericksburg Christian in a highly anticipated matchup. NSA came into that game the No. 1 seed in the state Division II rankings at the time, and FCS was the No. 2 team.

Weather conditions weren’t ideal, as last Friday and Saturday were filled with rain. It didn’t stop the game from going into four overtime periods, with FCS taking the win 32-26.

“There were tough conditions out there, but the guys didn’t let that affect them,” Coach Mike Biehl said. “They battled hard and fought hard all the way until the end.”

NSA got things started in the first quarter, as Ian McAninley hooked up with Zac Morris for one of this three touchdowns on the day. A 75-yard pass put the Saints up 7-0. FCS followed it up with a five-yard run for a touchdown, but the conversion failed, giving NSA a 7-6 lead after one.

In the second quarter, NSA capped off another explosive play for a touchdown when Jaden Freeman scored on a 68-yard pass play. At halftime, the Saints only had a two-point lead at 14-12.

Both teams went scoreless in the third quarter. FCS didn’t go away in the fourth, as they added a rushing score for a touchdown to go up 20-14 after a two-point conversion. However, Morris’ second touchdown of the day came on a 68-yard pass, which tied the game up at 20 after NSA missed the conversion.

Throughout the first overtime, both teams made their share of plays, but neither could get on the board, forcing the second overtime. A one-yard run by FCS put them up 6 in the second overtime. NSA answered with an Ehron Knight touchdown from McAninley, but a missed conversion left the two teams tied at 26. Unfortunately for NSA, a one-yard run for FCS in the fourth overtime gave them the game after NSA was unable to score on their possession.

The No. 1 ranked team against the No. 2 ranked team could have foreshadowed a playoff matchup. However, Biehl said they just approached it as the next game on the schedule.

“We didn’t back down, and we didn’t flinch,” Biehl said. “We just didn’t make enough plays. We just want to go 1-0 each week. We knew the magnitude of the game could mean something different in the future. However, until then it’s just one week at a time.”

McAninley finished the game tossing for 300 yards, with Morris catching 159 of those yards. NSA will finish the regular season at home Friday night against Roanoke Catholic.