Hoco passes first test

The Houston County High School Bears defeated the Mary Persons High School (4A-Region, Forsyth, Ga.) Bulldogs 26-14 on Thursday night at Mercer University’s Five Star Stadium. The Corky Kell Classic celebrated it’s 25th anniversary in Macon and invited the Bears along for the party and during the game’s first half the HoCo offense was just that: super.

Former Mary Persons head football coach Dan Pitts, who coached the Bulldogs for 39 seasons and is a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, presented the Bears and Bulldogs captains with game ball at midfield. It didn’t take University of Georgia signee and senior quarterback Jake Fromm and the Bears offense to march 85 yards down the field for the game’s first score. The drive lasted 1:51 and ended with a 10-yard pass to senior receiver Amari Colbert. The Bulldogs struck back on their opening possession, senior quarterback Caleb Speir’s pass to senior receiver Jatori Sims for 27 yards set up consecutive rushes for 20 yards and a yard from senior running back Zach Harvey to tie the game. Harvey, on three occasions would bust out for 20-plus yards runs. He finished the game with a game high 198 yards on 26 carries. With 7:03 remaining in the first quarter the Bears would score twice more, first on another Fromm pass to Colbert for 37 yards that was set up by two prior connections from the seniors for 13 and 19 yards, respectively. The second score was from 32 yards and was set up by a Fromm pass to senior receiver Kimar Robinson for 20 yards. Junior Houston County running back Jaeven West got in on the action by nearly hurdling a Mary persons defender during a seven yard carry early in the second quarter. Colbert followed that up with a 21-yard gain following another Fromm pass. Fromm connected with senior receiver Eli Watson for 20 yards before throwing his fourth touchdown pass of the half (all to Colbert) from eight yards out. The Bears went ahead 26-7 and would fail to score again for the game.

The Bulldogs defense led by senior defensive end Malik Herring kept HoCo scoreless for the entire second half. Herring, a major recruit who is weighing offers from a number of SEC programs, faced double teams the entire game and finished with three tackles, one of which was a sack off Fromm. The HoCo quarterback was sacked three times Thursday night and still managed to finish the game with 414 yards and four touchdowns on 26-37 completions. Colbert would finish the season opener with 10 receptions for 168 yards. He would only manage 25 yards from the line of scrimmage during the second half.

The key to the HoCo victory could be summed up by the offense during the first half and by the defensive backfield and defensive line during the second half. Senior defensive backs Andrew Brown, Kor’darius Melton and Brandon Smith set the tone during the final two quarters by batting down Bulldog passes, intercepting passes (Smith during third quarter) and recovering turnovers (Melton recovered a Mary Persons fumble during first quarter). Smith won the matchup with Bulldog senior receiver Roger Akins. Mary Persons wouldn’t score their and final touchdown until the 5:53 mark of the fourth quarter. Harvey caught a 13-yard Speir pass for his second touchdown of the night. Bears senior punter Tim Freeman did his part by keeping the Bulldogs from returning kickoffs with two first half touchbacks. The HoCo kicking game wasn’t without flaw, senior kicker Declan Furlough missed two extra point attempts during the game.

With 1:23 remaining in the game sophomore defensive lineman/offensive lineman Caleb Thomas intercepted a Speir pass in HoCo territory to put an end to any semblance of a Mary Persons comeback attempt, no matter how futile.

Game notes:

HoCo junior defensive lineman/offensive lineman Brandon Kenney was hurt on a play late in the third quarter. He was helped off of the field by the Houston County training staff and teammates. Kenney did not return to the game but stayed on the bench during the final quarter while icing his right knee.

Houston County was called for 16 penalties resulting in 131 yards.

The Bears travel to Peach County next Friday, Aug. 26 to play the Trojans.

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