The Grangers took care of business at Kinnett Stadium Friday night against Columbus 36-8. The Blue Devils end their season with a 2-8 record, while LaGrange has one more game.
The Grangers won the toss, elected to receive, and moved the ball 52 yards for a touchdown. Braxton Smith fired a 12 yard strike to Dee Smith in the end zone. The two point conversion was successful and LaGrange went up 8-0 early. The teams exchanged punts and LaGrange started their next drive at their own 24. Nine plays and 76 yards later, Chauncey Smith runs in from three yards out and it was 15-0 Grangers. Columbus goes three and out again and the Grangers engineer a 68 yard drive in only five plays. The fifth was a neat 20 yard run by Q Ferrell through a sliver of a crease in the line. E Smith's extra point was good and the score was 22-0 and would stay that way at halftime.
The first drive of the second half saw the Blue devils go 44 yards in 12 plays capped off by a strange touchdown catch. The receiver had fallen and was sitting on his backside when the ball was tipped and fell right into his hands. The two point conversion worked and it was 22-8 Columbus. But the Grangers answered right back. A 66 yard drive in only five plays finished with a 19 yard scoring catch by Dee Smith and it was 29-8. Columbus went three and out again and LaGrange strikes quickly again. Four plays going 47 yards, the final play a 27 yard touchdown catch by the tight end Dee Alford gave LaGrange a 36-8 lead. The first play of the Blue Devils' next drive was a pass intercepted by Qwa Baldwin, effectively sending what crowd was on the home side to the parking lot.
Next up is the big one. LaGrange and Troup...a game that is usually big enough. But this year the winner of this game will be the #2 seed in Region 6-AAA and be the host team in the playoff's first round. The loser travels in the first and probably every round afterward. I expect a packed house as always for this game. I'll see you there.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
LaGrange 30 Central-Carroll 0
After being shut out in the previous game, the Grangers win by shutout for the 48th time in the Steve Pardue era. Wholesale changes were made and proved to be for the better. Malcolm Dowell moved to the outside linebacker position, Dee Smith started at safety, Chauncey Smith played both ways seeing time at running back and Deshawdrick Varner was Chauncey's blocking back.
LaGrange's opening drive started at their own 40 and took only two plays to go those 60 yards. A 43 yard pass from Braxton Smith to Dee Smith found the end zone and it was 7-0 before most folks sat down after the national anthem. The Lions went three and out and the Grangers went to work. A 46 yard drive took seven plays but not quite three minutes. A 14 touchdown yard catch by John Wagner made it 14-0. Another Central three and out gave the Grangers the ball at the Lion 49. On the sixth play, Chauncey Smith fought is way in from four yards out and the score was 20-0, still in the first quarter. Central would get their initial first down in the next drive on a 15 yard penalty, but Deshawdrick Varner later intercepted a third down pass and ran it in for the score. 27-0 Grangers. Central's best drive of the night went 11 plays thanks to a fake punt that got the Lions to the Granger 14. Quez Morgan blocked a field goal attempt but the Grangers next drive stalled at Central's 17. E Smith's 34 yard field goal attempt was true and the Grangers hit the magic mercy rule number, 30-0. LaGrange emptied the bench in the second half and each team only had two possessions each, scoring no points.
The Grangers hold their own destiny for home field in the playoffs first round if they win out. Barring any upsets next week, the winner of LaGrange-Troup will be the number two seed in Region 6-AAA and host the #3 seed from Region 8-AAA. But first thing's first. We'll be at Kinnett Stadium Friday when the Columbus Blue Devils host LaGrange.
LaGrange's opening drive started at their own 40 and took only two plays to go those 60 yards. A 43 yard pass from Braxton Smith to Dee Smith found the end zone and it was 7-0 before most folks sat down after the national anthem. The Lions went three and out and the Grangers went to work. A 46 yard drive took seven plays but not quite three minutes. A 14 touchdown yard catch by John Wagner made it 14-0. Another Central three and out gave the Grangers the ball at the Lion 49. On the sixth play, Chauncey Smith fought is way in from four yards out and the score was 20-0, still in the first quarter. Central would get their initial first down in the next drive on a 15 yard penalty, but Deshawdrick Varner later intercepted a third down pass and ran it in for the score. 27-0 Grangers. Central's best drive of the night went 11 plays thanks to a fake punt that got the Lions to the Granger 14. Quez Morgan blocked a field goal attempt but the Grangers next drive stalled at Central's 17. E Smith's 34 yard field goal attempt was true and the Grangers hit the magic mercy rule number, 30-0. LaGrange emptied the bench in the second half and each team only had two possessions each, scoring no points.
The Grangers hold their own destiny for home field in the playoffs first round if they win out. Barring any upsets next week, the winner of LaGrange-Troup will be the number two seed in Region 6-AAA and host the #3 seed from Region 8-AAA. But first thing's first. We'll be at Kinnett Stadium Friday when the Columbus Blue Devils host LaGrange.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Carrollton 49 LaGrange 0
Wow.
To put this in perspective, this was the worst loss LaGrange has suffered since the 1983 state championship game where the Grangers fell to Tift County 59-6. This is the worst shutout loss the Grangers had since Athens in 1927.
Carrollton's opening drive went 80 yards finished by a one yard quarterback sneak by AJ Barge for a touchdown. LaGrange went three and out and Carrollton would march down the field again. 48 yards in five plays ended in six points when Broderick Snoddy ran six yards into the end zone. LaGrange converted on one third down the next drive, but they would stall at the 40. The Trojans would go 64 yards, the last 20 on a run by Dallas Dickey. 21-0. LaGrange would punt and Carrollton only needed two plays on their next drive. A 61 yard TD catch from brother to brother, AJ Barge to Josh Barge, and the Trojans were up by 28. The teams exchanged punts and Carrollton would need one play with 1:46 left in the half. A 50 yard catch by Telvin Brown gave Carrollton another touchdown. Demoton Boyd fumbled on the Grangers' second play of the drive and carrollton needed only three plays to go 15 yards. It was Barge to Barge again and Carrollton went into the locker room leading 42-0. LaGrange went three and out on the first drive of the second half and Carrollton went 56 yards for their final touchdown. A five yard Telvin brown run capped off the five play drive and neither team scored again. 49-0 Trojans.
Thankfully, the Grangers have a week off before hosting the Central Lions from Carroll County. Needless to say there will be some soul searching and work to be done before LaGrange takes the field again.
To put this in perspective, this was the worst loss LaGrange has suffered since the 1983 state championship game where the Grangers fell to Tift County 59-6. This is the worst shutout loss the Grangers had since Athens in 1927.
Carrollton's opening drive went 80 yards finished by a one yard quarterback sneak by AJ Barge for a touchdown. LaGrange went three and out and Carrollton would march down the field again. 48 yards in five plays ended in six points when Broderick Snoddy ran six yards into the end zone. LaGrange converted on one third down the next drive, but they would stall at the 40. The Trojans would go 64 yards, the last 20 on a run by Dallas Dickey. 21-0. LaGrange would punt and Carrollton only needed two plays on their next drive. A 61 yard TD catch from brother to brother, AJ Barge to Josh Barge, and the Trojans were up by 28. The teams exchanged punts and Carrollton would need one play with 1:46 left in the half. A 50 yard catch by Telvin Brown gave Carrollton another touchdown. Demoton Boyd fumbled on the Grangers' second play of the drive and carrollton needed only three plays to go 15 yards. It was Barge to Barge again and Carrollton went into the locker room leading 42-0. LaGrange went three and out on the first drive of the second half and Carrollton went 56 yards for their final touchdown. A five yard Telvin brown run capped off the five play drive and neither team scored again. 49-0 Trojans.
Thankfully, the Grangers have a week off before hosting the Central Lions from Carroll County. Needless to say there will be some soul searching and work to be done before LaGrange takes the field again.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
LaGrange 26 Haralson County 7
The Grangers bounced back with a win Friday night at Callaway Stadium over the Rebels of Haralson County. Some self-inflicted mistakes kept the game close, but Haralson County is definitely a team on the rise.
The Grangers' opening drive started at their own 36 and got to the Rebel 6 when Q Ferrell tried to move the ball from one hand to the other. He fumbled and Haralson started their first drive there. Four plays later they would also fumble and Milton Lamar recovered at the Rebel 38. LaGrange would take nearly five minutes off the clock in nine plays going those 38 yards. The drive ended on a Braxton Smith quarterback sneak into the end zone. E Smith missed the extra point and it was 6-0 LaGrange. Two plays into Haralson's next drive the Rebels fumbled again and TK Morgan recovered. E Smith missed a 34 yard field goal attempt, however, and the score remained 6-0. Haralson would punt the ball on their next drive and LaGrange would capitalize. A six minute, sixty five yard drive in 11 plays finished with six points. John Wagner caught a pass in the back of the end zone from nine yards out. The two-point conversion failed and LaGrange goes up 12-0. The Rebels went three and out and LaGrange turned the ball over a second time, this one by Demoton Boyd. But Haralson could not score on their ensuing drive before the half ended.
The Granger defense held Haralson to two first downs the entire first half.
The Rebels' first drive of the second half was a three and out so LaGrange started at their own 47. Three plays later another fumble hit the ground and Haralson recovered. The Rebels found a way to move the ball, going 51 yards to the Granger 14. Price Oliver recovered and the Grangers found themselves at the Rebel 12. On the ninth play, Dee Smith caught a Braxton Smith pass from his shoelaces and stumbled into the end zone. E Smith's extra point was true and it was 19-0 LaGrange. Haralson County moved the ball again, starting at their own 20 and going to the Granger 41 before turning the ball over on downs. LaGrange started on the Rebel 49 and did not need a long drive. Demoton Boyd rushed five yards on teh fifth play of the drive to pay dirt and it was 26-0 Good Guys. With a little more than six minutes left to go it looked like Steve Pardue would have his 48th shutout as head coach, but Haralson had other plans. A 14 play, 80 yard drive ended when Antoinne Phillips ran into the end zone from six yards away. 26-7 LaGrange. On the Grangers' first drive, John Boyd turned the ball over but Haralson County could do nothing with it. The clock expired with the Grangers winning 26-7.
The Granger defense has caused 14 turnovers this season. That is Granger football. However the Grangers turned the ball over themselves 14 times as well. That needs to be corrected. Especially with the Carrollton game coming in a week. The downside is Carrollton has been scoring a lot while giving up a little. The upside is Carrollton is zero for LaGrange. The winner of this game will likely win the region. Let's have a packed stadium Friday night.
The Grangers' opening drive started at their own 36 and got to the Rebel 6 when Q Ferrell tried to move the ball from one hand to the other. He fumbled and Haralson started their first drive there. Four plays later they would also fumble and Milton Lamar recovered at the Rebel 38. LaGrange would take nearly five minutes off the clock in nine plays going those 38 yards. The drive ended on a Braxton Smith quarterback sneak into the end zone. E Smith missed the extra point and it was 6-0 LaGrange. Two plays into Haralson's next drive the Rebels fumbled again and TK Morgan recovered. E Smith missed a 34 yard field goal attempt, however, and the score remained 6-0. Haralson would punt the ball on their next drive and LaGrange would capitalize. A six minute, sixty five yard drive in 11 plays finished with six points. John Wagner caught a pass in the back of the end zone from nine yards out. The two-point conversion failed and LaGrange goes up 12-0. The Rebels went three and out and LaGrange turned the ball over a second time, this one by Demoton Boyd. But Haralson could not score on their ensuing drive before the half ended.
The Granger defense held Haralson to two first downs the entire first half.
The Rebels' first drive of the second half was a three and out so LaGrange started at their own 47. Three plays later another fumble hit the ground and Haralson recovered. The Rebels found a way to move the ball, going 51 yards to the Granger 14. Price Oliver recovered and the Grangers found themselves at the Rebel 12. On the ninth play, Dee Smith caught a Braxton Smith pass from his shoelaces and stumbled into the end zone. E Smith's extra point was true and it was 19-0 LaGrange. Haralson County moved the ball again, starting at their own 20 and going to the Granger 41 before turning the ball over on downs. LaGrange started on the Rebel 49 and did not need a long drive. Demoton Boyd rushed five yards on teh fifth play of the drive to pay dirt and it was 26-0 Good Guys. With a little more than six minutes left to go it looked like Steve Pardue would have his 48th shutout as head coach, but Haralson had other plans. A 14 play, 80 yard drive ended when Antoinne Phillips ran into the end zone from six yards away. 26-7 LaGrange. On the Grangers' first drive, John Boyd turned the ball over but Haralson County could do nothing with it. The clock expired with the Grangers winning 26-7.
The Granger defense has caused 14 turnovers this season. That is Granger football. However the Grangers turned the ball over themselves 14 times as well. That needs to be corrected. Especially with the Carrollton game coming in a week. The downside is Carrollton has been scoring a lot while giving up a little. The upside is Carrollton is zero for LaGrange. The winner of this game will likely win the region. Let's have a packed stadium Friday night.
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