The Langston Hughes Panthers ended the Coffee Trojans’ season in Fairburn in the semifinals of the state playoffs Friday night. The Panthers won 49-26; except for 49 seconds in the first quarter when the score was tied 7-7, Hughes led the whole way.
The Panthers were fast, athletic, and physical. And unlike last week’s opponent, the Sequoyah Chiefs, they were neither fooled nor impressed by the Coffee running attack. The Trojans responded by throwing the ball more than they have in any other game in the playoffs. While they had a little success, it wasn’t enough to make a difference in the outcome.
Hughes, however, used its ground and passing games equally effectively. Their speed was lethal and their skill players were as elusive as they were fast. It made for a long night for the Trojans.
Hughes took the opening kick and ran the ball to the Coffee 34. On fourth down, quarterback Christian Langford threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to put the Panthers ahead 7-0. The Trojans answered with an 80-yard drive of their own. This one ended in a two-yard touchdown run by Tyrese Woodgett to tie the score at seven apiece.
Forty-nine seconds later, Langford found Jabari Jones for a 54-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead. With 5:17 left in the first quarter, the Panthers had a 14-7 advantage.
Coffee turned the ball over on its ensuing possession. Hughes turned the miscue into seven more points when Langford threw a 70-yard touchdown pass to Maurice Gleaton to give the Panthers a 21-7 lead. Coffee picked up three points on the next drive when kicker Jonah Saylor made a 22-yard field goal. Hughes increased its lead to 28-10 on the next drive when Jones scored on a three-yard run. The two teams went into the locker room at halftime with the Panthers leading by 18.
Coffee received the kick to open the third quarter. They launched a drive that ate a lot of time off the clock but ultimately ended in a punt. Hughes started its first possession at their own 40. Langford moved his team into Coffee territory and, on fourth and three from the Trojans’ 28, threw a touchdown pass to Jovanni McGee to go up 35-10 with 3:57 left in the third quarter.
The Trojans responded with a 77-yard drive that wiped out the rest of the third quarter. Facing fourth and goal from the two, Woodgett closed the third quarter with a two-yard touchdown. Coffee went for two and, on the first play of the fourth quarter, quarterback Bray Coe ran it in to cut Hughes’ lead to 35-18.
The two teams to traded scores over the next two possessions. When Coffee reached the end zone on a six-yard run by KJ Debruce, the Trojans went for two again. This time, Coe hit lineman Tico Smith, who was in the game as an eligible receiver, in the end zone for the two-point conversion. The Panthers led 42-26 with 8:00 left in the game.
Then things got a little . . . unusual. Emotions had been running high and tempers had flared. Coffee went for an onside kick that Hughes recovered cleanly. There were several flags thrown following the play, at least one of which was related to a sideline violation on Coffee while an injured Trojan was being tended to on the field. That didn’t set well with Coffee head coach Mike Coe, who had a heated discussion with an official. The official ejected Coach Coe, who had to leave the sidelines with 2/3 of the fourth quarter remaining.
Following the ejection, the Trojans were unable to put any more points on the board. The Panthers, however, found the end zone once more, this time on an 18-yard run by Russell Simpson. The touchdown gave the Panthers a 49-26 lead, which would be the final score.
Coffee’s season ends with an 11-3 record and a fourth trip to the semifinals in eight years. Hughes will face Milton in Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the 5A state championship on Tuesday, December 17. Milton defeated Lee County 56-28.