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Three wins and four losses for local teams in opening week of football season

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

Of the seven local high school football teams, only three of them started the season with wins. Sandy Creek continued their regular season winning streak with a 14-7 win over Villa Rica, Whitewater blasted Temple 35-0 and Landmark Christian defeated Twiggs County 31-8. The other local teams fell short in their quests to start the season with wins. Fayette County was edged out by Upson Lee 21-14, Starr’s Mill lost a close one to McEachern 13-8 in the Corky Kell Kickoff Classic, McIntosh fell to Douglas County 49-14 and Our Lady of Mercy got beat by Pacelli 41-0.

Sandy Creek held their 14-0 lead until very late in their game against Villa Rica. In fact, the Patriot defense kept Villa Rica in their half of the field for most of the game. Coach Chip Walker felt the entire defensive effort was outstanding and singled out the play of linebackers Stephan Atrice, Abid Coleman, Tyler Betsill and Jordan Littlepage and defensive end Fred Jones for leading the way. Offensively, Kody Green rushed for a touchdown and ran the ball well, while Tim Russell had a 74 yard touchdown reception. Walker felt Green and quarterback Jake Turing played well in the game.

“We had the ball in their end of the field a few other times and missed two field goals and didn’t convert two fourth downs,” said Walker. “We left some points on the field and we need to capitalize on thos opportunities.”

Overall, Walker was pleased with his team’s effort in securing a region win. The Patriots have their bye week this week and will use it to heal a few of teir players who got a little banged up in the game. Both Green and offensive lineman Vincent Jones sustained injuries in the fourth quarter but Walker exects both players to be back for their Sept. 2 home game against Northgate.

The Wildcats racked up over 300 yards in offense on their win over the Temple Tigers. Jonathan Jaurigue started the scoring with a 28 yard touchdown reception from quarterback Jay Bright. This opened the floodgates as Tavoris Dixon scored three consecutive rushing touchdowns. Chris Asbury added the final touchdown in the second half. Coach Amos McCreary cited good efforts on defense from Andy Skiles, Tim Jones, Dustin Davis, Jonathan Ashley, who had an interception, and Gary Price. Jamal Washington rushed for 58 yards on three carries for Whitewater, while Bright threw for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

Whitewater will take on the tough Heard County Braves at home on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Fayette County fell behind Upson Lee 14-0 in the first half due to two touchdown passes thrown to the left corner of the endzone. Coach Tommy Webb and his staff didn’t holler in the locker room at the half. Thye told the players what they did and didn’t do and the team made adjustments. The Tigers scored two touchdown runs from quarterback Brandon Boykin, totaling 120 yards, in the third quarter. The team converted a two point conversion after one touchdown and missing the other two point conversion, leaving the game tied at 14 going into the final quarter. Upson Lee was able to generate a long drive in the fourth and win the game 21-14.

Boykin finished with 147 yards rushing on 12 carries, while Channing Welch, who left the game late in the fourth quarter with a sprained ankle, finished with 64 yards and a two point conversion. Webb credited Brandon henderson for making key blocks on the touchdown runs, Kip Rossi for doing well as the team’s long snapper, while also recording nine tackles and seven assists, and Matt Burns, the back-up punter for playing well.

Fayette County plays Jonesboro (0-1) at Tara Stadium on Friday.

McIntosh trailed Douglas County 20-14 at the half but gave up too many big plays to the Tigers in the second half and lost 49-14. Quarterback Brendan Hall had both touchdowns for the Chiefs, scoring on a 30 yard run and a quarterback sneak for one yard. Coach Butch Prosser felt that the team as a whole had moments of brilliance with their blocking but also forgot their blocking assignments at other points during the game. Prosser felt that running backs Zach Brown and Jamael Owens did well running the ball and making their blocks for each otherand also credited Jeff Patrie for having a good night on defense. Patrie finished with five tackles and had a number of quarterback pressures.

McIntosh hosts Villa Rica at 7:30 p.m on Friday.

Landmark Christian had a big night offensively. Trey Strickland rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown, Miles King had seven catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns and Jimmy Eden had four catches for 62 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Matt Moody passed for 232 yards and three touchdowns in the win. On the defensive side, the War Eagles held Twiggs County to 142 yards of total offense.

Landmark will play Cross Keys (0-1) at North DeKalb Stadium on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Two missed field goals and a fourth down stop by the McEachern defense inside the Indians 10-yard line allowed the Indians to escape with a 13-8 victory over Starr's Mill in the Kell/Powerade Classic Saturday night at the Georiga Dome.

In the loss, the Panthers also lost senior fullback Trevor duPont to a broken femur in his right leg. duPont, who had surgery on Monday, had rushed for more than 100 yards on 13 carries when he was hurt in the fourth quarter.

Lost also in the defeat is the fact the Panther defense only allowed 123 yards in the game, and of those 45 yards came on the Indians first touchdown drive in the third quarter-the only time McEachern moved the ball effectively.

Starr’s Mill’s touchdown was scored by brandon Witta who caught a 26 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Robby Davis. The Panthers missed the extra point buta roughing the kicker penalty gave them one more shot and Antonio Brown converted a two point attempt to give the Panthers an 8-7 lead.

On the defense, seniors Daniel Beaman and Andrew Thompson combined for more than 15 tackles. Thompson was able to burst through the line and sack the Indian quarterback late in the fourth quarter, causing a fumble that McEachern was able to recover, and eventually ran the clock out for the win.

Starr’s Mill will host Pebblebrook this Friday.

Our Lady of Mercy battled Pacelli in a nearly scoreless first quarter and found themselves down 22-0 at the half. In the third quarter Kendall Augustine broke his ankle and the team, which played on both sides of the ball, began to tire. Coach Bill Schmitz credited Brett Bartles with a good game on defense with two tackles behind the line of scrimmage and several more tackles and quarterback pressures. He also felt that Wynton Yates played well on offense with good catches and runs.

The Bobcats are hungry to avenge last year’s one point loss to Walker this Friday on the road at 7:30 p.m.