The Houston County Bears are back in the Georgia High School Association state playoffs are a four-year absence. They booked their tickets to Evans High School in Augusta with a 21-16 victory over local rival Northside Friday night. The game wasn’t actually that close with Northside senior quarterback Mason Ford throwing the final touchdown pass of his scholastic career to junior Justin Luke near the Bears sideline with less than 40 seconds remaining in the game.
The winner of the Region 1-6A affair earned a spot in the postseason and that is Houston County at long last. “Everybody’s 0-0 now,” said an elated Ryan Crawford between hugging players and accepting congratulations from well-wishers in attendance including Houston County High school Principal Doug Rizer, a regular presence on the Bears sideline. “It’s been along couple of years and I am so proud of our guys, of our seniors,” added Crawford who had to watch the Bears go without senior receiver Kyah Plummer and senior linebacker Wesley Steiner who was injured on the first play of the game. Steiner seemed to tweak his knee/leg following a long run from the line of scrimmage.
“We had guys step up,” said Crawford. “Simeon [Askew] is going to be special. I’m proud of Max [Rigby], we had a lot of sophomores out there tonight.”
Down 3-0 at halftime, the Bears used their opening drive of the third quarter to score the first touchdown of the game to go ahead 7-3. Rigby found senior receiver Isaia Harris, arguably the Bears most dangerous weapon this season but most certainly tonight, on three occasions, the final being for a score. Harris (10 receptions for 119 yards) had his number called on third down a number of times during the game and continuously came up big.
Northside had their share of big play makers on this night as well. Ford scored the Eagles first touchdown of the game on a 14-yard run late in the third quarter to put them back in front 10-7. That would be the last lead of the game for the Eagles, who finished the season 0-4 in region play.
Rigby found sophomore receiver Gage Harrelson wide-open down the Northside sideline with 9:30 remaining in the game for a touchdown. Harrelson, a top baseball prospect, caught his first two passes of the season in this game (42 total yards). He is among the sophomores Crawford mentioned after the game.
Another Houston County sophomore that saved his best game for when it counted most was free safety Simeon Askew who intercepted a Ford pass with 7:03 on the clock to get the ball back to the Bears with a 14-10. Askew would transition to running back on the following play to bring the Bears to within a few yards of the Eagles end zone. The 22-yard rush and a one-yard a few plays later ended gave Askew his first touchdown of the game and gave the Bears the cushion they needed at 21-10 to secure another road game next week.
Notes:
Eagles junior punter Adam Lemond pinned the Bears inside their own 10-yard line three times during the game.
Steiner, who is committed to Auburn University, did not return to the game but spent the entirety on the sideline and looked no worse the wear. He should be available next week.
Luke took a huge step towards superstar status tonight with four receptions for 92 yards.
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