Could a team that holds a 26-0 lead in the third quarter actually lose?

It almost happened to the Whitewater Wildcats last week.

Whitewater squandered a 26-point third-quarter lead, but it held off Northgate’s miraculous comeback to pull out its seventh consecutive victory, 26-25 over the Vikings in a Region 2-AAAA game Friday in Newnan.

The Wildcats (8-2, 7-1) will enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed from the region and play the Lovejoy Wildcats (5-5, 4-2), the No. 3 seed from Region 4-AAAA.

The Vikings (1-9, 0-8), a team with nothing to lose, gave Whitewater quite a scare a week before the playoffs.

Northgate quarterback Jake Copeland threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Sterling Usher to make it 26-25 with 23 seconds remaining. The Vikings came close to tying the game, but Whitewater linebacker Zac Mann tackled running back Derrick Brisbane at the 2-yard line on a two-point conversion attempt to seal the victory.

Ahead 26-0, Whitewater coach Amos McCreary pulled his starters and put in his reserves to start the second series of the third quarter. His reserves remained in the game through the third quarter.

McCreary regretted that decision.

“I’m a little disappointed in the decision I made to play the younger players too early,” McCreary said. “It almost cost us the game.”

Whitewater's points came from wingback Thomas Frierson, who had touchdown runs of 8 and 12 yards; cornerback Chris Asbury, who blocked a punt and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown; J.C. Jennings, who kicked a 40-yard field goal; and Whitewater’s special teams, which recorded a safety.

Northgate came back and received third-quarter touchdowns from Shane Pratt (a 3-yard run), Courtez Glenn (a 1-yard run) and Cody Gatewood (a 25-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown).

Another Northgate touchdown, Brisbane's 45-yard fumble recovery of a punt, which he returned 45 yards, was nullified by an inadvertent whistle. Northgate was forced to re-kick and the result was disastrous: Asbury blocked the punt and returned it for a touchdown.

login to post comments