BEARVILLE — After a six-hour trip here from Gadsden, Ala., Coosa Christian School took the field Friday night against Pierce County by ripping through a banner that read “Real football is played in Alabama.”
Bears’ senior Joe Drew would beg to differ. In this interstate matchup of high school powerhouses at Bears Stadium, Georgia was the home to “real football.”
With Drew leading the way, defending Class AA champion Pierce County (1-0) rolled to a 41-7 victory against Alabama’s Class A Private School runner-up the past two seasons.
The fleet 6-foot, 175-pound doit- all player and a pre-season AA all-state defensive back selection, returned a kickoff for a touchdown, intercepted two passes that set up two other touchdowns and had three pass receptions for 59 yards, each catch worth a first down. Drew’s second interception led to the touchdown in the third quarter bringing on a running clock for the final period under the “mercy rule.”
“He had a heck of a night,” Bears head coach Ryan Herring said of Drew. “Nothing he does surprises me. He’s not only a great player, but a great person, too.”
Quarterback Caden McGatha accounted for four touchdowns — three passing — and 236 total yards. Chance Williams caught two of the touchdown tosses while Nigel Brown had the other. Garrett Stevenson was six-for-seven on conversion kicks.
In addition to Drew’s interceptions, Williams added one, and the defense scored a touchdown when Dixon Morris recovered a fumble in the end zone.
“I saw a lot of really good things, Herring said. “There are a few things we definitely have to work on. Things that could’ve hurt us a little more, but we dodged the bullet.
“It was a heck of a win against a really good team. I’m proud of the guys.”
Just a couple minutes after running through the banner, Coosa Christian quickly supported its brash — some might say cocky — words by driving 80 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown off the opening kickoff. The drive accounted for more than half of the Conquerors total offense in the game.
Left-handed senior quarterback J.D. Justus capped the march with a 27-yard pass that dropped perfectly over the shoulder of L.J. Mostella, who was a step ahead of Drew at the end zone’s front pylon with 7:32 left in the quarter for a 7-0 lead after the successful PAT.
“Joe did a great job of flushing that one and looking straight ahead,” Herring said. “He came back with a heck of a game.”
As so often happened in last year’s title season, defense and special teams had a key role in spurring the Bears. After being forced to punt on its first possession, PCHS pinned Coosa at its 14 on a 50-yard punt by Brandon Williams.
Between three rushing plays and a delay penalty, Coosa Christian found itself in punt formation on fourth down at its two. Punter Jorge Canteliano never had a chance to get the ball away off following a high snap. He leaped to catch the misguided snap, but bobbled on the step to kick.
A swarm of Bears were in Canteliano’s face and Dixon Morris came up with the ball in the end zone for the touchdown with 49.5 seconds left in the quarter. Stevenson’s kick tied the score at 7-apiece, and the visitors never really recovered.
Drew nabbed his first interception on a pass over the middle deep in Conquerors’ territory to end their ensuing drive early in the second period giving PCHS a first down at the Coosa Christian 13 after a 18-yard return. Four plays later, McGatha scored on a seven-yard run off a fourthand- one play for a 14-7 lead with 9:02 left in what turned into a 20-point quarter for the Bears.
“Nothing to me, is bigger than and interception in changing a football game,” Herring said. “That can swing momentum and can cause separation. Joe’s did that.”
The Bears forced a punt on Coosa Christian’s ensuing possession and quickly added to their lead. Mc-Gatha teamed with Brown on a 31-yard pass to cap the six-play, 55-yard drive with 4:05 left in the half for a 217 advantage.
The Conquerors failed to convert a fourth-down pass around midfield with just 1:32 left in the half with Pierce County capitalizing on the stop with another scoring pass.
This McGatha toss connected with Williams, who was alone in the middle of the field after the quarterback faked a run into the line, and came with just 47.1 remaining. Stevenson was wide left on the conversion kick for a 27-7 halftime cushion.
PCHS had another touchdown just 13 seconds into the second half when Drew pulled in the kickoff at the 10, ran straight up the visitor’s sideline to about the 45 where he cut left to find only kicker Eli Motes with any hope for a tackle. Drew gave him a hip shake and easily outran the angle to finish the return untouched extending the margin to 34-7.
Drew’s final interception and following 51-yard return set up the Bears’ final score to activate the running clock in the final quarter. On the first play after the turnover, McGatha found Williams in the flat this time for a nine-yard touchdown with 3:50 left in the third swelling the advantage to 41-7.
Pierce County defensive back Nigel Brown comes up to make a stop on a Coosa Christian School wide receiver during first half action. Photo By HEATHER DIERINGER
PCHS quarterback Caden McGatha tumbles into the end zone for the go-ahead touchown in the second period of a 41-7 victory. Photo By HEATHER DIERINGER
