Top 10 matchup lived up to billing
DOUGLAS — Tyrese Woodgett’s third touchdown of the night, an 18yard run with 6:34 to play Friday night, proved to be the difference as Class 5A sixth-ranked Coffee turned back Class 4A fourthranked Ware County 20-16 here at Jardine Stadium.
The victory extended the Trojans’ (2-0) schoolrecord winning streak to 17 games and protected their national ranking in three polls. It marked the second straight victory over the Gators (1-1) in the “Border War.”
“Our guys played their guts out,” said Ware County head coach Jason Strickland. “Winning these types of games is not easy. They (Trojans) outexecuted us on a couple of plays and that was the difference.
“I thought we did a good job of handling the adversity. This shows we can play with anybody. This was a great environment to be playing in. It’s a priviledge and an honor to play in these games.”
Coffee’s defense proved Strickland’s view from what he had seen on film before the game.
Six of Ware County’s 13 possessions were threeand-out. One came at the end of the first half, the third quarter opened with a punt and the last ended on downs.
The Trojans’ suffocating defense limited Ware County to just eight rushing yards on 22 attempts and 100 yards passing with quarterback Luke Hooks (10-of-22) under constant pressure.
“They’re really good,” Strickland said after a firsthand look. “I don’t know if they’re better than last year or not, but they are exactly what we (coaches) thought. That was the best linebacker corp we will face all season. This gives us a heck’uva measuring stick moving forward.
“We just could not get our ground game going. We (coaches) were trying to find ways to get going and were limited by some injuries to our running backs early. We had a couple of overthrows in the passing game. In games like this you have to score touchdowns.” Down 16-14 with 7:28 remaining, Coffee took advantage of a short 30-yard punt which sailed out of bounds at the Gators’ 37.
Ja’Londi O’Hara (left photo) comes down with the ball over Coffee defensive back Jayden Hancock for Ware County’s only touchdown. William Bates kicked three field goals of 27 yards, 32 and 24 yards along with an extra point. Photo By BO CARTER
Wingback Zean Preston raced 19 yards off the left side moving the ball to the Ware County 18. Woodgett (34 carries, 201 yards) scored two plays later giving the Trojans a 20-16 advantage — the fifth and final lead change in the game — with 6:34 remaining in the game. The two-point conversion failed.
The Gators’ final two drives were a three-andout and a turnover on downs with 1:54 remaining. Ware County had one-yard of offense in the final 12 minutes.
Ware County capitalized on the Trojans’ first turnover of the night. Defensive back EJ Mathusla undercut a Jordan Phillips (2-of-8, interception, 52 yards) pass on the third snap of the game with his 11 yard return setting up the Gators at the Coffee 30.
Ware County was able to reach the Trojans’ 10 with 13 of the 20 yards coming on a pass interference call. William Bates kicked a 27-yard field goal — the first of his three on the night for a 3-0 lead with 7:48 on the first quarter clock.
Coffee responded with a 10-play, 82-yard drive eating up 4:37 of the period. The Trojans converted a pair of third down attempts with passes covering 17 and 35 yards, the last moving the ball inside the Gators’ 10.
Woodgett plowed the final three yards giving Coffee a 7-3 lead after Jonah Saylor’s PAT with 3:11 left in the first quarter.
A 54-yard punt by Bates flipped the field following Ware County’s next possession pinning the Trojans inside their 10. Their ensuing punt was returned 31 yards by MiKhi Patterson setting up the Gators at the Coffee 16.
Luke Hooks (10-of-22, 100 yards) hooked up with Ja’Londi O’Hara on a fade into the back right corner of the endzone on the first snap lifting Ware County to a 10-7 lead following the Bates’ PAT with 11:36 remaining in the first half.
Three plays after the kickoff, the Gators’ Javonte’ Evans recovered a Phillips fumble giving Ware County the ball at the Trojans’ 16.
The possession gained one yard with Bates coming on to drill a 32-yard field goal to increase the lead to 13-7 with 8:48 showing on the second quarter clock.
Just as they did following Ware County’s first field goal, the Trojans responded with a touchdown all on the legs of Woodgett. He returned the kickoff 23 yards and then bulled his way the final 70 yards on three carries. The last was a 42yard run up the middle of the Gators’ defense tying the score at 13-apiece. Saylor’s PAT put Coffee in front with 7:51 left in the half.
Four punts finished the first half with neither team crossing midfield.
Late in the third quarter, the Ware County defense came up with a third turnover when Mathusla recovered a Phillips’ fumble at the Trojans’ 43.
After a taunting penalty on the play backed the ball up to the Gators’ 43, Ware County put together its best offensive series of the night.
Jamir Boyd turned a short middle screen pass from Hooks into a 27-yard play on third-and-10 advancing the ball to the Coffee 31. Three plays later on another thirdand-10, Hooks found Cole Cox on a crossing pattern for 17 yards moving the ball to the Trojans’ 14.
Three consecutive running plays by Boyd (14 carries, 14 yards) to end the quarter left Ware County facing fourth-andthree at the Trojans’ seven. Bates kicked a 24yard field goal on the first play of the final period giving the Gators a 16-14 lead.
