|
The Johnson County Trojans won a wild one at Herschel Walker Field. JOCO
scored three touchdowns in the final five minutes to defeat the ECI Bulldogs
by the score of 40-28. This marks the sixth season in history that the
Trojans have won 10 games. The current 10 game winning streak is the
fourth longest in school history. The longest in school history is 16
and covered the last four games in 1999 and the first 12 games in 2000. The win advances the Trojans to the second round of
the state playoffs and a meeting at home against the Seminole County Indians
next Friday.
The game
got off to a great start for the Bulldogs when Marvin Hughes returned the
opening kickoff down to the Trojans 22. After a penalty and a loss, Jeff
Byrd hooked up with Prentice Tarver for 28 yard touchdown pass. The Lance
Simmons kick was good and E. C. I. held a 7-0 lead with only 1:10 off the
clock. The Bulldogs would not have the lead for long. On the first play
from scrimmage JOCO quarterback Cordele Johnson sprinted 63 yards for a
Trojan touchdown. The Spencer Hartley kick was good and the score was tied
at 7-7 with 10:28 remaining in the first quarter. E. C. I. started their
next drive at their own 20. The Bulldogs used a strong running game to get
the ball down to the Trojan 23. On fourth down Jeff Byrd hit Lacollie
Gordon with a touchdown pass. The Simmons kick was good and E. C. I. had a
14-7 lead. The Trojans started their second possession in good field
position at the E. C. I. 49. After getting a first down the Trojans went
backwards until on fourth and 13 Cordele Johnson hit Jeremy Martin with a
screen pass and Martin carried it inside the 10. The play, however, was
nullified by a penalty and JOCO was forced to punt. Spencer Hartley hit a
good kick that hit at the goal line and bounced into the end zone. The
Trojans defense held and forced a punt. The snap sailed over the punter’s
head. After retrieving the ball in the end zone the Dexter Moody punt went
straight up and was caught by Antonio King at the five. On the next play
Kelvis Whitley scored. The Hartley kick was good and the Trojans had tied
the score at 14-14.
The
second quarter was not as exciting as the first. The JOCO defense stopped
the E. C. I. offense and forced a punt. The Trojans moved the ball into
Bulldog territory but was also forced to punt. E. C. I. put together a nice
drive that carried the ball from their own 17 down to the Trojans 30 but a
fourth down pass fell incomplete. JOCO was unable to get anything going and
was forced to punt again. Spencer Hartley hit a beautiful kick that went 52
yards and pinned the Bulldogs down at the 10. Neither team was able to
establish anything for the rest of the half.
The
Trojans took the second half kickoff and turned the ball over on downs at
the E. C. I. 48. The Trojans defense forced the Bulldogs back into their
own territory and a short punt set JOCO up at the 25. It took the Trojans
just three plays to score. Cordele hit Brad Jefferson for 40 yards. After
a five yard loss Cedric Rawlings hit B. J. Murray for 40 yards and a
touchdown. The Spencer Hartley kick was good and JOCO led for the first
time 21-14. On the Dogs next play Cedric Rawlings picked off a pass and
returned it to the E. C. I. 26. JOCO turned the ball back over after just
two plays when the Trojans fumbled on the 20. A rejuvenated Bulldog offense
used nine runs to get the ball down to the Johnson 41. On third and nine E.
C. I. used the fumblerooskie to get the score. #54, name unknown, took the
ball in for the score. Once again Simmons put the extra point through and
with just 44 seconds remaining in the third E. C. I. had tied the score
again at 21-21.
After a
24 yard kickoff return by Kelvis Whitley the Trojans were able to move the
ball down to the E. C. I. 32. After a five yard penalty Kelvis Whitley made
the best 37 yard touchdown run that you’ll ever see but a holding penalty
nullified Whitley’s fine effort. After another penalty JOCO threw an
interception at the 26. Once again E. C. I. had new life. The Bulldogs
kept the ball on the ground for 74 yards and the go ahead touchdown.
Simmons once again made the extra point kick and the Bulldogs led 28-21 with
7:16 remaining in the game. The Trojans took the ball at their own 21. It
took the Trojans seven plays and 2:18 to tie the game at 28. Cordele
Johnson hit Cedric Rawlings for 12 yards and a touchdown with 4:58 remaining
in the game. Hartley kicked the extra point. The Trojans would score two
more touchdowns before the offense touched the field. On third and 19 E. C.
I. tried the hook and lateral but the lateral was fumbled and picked up by
Jonathan Linder. Linder returned the fumble 22 yards for the go ahead
score. The Hartley kick hit the upright and with 3:07 left JOCO led 34-28.
On third and 10 from the 22 a Jeff Byrd pass was intercepted by Cedric
Rawlings and returned 40 yards for a touchdown. The conversion pass was
incomplete and JOCO led 40-28 with 1:30 remaining in the game. E. C. I.
used two long passes and a pass interference penalty to get into scoring
position but B. J. Murray intercepted a Byrd pass in the end zone to end the
threat.
Cordele
Johnson injured his ankle early in the game but toughed it out. Although he
was unable to run he ended the game with 127 yards passing on 8-16 passing.
Kelvis Whitley had 95 yards rushing on 12 attempts. Cedric Rawlings caught
3 passes for 62 yards, B. J. Murray caught 5 passes for 65 yards and Brad
Jefferson caught 1 pass for 40 yards. |
