The Grangers got a good first region win defeating the Shaw Raiders 31-14 Friday night at Callaway Stadium. Two of the five teams that will be in the running for the four playoff spots makes for an important game, and the Grangers now have a leg up early on.
Shaw's first drive ended when Chandler Whittlesey fumbled, but the Grangers could not convert the miscue to points. Taylor Stanford's 20 yard field goal went wide left and Shaw dodged a bullet. The Raiders' next drive went the full 80 yards in 16 plays ending with Whittlesey sneaking in from a yard out. 7-0 Shaw. The teams traded ineffective drives, but Shaw's fourth drive was costly. A intentional grounding call set up a safety when a host of Grangers brought Whittlesey down in the end zone. 7-2 Shaw. The ensuing kickoff started the Grangers' drive at the Shaw 45. Five plays later, Demoton Boyd scores from three yards out. Benny Gray caught the two-point conversion and LaGrange goes up 10-7 at the half.
The second half saw the Grangers make adjustments and Shaw just couldn't keep up. LaGrange's opening drive went 59 yards in eight plays, ending with a 17 yard touchdown pass from Zach Giddens to Corey Perkins. 17-7 Grangers. After a Shaw 3 and out, the Grangers started at their own 48. The first snap saw Bennie Gray scamper 52 yards for a touchdown. 24-7 LaGrange. Another Shaw punt gave LaGrange the ball at their own 23. On the fifth play, Giddens found Travone Rivers in the end zone from 16 yards out. 31=7 Good Guys. After an exchange of punts, Shaw got on the board again. A 77 yard drive in 13 plays finished with a Whittlesey pass for a touchdown, but that was all they could muster. 31-14 was the final score.
A good win against a team that will probably make the playoffs. It was good to see Mon Denson back, as he was missed last week. Hopefully we will see Dee Gates back next week. The Grangers next play at Kinnett Stadium next Thursday against the Columbus Blue Devils. Here is to a 2-0 region start.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Thomson 49 LaGrange 42
The Grangers may have made history Friday night and not in a good way. I looked through both LaGrangeFootball.com and ghsfha.com and can't find where LaGrange scored as many points in a loss. The most I could find is where the Grangers scored 41 in a loss to East Coweta in 1998.
The Grangers returned the opening kickoff dor a touchdown. DeMoton Boyd ran the full 85 yards for the score and LaGrange went up 6-0. After a Thomson punt, the Grangers scored again on a 70 yard pass play from Zach Giddens to Bennie Gray. 14-0 Grangers. Another Thomson punt put the ball on the Granger 25. Eleven plays later, Travone Rivers scored on a pass from Giddens from 20 yards out and about four and a half minutes in LaGrange had a 21-0 lead. Thomson went three and out but on the Grangers' next drive, Giddens through a pick six to Dexter Jones and it was 21-7. But the Grangers would extend their lead on the next drive. The nine play, 69 yard drive ended when Gray banged his way into the end zone and LaGrange took a 28-7 lead.
They would never lead by that much again.
The Bulldogs would return the ensuing kickoff to the Granger 13. The very next play saw quarterback Chris Tutt run into the end zone and it was 28-14 Grangers. Giddens would throw his second interception and Thomson would capitalize. The Bulldogs went 65 yards in 11 plays, finished when Tutt threw to Gelyam Parker for the six yard touchdown. 28-21 would be the score at the end of the first half.
Thomson's opening drive of the second half saw Qwa Baldwin pick off Tutt's pass, but LaGrange would not get a first down. After that punt it started getting crazy. The next five possessions ended with a touchdown each. Thomson tied the score at 28 after a 43 yard drive when Torrie Battled ran into the end zone from 25 yards out. LaGrange would regain the lead with a 75 yard drive ending when Giddens hit Dee Gates for an eight yard touchdown. Thomson tied it back at 35 in a two play, 68 yard drive. The 56 yard run by William Bussey found the end zone and tied the game. But LaGrange recaptured the lead following a 60 yard drive. Giddens connected with Dee Smith from 24 yards out and it was 42-35. The very next drive saw the Bulldogs go 63 yards in seven plays. A 16 yard touchdown run by Quay Cummings tied the game for the third and final time. 42-42. The Grangers' very next play from scrimmage, Giddens threw his third interception and Thomson was set up at the Granger 32. Five plays later, Bussey runs in from 18 yards out, and Thomson took the lead for the first and only time, 49-42. LaGrange went three and out and Thomson ran out the clock.
A couple cliches turned out to be true. "The team that turns the ball over more usually loses." All three interceptions Giddens threw turned into Thomson touchdowns. Thomson's only interception resulted in a Granger punt. "You let good teams hang around, bad things happen." Make no mistake about it, Thomson is a good team. Chris Jordan rushed for more than 200 yards. The last time I remember a runningback rush for 200 yards against the Grangers was Shaw's Bryan Willis.
Thomson hasn't given up 42 all year. The Grangers offense looked excellent except for the turnovers. But the defense had all kinds of problems. Next up the region schedule starts when LaGrange hosts the Shaw Raiders.
The Grangers returned the opening kickoff dor a touchdown. DeMoton Boyd ran the full 85 yards for the score and LaGrange went up 6-0. After a Thomson punt, the Grangers scored again on a 70 yard pass play from Zach Giddens to Bennie Gray. 14-0 Grangers. Another Thomson punt put the ball on the Granger 25. Eleven plays later, Travone Rivers scored on a pass from Giddens from 20 yards out and about four and a half minutes in LaGrange had a 21-0 lead. Thomson went three and out but on the Grangers' next drive, Giddens through a pick six to Dexter Jones and it was 21-7. But the Grangers would extend their lead on the next drive. The nine play, 69 yard drive ended when Gray banged his way into the end zone and LaGrange took a 28-7 lead.
They would never lead by that much again.
The Bulldogs would return the ensuing kickoff to the Granger 13. The very next play saw quarterback Chris Tutt run into the end zone and it was 28-14 Grangers. Giddens would throw his second interception and Thomson would capitalize. The Bulldogs went 65 yards in 11 plays, finished when Tutt threw to Gelyam Parker for the six yard touchdown. 28-21 would be the score at the end of the first half.
Thomson's opening drive of the second half saw Qwa Baldwin pick off Tutt's pass, but LaGrange would not get a first down. After that punt it started getting crazy. The next five possessions ended with a touchdown each. Thomson tied the score at 28 after a 43 yard drive when Torrie Battled ran into the end zone from 25 yards out. LaGrange would regain the lead with a 75 yard drive ending when Giddens hit Dee Gates for an eight yard touchdown. Thomson tied it back at 35 in a two play, 68 yard drive. The 56 yard run by William Bussey found the end zone and tied the game. But LaGrange recaptured the lead following a 60 yard drive. Giddens connected with Dee Smith from 24 yards out and it was 42-35. The very next drive saw the Bulldogs go 63 yards in seven plays. A 16 yard touchdown run by Quay Cummings tied the game for the third and final time. 42-42. The Grangers' very next play from scrimmage, Giddens threw his third interception and Thomson was set up at the Granger 32. Five plays later, Bussey runs in from 18 yards out, and Thomson took the lead for the first and only time, 49-42. LaGrange went three and out and Thomson ran out the clock.
A couple cliches turned out to be true. "The team that turns the ball over more usually loses." All three interceptions Giddens threw turned into Thomson touchdowns. Thomson's only interception resulted in a Granger punt. "You let good teams hang around, bad things happen." Make no mistake about it, Thomson is a good team. Chris Jordan rushed for more than 200 yards. The last time I remember a runningback rush for 200 yards against the Grangers was Shaw's Bryan Willis.
Thomson hasn't given up 42 all year. The Grangers offense looked excellent except for the turnovers. But the defense had all kinds of problems. Next up the region schedule starts when LaGrange hosts the Shaw Raiders.
Friday, September 7, 2012
LaGrange 37 Harris County 13
The Grangers dominated the Harris County Tigers Thursday night at Callaway Stadium, taking a 37-0 lead before the reserves gave up 13 points. Lots of improvement in all phases of the game.
The Tigers opened up on their 41 yard line and got as far as the Granger 30, but turned the ball over on downs. LaGrange took over and had a 13 play drive, but it stalled at the Harris County six. Taylor Stanford connected on a 23 yard field goal and the Grangers led 3-0. Harris County's next drive went 41 yards in six plays, but a bad snap on a field goal attempt gave the ball back to Grangers. LaGrange didn't need long. A 29 yard pass from Zach Giddens to Dee Gates set up a 50 yard touchdown pass to Dee Smith and the Grangers went up 9-0. On Harris County's kickoff return, the Grangers caused a fumble and LaGrange started at the Tiger 40. The very next play saw Giddens connect with Wynton Heard who found the end zone. 16-0 LG. The Granger defense caused another Tiger fumble and Joe Sanders scooped and scored ten seconds into the second quarter. At that point Harris County only had two first downs. An uneventful 11 minutes and 50 seconds followed and LaGrange went into the locker room leading 23-0.
LaGrange opened the second half without getting a first down, but on the Tigers's first drive LaGrange caused another fumble. The Granger drive stalled at the Tiger 25 and Michael Ward's 46 yard field goal attempt was plenty long, but just wide of the uprights. The teams exchanged punts and with 2:26 left in the third quarter, LaGrange needed one play. A 54 yard touchdown run by Benny Gray extended the lead to mercy rule territory. 30-0 Grangers. Harris County could not get a first down on their next drive and the Grangers would finish their scoring early in the fourth quarter. A 65 yard drive in six plays ended with a 47 yard touchdown pass from Giddens to Smith. 37-0 Good Guys. Harris County would score twice against the Granger reserves with a 30 yard touchdown run by Esaias Chapman and a 16 yard catch from Justin Wright to Tae Crowder. 37-13 was the final score.
Harris County was held to nine first downs by my math in 14 drives. The Grangers recovered three Tiger fumbles while giving up two, one in their last drive of the game. The defense looked good, the offense looked better, and the kicking game took a major step forward.
The bad thing about the mercy rule and its running clock is the younger players don't get as many plays as they would in a normally timed fourth quarter. If there is one thing the Grangers really need help it is depth. Coach Branch said in the post game interview there is a real drop off from the first and second string. Hopefully we will see more lopsided games like this so the backups will get more real game experience and be ready to step in if, Heaven forbid, there are any injuries.
The Tigers opened up on their 41 yard line and got as far as the Granger 30, but turned the ball over on downs. LaGrange took over and had a 13 play drive, but it stalled at the Harris County six. Taylor Stanford connected on a 23 yard field goal and the Grangers led 3-0. Harris County's next drive went 41 yards in six plays, but a bad snap on a field goal attempt gave the ball back to Grangers. LaGrange didn't need long. A 29 yard pass from Zach Giddens to Dee Gates set up a 50 yard touchdown pass to Dee Smith and the Grangers went up 9-0. On Harris County's kickoff return, the Grangers caused a fumble and LaGrange started at the Tiger 40. The very next play saw Giddens connect with Wynton Heard who found the end zone. 16-0 LG. The Granger defense caused another Tiger fumble and Joe Sanders scooped and scored ten seconds into the second quarter. At that point Harris County only had two first downs. An uneventful 11 minutes and 50 seconds followed and LaGrange went into the locker room leading 23-0.
LaGrange opened the second half without getting a first down, but on the Tigers's first drive LaGrange caused another fumble. The Granger drive stalled at the Tiger 25 and Michael Ward's 46 yard field goal attempt was plenty long, but just wide of the uprights. The teams exchanged punts and with 2:26 left in the third quarter, LaGrange needed one play. A 54 yard touchdown run by Benny Gray extended the lead to mercy rule territory. 30-0 Grangers. Harris County could not get a first down on their next drive and the Grangers would finish their scoring early in the fourth quarter. A 65 yard drive in six plays ended with a 47 yard touchdown pass from Giddens to Smith. 37-0 Good Guys. Harris County would score twice against the Granger reserves with a 30 yard touchdown run by Esaias Chapman and a 16 yard catch from Justin Wright to Tae Crowder. 37-13 was the final score.
Harris County was held to nine first downs by my math in 14 drives. The Grangers recovered three Tiger fumbles while giving up two, one in their last drive of the game. The defense looked good, the offense looked better, and the kicking game took a major step forward.
The bad thing about the mercy rule and its running clock is the younger players don't get as many plays as they would in a normally timed fourth quarter. If there is one thing the Grangers really need help it is depth. Coach Branch said in the post game interview there is a real drop off from the first and second string. Hopefully we will see more lopsided games like this so the backups will get more real game experience and be ready to step in if, Heaven forbid, there are any injuries.
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