Eagles secure playoff spot with win over Warhawks

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — On Friday, Oct. 27, the Northside Eagles (4-5, 2-2 Region 1-6A) and Veterans Warhawks (3-6, 0-4 Region 1-6A) battled to keep their playoff hopes alive, and the Eagles came out with the season-shifting win.

The Eagles put on a dominant 29-0 performance to secure their postseason spot, and the Warhawks continued their skid.

It was an ugly start for both offenses with three combined fumbles to keep each team away from the end zone.

The first fumble came at the hands of Keron Milton for the Eagles, who lost the ball at the end of a 16-yard gain to give the ball to the Warhawks on their 35-yard line.

The Warhawks managed to get a first down after a penalty by the Eagles, but they gave it right back and the Eagles recovered the fumble in enemy territory on the 43-yard line.

Jayden Chapman, senior linebacker for the Warhawks, brought pressure on third down to sack Daylen Kendrick for a loss of seven, setting up a fourth-and-27 for the Eagles to give the offense another chance.

Unfortunately, the Warhawks couldn’t hold on to the ball and fumbled in the backfield.

Though they did recover it, they ended up punting the ball back to the Eagles on fourth-and-six.

With neither team able to move the ball down the field, the Eagles settled down on the Warhawks’ 45-yard line after a hands to the face penalty.

A 26-yard pass to Briston Blasingame set up first and goal on the seven-yard line, and Latimore took the next two plays to the one-yard line and then the end zone to take a 8-0 lead with 52 seconds left in the first quarter.

The second quarter echoed the previous as the Warhawks couldn’t get a first down on either of their possessions to start the period, and gave the Eagles the ball on the 49-yard line to start their drive.

Jaris Coney and the Eagles took advantage of the good field position, with Coney taking it 25-yards up the middle to push the lead to 15-0 with seven minutes remaining in the first half.

The Warhawks narrowly avoided a bigger deficit going into halftime thanks to another fumble by the Eagles, this one on the one-yard line.

The Warhawks, desperate to get something going, opened the third quarter with an onside kick that went out of bounds at the 49-yard line.

The defense stepped up and didn’t allow the Eagles past the 38-yard line, where they were forced to punt on fourth-and-eight.

The Eagles defense kept the Warhawks pinned deep in their own territory, and the offense took advantage by getting down to the 25-yard line in prime scoring position.

Fortunately for the Warhawks they couldn’t convert on a field goal attempt.

Though, the Eagles were keen on getting another shot.

The Warhawks attempted a punt from their 26-yard line, but it was blocked and recovered by the Eagles on the 15-yard line.

Latimore made short work of it and scored his second touchdown of the evening with a six-yard run, and with the extra point the Eagles led 22-0.

The next time the Eagles scored was late in the fourth, as Coney added insult to injury to put the Eagles up 29-0 with the clock winding down.

UP NEXT

The Eagles will travel to Thomasville on Friday, Nov. 3 to take on the region champions in the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets (9-0, 4-0 Region 1-6A) at 7:30 p.m.

The Warhawks will end their season against the Houston County Bears (7-2, 2-2 Region 1-6A) on Friday, Nov. 3 on Freedom Field at 7:30 p.m.

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