Houston County football dominates Veterans for sixth straight win, Coffee scores two special teams touchdowns to beat Northside

WARNER ROBINS — Houston County (6-0, 1-0 Region 2-5A) continued their undefeated streak as they dispatched Veterans (2-4, 0-1 Region 2-5A) 49-10 in the first game of region play, while Northside (0-6, 0-1 Region 2-5A) fell to Coffee (3-3, 1-0 Region 2-5A) 28-7 despite only allowing two offensive touchdowns.

Houston County

Houston County came off of their bye week with the same defensive intensity they attacked Tift County, Warner Robins and Perry with as they took care of Veterans quickly in Friday’s county matchup.

The Bears scored 28 of their points in the first quarter as Colin Anderson once again broke off a 60-plus yard play on the first play from scrimmage to go up 7-0.

Kawaan Jones came up with a big sack to force the Warhawks into 3rd-and-24 on their first possession, which eventually ended in a punt.

Less than 90 seconds later HoCo added to their total with a touchdown pass to M.J. Mathis. Veterans secured their initial first down on the next drive, but they again had to punt and the Bears took over on their own 38-yard line.

After another score the Warhawks fumbled the kickoff and HoCo recovered on the three-yard line, punching it in with a Westen Ard wildcat play for one yard.

The Bears went up 49-3 before Veterans added a touchdown, but the score remained 49-10 after halftime.

The Warhawks did score in the series for the first time in three years, though the result remained the same.

Northside

Northside’s defense has been nothing short of exceptional through six games behind four-star defensive lineman Elijah Patmon, Kel Harris and other members of the front seven as well as playmakers in the secondary who helped force three turnovers against Coffee.

The Eagles actually took the first lead of the game after a 15-yard touchdown run from J.D. Garman, but back-to-back special teams plays by Coffee put the Trojans ahead 14-7. They didn’t score their first offensive touchdown until about halfway through the second quarter.

“They’re keeping us in ball games,” Eagles head coach Daniel Williams said. “They’re doing everything the right way. They’re fighting, they’re keeping us in ball games. Whenever we need a stop they find a way to get a stop. Whenever we need a turnover they find a way to get the ball back. They keep going.”

An interception early in the third quarter gave Northside the ball at midfield, but the offense fumbled and gave it back on the first play of the drive.

Coffee’s defense constantly had Garman or Wyatt Henson on the run, not giving them much time to throw downfield. While the defense’s matchup against a run-heavy Trojans offense made for upset material, Coffee’s defense made sure to put those thoughts to rest.

As the Eagles move to 0-6 on the season, one of Williams’ biggest focuses is still getting his team to play a full four quarters, and to win the third quarter.

“We are a work in progress with that,” Williams said. “Good things [are] gonna happen to these kids. We just got to stop shooting ourselves in the foot early in the third quarter because it gives remnants of things in the past and inexperience shows up then. We just gotta do a better job attacking the third quarter and make more positive things happen than negative.”

UP NEXT

Houston County and Northside will face each other next week on Friday, Oct. 3 before hitting their second bye week of the season.