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The Johnson County Trojans clinched the region championship on Friday with a
16-12 victory over the Twiggs County Cobras. This is the Trojans first
region championship since 2001 and eighth overall. Coach Bonds has
been at the helm for five of these championships.
The Trojans took the opening kickoff against Twiggs and drove the ball down
to the Twiggs four before turning it over on downs. Despite the fact
that the rest of the quarter was played on the Twiggs side of the field the
Trojans were unable to score. The closest the Trojans
got was when Cordele Johnson hit B.J. Murray in the
back of the end zone for an apparent touchdown but the referees ruled that
Murray was out of bounds when he caught the ball.
The first time the Cobras touched the ball in the second quarter was also
the first time they crossed the fifty. The Cobras went on a 9 play 68 yard drive
that ended with an 11 yard JoJo Cox run for a touchdown. The extra
point was blocked and Twiggs County led 6-0 with 6:07 left in the half.
The Trojans gave the ball right back to the Cobras when Cordele Johnson
fumbled while fighting for extra yardage. Sidney Bishop scooped it up and took it in for an
apparent touchdown but a block in the back brought the ball back out to the
Johnson 40. The Trojans defense held forcing a punt after three plays. Johnson County started an impressive touchdown drive at their
own 10 with 4:42 remaining in the half. The drive took 11 plays, six
runs and five passes. The first big play was a 33 yard pass to Cedric
Rawlings on third and eight at the Johnson 12. A few plays later
Cordele Johnson got three tough yards up the middle on a fourth and one.
On the next play Johnson hit Kelvis Whitley in the end zone for a 30 yard
touchdown. Spencer Hartley kicked the extra point and with
just 0:15 left in the half JOCO led 7-6.
Twiggs County took the second half kickoff. In one of the big plays of
the game the Trojans defense stopped quarterback Jaustin Rios for no gain on
fourth and one from the Twiggs 47. The Trojans converted two fourth
downs on the touchdown drive that ended with a Johnson to Brad Jefferson 24
yard touchdown pass. Spencer Hartley kicked the extra point giving the
Trojans a 14-6 lead with 6:00 left in the third quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter Spencer Hartley pinned the Cobras at their own
12 with a 48 yard punt.
Three good runs by JoJo Cox and four incomplete passes later the Cobras
punted the ball back to the Trojans. Jaustin Rios pinned the Trojans
down inside their own 10 with a 42 yard punt. JOCO was unable to move the ball and Hartley
was forced to punt from the goal line. After a 20 yard punt return by
Sidney Bishop the Cobras were in business at the JOCO 32. On the
second play Antonio King picked off a deflected pass and returned it to the
Trojans 45. Using the strong running of Kelvis Whitley and Cordele
Johnson the Trojans managed to move the ball down to the Twiggs five but a
bobbled snap gave the ball back to the Cobras on the Trojans seven. On
the next play Curtis Daniels hit
quarterback Rios at the goal line and Micarlus King helped him finish him off in the
end zone to net the Trojans a safety and two points. With 1:48
remaining the Trojans led 16-6 but the game was far from over. JOCO
fumbled the Twiggs onside kick and the Cobras had the ball at their own 43
with 1:40 remaining. A 32 yard run by Jaustin Rios moved the ball down
to the Trojans 22. Five plays later Rios hit Mardamian Hieght for
a nine yard touchdown pass. The two point conversion pass was
incomplete. With 0:23 remaining JOCO led 16-12. An
unsuccessful onside kick allowed the Trojans to take a knee and the victory.
The Trojans will travel to
Soperton to play the Treutlen Vikings in the final regular season game.
Treutlen upset Wilcox County this past Friday. There will be a lot of
emotions on each side in this one because current JOCO defensive coordinator
Don Norton was the head coach at Treutlen for three seasons. The
Trojans will open the playoffs at home the next week. The opponent
will not be determined until this weekend's games are played. If
Calvary Day beats ECI the Trojans will play Savannah Country Day. If
ECI beats Calvary Day the Trojans will play Calvary Day. |
