Demons too much for Peach Co.
Cramming the football right down the throat of a Peach County High defense? Completely unheard of, especially considering the record of the Trojans over the past two decades.
But that’s how things unfolded Friday at McConnell-Talbert Stadium when Warner Robins High snapped a three-game losing streak to Peach County. Danny Hite Jr. scored three rushing touchdowns and Jacob Jamerson two as the Demons rolled to a 2-0 start in 2013 by a final of 54-21.
Head coach Bryan Way could have easily seen the point total reach 70, but on four drives in the first half Warner Robins settled for four field goals by Matt Monday. The senior kicker was also perfect on all six PAT tries for 18 points, and more often than not his kickoffs sailed into the end zone for touchbacks.
Monday is also the team’s punter, and that was actually his first call to duty on Friday. Warner Robins’ first drive of the game stalled due to a chop block penalty, but Monday sent the ball 65 yards to the Peach County 15.
The first Trojan play from scrimmage resulted in a fumble the Demons recovered on the 14. As was evidence in the first series, Peach was working an effective pass rush against senior quarterback Caden Johnston. The Trojans earned a first-down sack on the 19, which helped the visitors hold Warner Robins to a 25-yard field goal made by Monday at 8:43.
Monday’s next field goals would each be good from further and further distances.
The Demon defense held strong again thanks to Shawn Lane and Quathon Lawson. The home team in essence took away the Peach running game early, making it a night of throw after throw by quarterback Greg Williams.
The Trojan punting game also struggled with a shank of only 18 yards to the PC 42.
Johnston connected with a wide-open Danny Hite III in a right corner route on the 14. That was as far as Warner Robins penetrated, and Monday’s second field goal was for 31 yards at 5:44.
Peach answered earning its one and only lead Friday. Terry Harris had a great stick on the kickoff return at the Trojan 19, but Williams loosened things up by finding an open Saire Davis for 41 yards on 3rd-and-10. Davis had two more catches on the drive, the last being a tipped ball he secured and then streaked down the home sideline for a 29-yard touchdown. Peach broke the tie on the PAT kick, 7-6 the score at 4:22.
Jacquan Burns eased the Demon chances to respond with a side-to-side kick return up to his 42. Johnston rolled on second down and hit tight end Landon Hopf, who reached out and pulled in the football for 18 yards at the Trojan 34.
Five plays later, it was fourth down on the 20. So Monday made his third field goal, a 38-yarder, with 29 seconds on the clock (9-7 WR).
Keon Seabrooks played outstanding defense at nose tackle. He ended the quarter with a no-gain stop, which led to a punt and spot for the offense at the Demon 43.
Burns broke tackles for 10 yards, and Hite Jr. ran three straight up to the 24.
Parker Shaw made his first catch on the 20 and picked up 10 more on the left corner route. On fourth down from the 2, Hite Jr. put the team’s first touchdown in the books at 7:56.
Down 16-7, Williams was almost exclusively passing at this point, and the Demons were putting on the blitz in the next series. Seabrooks and Jabias Williams made him lose seven yards on a scramble. The drive ended with a shanked punt of 29 yards to the PC 39.
A bad snap hurt Warner Robins here, but Monday was good on a 43-yard field goal for 19-7.
End Stephone Raybon got his shots in on Williams, pressuring a pass Shamair Mitchell nearly intercepted.
Johnston and the offense took over at their 49 and was back in the end zone in seven plays. Marquez Callaway caught an open post for 17 yards, and with four more rushes it was 1st-and-goal at the 1. Jamerson, part of the signature T-formation, scored his first touchdown with 49 seconds on the first-half clock.
With the first drive of the second half and trailing 26-7, Peach County made it an interesting beginning, especially after McWilliams dropped an interception. It set up 3rd-and-10 on the Trojan 27, and Williams found Tyler Gibson over the middle on the 45.
That wasn’t it, however, as Gibson kept running to his sideline, stayed inbounds and scored at 11:23. It was a 12-point game, 26-14, but Reggie Gordon took the ensuing kickoff 34 yards to his 37-yard-line.
Elijah Grant of Peach made a great trip against Burns for a three-yard loss. Warner Robins was faced with 4th-and-inches on the 47 and put Monday on the field to punt. Flags flew when Monday took a shot after the kick, so the Demons operated from the Trojan 38.
Along with prospect guard Jermaine Abron, Demon runners had loads of space created by Hunter Clark, Colby Price, Scotty Kent, William Jones, Rokkeith Milton and others. Warner Robins also had to overcome some fouls in the second half, like a hold that took away touchdown pass play.
On the Peach 30, it was 4th-and-2. Burns powered out of arm tackles for nine yards and first down. There was another hold, so the Demons were back on the 30 for first down. Johnston dumped off a ball under pressure to Hite Jr. at the 25, and he gained 16 more to the 9.
Hite Jr.’s second touchdown came next on a right tackle blast at 5:51 (33-14 PC).
Gibson, on the ensuing possession, blew by one-on-one coverage on a catch at his 30 and sprinted to the WR 33. Raybon sacked Williams a the 49 for 3rd-and-26, and two defenders were on him only to see him get away towards the home sideline.
Williams unleashed a pass to Davis, who scored for the second time with less than four minutes in the third.
The rest of the game was all Warner Robins, taking again a 12-point advantage of 33-21 and stretching it with three more scores. The Demons went from their 19 to the goal line in seven plays. Burns ran for 27 yards to the 46, and on 3rd-and-7 at the Peach 39 Burns was set free by Abron at the point of attack for 37 at the 2.
Out came the T-formation, and Jamerson scored at 1:09.
Still in the third, Raybon and Jarrod Crum blitzed Williams on a sack that ended with a fumble recovered on the Trojan 35. In eight running plays, Hite Jr. had his third touchdown at 8:49 of the fourth quarter (47-21).
Raybon, along with Collins Jones, destroyed the passing game to set up the last scoring drive beginning on the Trojan 48. Harris got a carry for 40 yards to the 7, and Gordon went around left end for the TD at 6:56.
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