WCHS turns four miscues into scores in opening half to build 49-0 advantage
Ware County added credence to the old coaching adage “you play like you practice” Friday night against Bainbridge.
The Gators had a “energetic” week of practice last week to flush away their first loss of the season and the result was a dominating 49-7 non-region victory in Memorial Stadium.
Ware County never trailed in the game and was never really challenged by the Class AAA Bearcats (0-3), who lost six fumbles on the way to dropping their third game to open the season. The win pushed the Class 4A sixth-ranked Gators to 21, easing the sting of a 2016 loss at rival Coffee the previous week.
“We had an energetic week of practice,” Ware County head coach Jason Strickland said. “We put that one (Coffee) behind us pretty quick, made it a learning experience, and didn’t allow it to cost us with two bad games.”
Strickland credited the efforts of his seniors during the week leading to the quick reversal of fortunes in their Senior Night game that ended under the “mercy rule” because of its 49-0 halftime score.
“The seniors were at an all-time level all week,” the coach said. “They made sure everyone went out there to play well. I couldn’t be more pleased.”
Quarterback Luke Hooks completed 5-of-6 passes for 185 yards with all the completions resulting in touchdowns — a career high — to lead the romp. The senior teamed with five different receivers on the scoring passes — Jasper Bolds, Ja’Mario Rice, Iain Watson, MiKhi Patterson and Cole Justice.
“We feel like we have a lot of talented guys who can get in the end zone for us,” Strickland said. “If we give Luke the time, he can put the ball where it needs to be.”
Junior running back Jamir Boyd, filling in for his injured older brother R.J., had Ware County’s other touchdowns on two short runs. Senior kicker William Bates converted the extra point on the first five scores while sophomore Lennox Holder and junior Jurgen Sepulveda split the final two.
In addition to the fumble recoveries, four of which resulted in touchdowns, the Gators limited the visitors to only 90 total yards, minus-30 coming on 30 rush attempts.
Ja’Mario Rice (23) hauls in a 25-yard scoring aerial from Luke Hooks on a first down play giving the Gators a 21-0 lead. Photo By BO CARTER
Nick Simmons (11) latches on to the Bainbridge running back Markavion Johnson-Smith from behind in front of teammates (Javonte’ Evans (15), Cayden O’Hara (90), Seth Suess (40), EJ Mathusla (6) and Jeremiah Walker (27). Photo By BO CARTER
Defensive end Jamar Birden set the tone for the game on the third play when Vontrey Willingham was stripped of the ball on the tackle after a short run. Jamar Birden returned it 13 yards to the Bearcats’ 14.
Boyd covered the distance with four runs, the last a two-yarder for the touchdown with 9:31 left and a 7-0 lead after Bates’ first conversion.
“He is such a huge motor guy,” Strickland said of Birden, a senior who was hampered by a variety of injuries during the summer and preseason “He’s just so consistent and he’s playing at another level. He’s finally healthy is the big thing.”
The Gators forced a three-and-out on Bainbridge’s ensuing possession, and it took only one play to double the score after the punt. Hooks hit Bolds with a quick pass just past the line of scrimmage, and the senior split three defenders with the help of blocks by Justice and Patterson to race untouched to the end zone for a 70-yard score with 7:01 on the clock for a 14-0 advantage.
Ware County needed just one play to score its next touchdown after another fumble by Willingham, this one at his own 25 while attempting to catch a Bates’ punt. Hooks and Rice teamed on this scoring toss with 2:19 left in the quarter off a post pattern where the junior receiver was four steps behind the nearest defender upping the margin to 21-0.
The Gators turned the game into a rout to bring on a running clock in the second half with a 28point second quarter. The first three of the touchdowns came after Bain-bridge fumbles.
Another Willingham bobble of a Bates’ punt set up the first of the Gators’ four touchdowns in the period. Careen Moore recovered the ball at the 18. Hooks found Watson, a senior tight end who’s been plagued by injuries most of his career, alone in the back of the end zone two plays later to complete a 16yard scoring pass with 10:21 left in the half as the margin expanded to 28-0.
“I’m so happy for Iain,” Strickland said. “He’s had so much trouble getting on the field. It was great to see.”
On Bainbridge’s next possession, quarterback Camryn Scott couldn’t pull in a low snap on third-and-10 at his own 46 with Jamias White recovering at the 34.
On the second play, Hooks rolled left, stopped and threw back to Patterson, who was running right in the middle of the end zone ahead of his defender for a 32-yard touchdown at the 7:04 mark for a comfortable 35-0 advantage.
Another bad snap to Scott on a fourth-and-1 play from the Bainbridge 33 led to Ware County’s third touchdown of the quarter and a 42-0 lead. Boyd collected his second score on the fourth play of this 21-yard possession, a three-yarder over right tackle with 3:09 remaining.
The Gators were on the board just 1:11 later after another three-and-out swelling the lead to 49-0. On the first play after the punt, Hooks and Justice teamed up on a 44-yard pass of action similar to that of the quick screen for Bolds’ touchdown. After motioning back and forth through the backfield, Justice didn’t stop on the outside to block, but continued down the field to pull in the pass well behind the nearest defender.
“We can get the ball into the hands of the right guys in a lot of different ways,” Strickland said.
Bainbridge avoided the shutout with its lone touchdown late in the third period against the Gators’ backups. Scott hit Jahbarri Smith with a 24yard pass with 3:38 left to cap a seven-play, 59-yard drive.
