Veterans football lifted over Starr’s Mill with clutch field goal, defensive stop in overtime

WARNER ROBINS — For the first time since Week 6 of 2023 Veterans has a winning record.

It’s been a turbulent ride the last few years and it’s far from over, but the Warhawks came away on the better side of .500 with their 17-14 overtime win against Starr’s Mill on Thursday.

A 32-yard field goal from an iced David Drake followed a forced fumble on the one-yard line as Veterans held on for the win after surrendering 14 points in the fourth quarter.

“Just proud of them. It started out really good and [we] had a chance to put them away and we couldn’t do it. They fought back in,” Head coach Steven DeVoursney said after the game. “Defensively we played good all night except those two drives [in the fourth quarter], and they started driving there in overtime, luckily we got a turnover and that was big for us.”

Three observations:

Weathering the ice

Drake was iced not once, not twice, but thrice as the ‘Hawks tried to put away Starr’s Mill after the Panthers made a fourth-quarter comeback.

Tylan Glover put Veterans in the red zone with 31 seconds left to go in regulation. On 4th-and-2 the ‘Hawks lined up to go for a 34-yard field goal, and just before the ball snapped and Drake booted the ball through the uprights the Panthers called a timeout.

They had all three of their timeouts, and they elected to use another as Drake put his second kick up and in.

But, on that third try, it just drifted to the left and the officials signaled it was no good, giving Starr’s Mill the ball with 26 seconds left.

Fortunately for Veterans they weren’t able to score in that time and the teams went into overtime (on a school night, which some fans noted from the stands).

Though the ‘Hawks were hoping for a touchdown, a low snap sat them down at the 15-yard line on fourth down in overtime..

So Drake rolled out there with the field goal unit to once again attempt to win the game. Much like regulation the Panthers iced him, and he lined up for a 32-yard field goal.

This time the snap went through and Drake sent Veterans’ hopes and prayers to the uprights. After what felt like an eternity for some the ball went through, the officials raised their hands and the stadium was sent into a frenzy.

Drake celebrated enthusiastically with his teammates and the ‘Hawks’ crowd roared as they soared above .500 for the first time in nearly two years.

“I can’t say enough about David Drake,” DeVournsey said. “[He] made two [in regulation], then two timeouts and then he misses it. Then we come back, [he] makes another one, time out. That’s a tough situation for a high school kid, plus for a kid that hasn’t kicked much. I was glad he was excited when he made that last one. It wasn’t pretty tonight, but we’ll take it.”

Through three-ish quarters

The Veterans defense had their best performance of the season and lowest score allowed since their shutout against Northside last year — for three quarters anyways.

They consistently caught Starr’s Mill, an incredibly run-heavy team, behind the sticks. They also did well against the inside runs, something their linebackers in particular thrive against.

The Panthers barely passed the ball, and when they did the secondary did a good job of breaking up passes or playing tight coverage.

The ‘Hawks stopped the opening drive, and after the offense scored, they forced a three-and-out. Special teams did well to pin Starr’s Mill deep in their own territory several times, as well as block a couple of punts to force turnovers.

But at the end of the third quarter into the fourth that all stopped as the Panthers put together long drives for two scores to tie the game.

They burned half of the third quarter and punched in their first touchdown four seconds into the final period. After another second-half three-and-out for the Veterans offense Starr’s Mill burned five minutes and tied the game with 5:10 to play.

“I think our defense was on the field too much. Our offense had a couple three-and-outs, got [the defense] right back on the field and [Starr’s Mill] started clicking and driving,” DeVoursney said. “Then we just kinda lost momentum…felt like [the kids] were in a haze or something. We’re yelling at them trying to get them going but they’re not responding. But finally we got a break or two and, shoot, hey we’ll take it. A win’s a win any day of the week.”

The defense showed up big in overtime as the Panthers threatened to score a touchdown. Starr’s Mill got a first down to the four-yard line and had the ball on the one as Blake Turner, who’d torn up the defense in the fourth quarter, lined up to punch it in.

But as the line of scrimmage turned into a pile, the ball popped out of the top like when you squeeze a bar of soap.

Deric Ingram Jr picked it up and started to run it back, but returns on turnovers aren’t allowed in overtime. That stop proved to be the break the ‘Hawks needed to win the game.

Still figuring it out

The offense had some productive drives in the first half with a touchdown on the ground and through the air — both courtesy of quarterback Trey Byrd.

The first was a 28-yard keeper on third down on their opening possession, and the second was a red zone pass to Kaden Gutierrez.

Running back Tylan Glover moved the ball consistently, too, and it looked like the ‘Hawks might set a new season high.

But the second half offense struggled to generate much of anything; They went three-and-out three times in the final two periods of the game.

They did have a touchdown called back on a penalty, though that’s been something they’ve dealt with so far this season.

According to DeVoursney, they’re still looking for things they do well on offense.

“I don’t know what we do well right now. I think we’re run the ball first and kind of play action. We’re getting better at throwing the ball I think,” DeVoursney said. “We’re gonna try to take advantage of what the defense gives us.”

“[Starr’s Mill] played a lot of two high tonight and kept the secondary back, so we felt like we had the numbers in the box and so that’s kind of why we ran the ball a lot tonight,” He continued. “[We] probably should’ve took a couple shots [downfield], but when you do that it kind of knocks you off schedule. We got to stay on course. We knocked ourselves off course a couple times tonight with bad snaps and everything else.”

UP NEXT

Both Veterans and Starr’s Mill head into a bye week next week. The ‘Hawks will travel to Perry for their first road game of the season when they return on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

The Panthers will host Luella to start a two-game home stand on Friday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m.