Coming into Friday night’s Homecoming match-up with the Northside Warner Robins Eagles, two of the Coffee Trojans’ games had been decided by three points or less. The Trojans had lost both. The Trojans finally reversed their fortunes against the Eagles, winning 14-12 in a close contest that wasn’t decided until the final 68 seconds of the game.
Northside came into the game on the heels of a three-point overtime loss to another set of Trojans — those from Lee County — last week. The Eagles’ offense looked tired and worn down and had trouble building any momentum at all. The best Northside’s offense could do was a pair of field goals. That is, until their final drive of the game.
Late in the fourth quarter, the Eagles forced the Trojans to punt following their fourth possession of the second half. Northside took over at their own 15 trailing 14-6. After sputtering all night long, the Eagles finally started clicking. Junior quarterback Jadin Daniels started finding his receivers on short passes underneath and on the sidelines. Pass after pass, completion after completion, the Eagles marched downfield. Coffee appeared to stop Northside on third down when Javiontae Martin sacked Daniels for a big loss. The Eagles were in four-down territory and went for it on fourth and 15. Once again, the Trojan defense pressured Daniels but he managed to escape and turned a bad situation into an 18-yard gain and a first down. A couple of plays later, a big pass interference call against Coffee moved the ball to the 12 yard line. Northside got a first down and then, from the two, Daniels found the end zone for the Eagles’ first touchdown of the night.
Trailing 14-12 with 1:08 left, Northside had to go for two. Daniels took the snap and rolled to his right. This time, the Trojan defense was ready and forced Daniels out of bounds short of the goal line. Coffee slipped away with a big region win and likely secured a playoff berth with two games remaining. The Trojans improved to 4-2 on the season and are 2-0 in region play. Next week, the Valdosta Wildcats come to town for a 7:30 kick-off. Coffee wraps up the regular season on Nov. 3 against Lee County in Leesburg.
Game Notes:
- The Trojans scored all of their points in the first quarter. Wade Sumner completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Dalrone Donaldson after a Northside fumble with 9:03 left in the first quarter. Then Sumner scored on a seven-yard run with 13 seconds remaining in the same period.
- Both of Coffee’s extra points were good. It’s the first time in a long time that Coffee has been perfect on points-after.
- Sumner had one interception coming into the Northside game. He threw two against the Eagles, one of which Northside turned into a field goal from 29 yards out.
- Northside’s kicker, junior Corv Munson, was two out of four on the night. His two misses were from 50 and 49 yards, respectively. He didn’t miss by much on either one. Most high school kickers won’t even attempt field goals of that distance.
- Two Trojan defensive backs — R.J. Ringold and Jarquavious Jefferson — had interceptions practically land in their laps. Neither one was able to hold on to the ball. Jefferson’s in particular had the chance to be a long — as in 90-plus yards — pick six. Had he made the pick, it’s unlikely that any Eagle would have run him down.
- Senior Jose Rodriguez punted more against Northside than he had against any other team this year — five times.
- Javiontae Martin recovered a Northside fumble that led to Coffee’s first touchdown.