Friday’s night contest between the visiting Houston County Bears and the Coffee Trojans at Jardine Stadium was a showdown between one of the state’s stingiest defenses and highest-flying offenses.
On this night, defense won.
The Trojans defeated the Bears 27-13 to improve to 6-1 overall and 2-1 in region competition.
Coffee got on the board first and never trailed the Bears the entire night. Houston received the opening kick and didn’t accomplish very much on that first drive. The Bears punted and return man Tre Smith took the kick 85 yards for a touchdown. The point-after missed and Coffee had a 6-0 lead with 10:18 remaining in the first quarter. Houston answered with a 39-yard field goal from Harrison Ludwig to cut the lead in half.
In the second quarter, Coffee running back Bobby Reynolds broke a 55-yard run for a touchdown. This time, the kick was good and the Trojans were up 13-3 with 8:06 left in the second quarter. Neither team was able to put any more points on the board until the final seconds of the half when Ludwig hit his second field goal of the night, this one from 47 yards, as time expired.
When the second half opened, the period began with some fireworks. The Trojans received the opening kick and fumbled on their first possession. Houston recovered and Austin Stinson, 6A’s leading rusher, scored from 26 yards out to tie the game at 13.
Later in the period, DJ Johnson caught a 19-yard pass from Tyler Dowling for a score and a 20-13 Trojan lead. Coffee added another seven points with just 43 seconds left in the game when Dowling scored on a one-yard run to go up 27-13.
An Amauni Manning interception had halted a Houston County drive and given Coffee the ball, ultimately leading to the final touchdown. The pick was the second of the night for the Trojan defense; Smith had also intercepted a pass in the third quarter.
The Trojans have three games remaining this season, only one of which is at home. Next week, Coffee hosts the Northside-Warner Robins Eagles on Homecoming. The Trojans’ final two games of the season – against Thomas County Central and Veterans – are on the road.
