Demon, Hornet seasons ended

Be it trick plays, penalties or turnovers, anything that could go wrong for the Warner Robins High football team did Friday at Harris County High.

At the end, it was Harris County continuing a long winning streak of eight in a row after an 0-4 start that included losses to Houston County High and Veterans High. The Region 1-AAAAA champions put an end to the Warner Robins season by taking the GHSA second-round match-up 31-21.

Warner Robins never had a lead on the Tigers, which led 31-7 after the third quarter. It was the first quarter where things unraveled for the visiting Demons.

In that first quarter, the Demon defense put Harris in a punting situation twice. Each time, the home team wound up getting the football back and punching it into the end zone.

Warner Robins’ defense forced a three-and-out on the opening series of the game, but the visitors would get flagged for roughing the punter. The Demons weren’t fazed, however, and put Harris back in a punting situation despite giving up 20 yards on a quarterback keeper.

The return unit dropped the football, however, and the Tigers had new life for a third shot at an early lead. They converted this time with an 11-yard touchdown by Esaias Chapman.

The Demons’ special teams problems grew even greater while still in the first quarter. There was a second fumbled punt return to spot Harris on the WR 29-yard-line. Warner Robins would force another special teams unit on the field, that being the field-goal team for a try of 41 yards.

Here’s where Harris’ trickery came into play. The holder and quarterback, Justin Wright, stood up with the football and found an open receiver by his sideline. Already ahead 7-0, Wright would later score on third-down sneak from the 1.

For the game, Warner Robins fumbled six times, losing three.

In the first quarter, the Demons netted 10 yards of offense. Reggie Gordon, two minutes into the second quarter, scored a 92-yard touchdown. With Matt Monday’s PAT kick, Warner Robins trailed 17-7 at the half.

In the third quarter, it was all Chapman with two touchdown runs, both being 12 yards. He ran 30 times in all for 181 yards.

Warner Robins opened the fourth quarter with a 15-yard touchdown run by quarterback Caden Johnston. The Demons successfully recovered an onsides kickoff, and Johnston quickly threw a touchdown pass of 38 yards to DeAnthony Mack. The visiting offense couldn’t generate much afterwards, though, against top Tiger end prospect Jay Ellison, who had two second-half sacks.

WESTFIELD-HERITAGE

In all, the Heritage Hawks had 336 rushing yards while holding the Hornets to 76 on the ground. Heritage quarterback Joe Bonner completed four passes for 158 yards and two more touchdowns. Westfield’s Evan Williams had nine completed passes for 137 yards and one score.

Tom Tuggle led Westfield’s rushing with 53 yards on eight totes. Reid Hudson had six catches for 79 yards.

Rich, who will play college football at Harvard, had touchdown runs of 87, 75 and 10 yards. He also caught a pass from Bonner and turned it into an 84-yard scoring play.

Westfield was only down 7-3 after one quarter of play, Landon Beamon connecting on a 44-yard field goal with 32 seconds on the clock. Heritage was up 14-3 midway through the second period, and then Rich broke free for his 75-yard score at the one-minute mark.

Things went from bad to worse for the visiting Hornets as a turnover gave the Hawks one more shot, and Rich scored for the third time in the quarter for 28-3 at the half.

Westfield’s final points came from Stuart Smith on a 34-yard touchdown catch in the fourth.