McNair receiver George Nagbe (8) holds on to a reception for a touchdown despite a hit by Towers defensive back Jaylen Robinson (4) as Towers defensive back Tramon Wooten (28) comes up to help. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The McNair Mustangs jumped out to a 20-0 lead on the way to a 34-20 Region 5-2A win at Homecoming against the Towers Titans on Thursday night at Godfrey Stadium.
Mustang quarterback Jeremy Victor hooked up with receiver George Nagbe on a third and goal at the Towers eight-yard line for a touchdown to put McNair (4-3, 2-1) up 6-0 with 2:38 left in the first quarter. Nagbe held onto the football at the goal line despite being hit by Towers defensive back Jaylen Robinson. The two-point pass attempt went incomplete.
A punt snap over the head of Towers punter Jacquez Harris in the end zone gave McNair a safety and an 8-0 lead with 37.8 seconds to play.
The first play following the kick McNair went up 14-0 as Sadarian Williams broke through the line and raced 26 yards into the end zone with 33.8 seconds to play in the opening period. The try for two was no good.
A personal foul on the Titans (0-6, 0-2) set the Mustangs up at the Towers 25 and three plays later Williams got loose for a 13-yard touchdown run to up the margin to 20-0.
Towers would answer on its next drive as running back Tyler Phillips broke away on a 28-yard run down to the McNair 18. Following an offensive pass interference call, Towers quarterback Nate Griffin threw over the middle to receiver Jekerean West for what would be a 28-yard touchdown pass play to put the Titans on the board with 4:22 left in the first half.
The Titans stopped a Mustangs’ drive with 3:25 to play as Tramon Wooten picked off a pass. Towers drove out to the 50 keyed by a 24-yard run by Neroy Tugwell but came up two yards short on fourth down to give McNair another shot before the half.
McNair got runs of 17 and 16 yards by Williams and were at the Towers 20 when time ran out in the half.
Towers was driving to open the second half when McNair recovered a fumble at its own 33 and marched 67 yards in 11 plays to extend the lead to 28-6.
A deep throw down the right sideline from Victor was caught over the shoulder by Carlos Lemons down to the Towers five-yard line. Four plays later Williams got into the end zone for the third time as he ran it in on fourth and goal at the Titans’ eight-yard line. Victor connected with Louis Stodghill on the two-point conversion to make it 28-6 with 2:54 left in the third.
Towers took the kick and drove down to the McNair eight-yard line but Nagbe jumped in front of a pass and returned it to the Towers 27. Two plays later West picked up a fumble and returned it to the Towers 42 to stop the Mustangs.
Towers defensive back ends a McNair scoring threat late in the first half with an interception at the five-yard line. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The Titans went on to close the gap to 28-14 as Marquavious Smith tossed a 31-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Jaylen Robinson just outside the end zone to convert a fourth and four into a score. Tyler Phillips ran in the two-point conversion to cut the lead in half with 8:15 to play.
McNair recovered the onside kick attempt by Towers at the Mustangs’ 49 and with the aid of a late hit on the sidelines drove for a touchdown with Victor going the final yard into the end zone with 5:16 to play. The two-point try was no good and McNair led 34-14.
Towers answered again following a kickoff out of bounds to drive 45 yards for another score. Smith connected with West for a 20-yard gain to the McNair two. Then on first and goal following a false start Smith found West for the seven-yard scoring toss with 2:14 remaining to close the gap to 34-20.
McNair ran out the final 2:14 as Williams picked up a first down.
Williams finished the night with 31 carries for 149 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Mustangs and George Nagbe had five receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown to go with an interception on defense. Jeremy Victor ran for 31 yards and touchdown while passing (16-8-1) for 117 yards and another touchdown.
Jekerean West finished the night with six receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns to lead Towers. Marquavious Smith hit on seven of 10 passes for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
McNair’s win tied the series with Towers at 11-11 and gave the Mustangs a second consecutive win over the Titans. McNair can win five games in a season for the first time since 2008 (6-4) as they take on Redan next week.
Stone Mountain 14, Clarkston 8
The Stone Mountain Pirates picked up their first win of the season in a 14-8 overtime thriller over the Clarkston Angoras at Hallford Stadium on Thursday night.
The Pirates (1-5) were trailing 8-0 to the Angoras (1-5) at the half and came out in the third quartet to tie the game on a 65-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Davis that was tipped and receiver Nate Simmons hauled in and raced the final 30 yards into the end zone. Davis then connected with Jerod Wilson for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 8-8.
The two teams battled to a scoreless fourth quarter as a last second field goal for the win by the Pirates was just short to send the game into overtime.
Stone Mountain scored on a flare pass from Davis to Da’shon Harris to take the lead 14-8 with Clarkston’s turn in overtime coming up.
Clarkston came up short as the Pirates stopped the Angoras on four downs to preserve the victory.
Columbia 64, Landmark Christian 7
Senior athlete Jadan Baugh was a beast for the Eagles in the 64-7 Region 5-2A victory on the road at Landmark Christian as he scored five times for Columbia on Thursday night.
Baugh ran for four touchdowns and returned a punt for his fifth of the night as the Eagles ran away from Landmark and bounced back from a heartbreaking 33-29 loss to Callaway last week where they had two touchdowns called back due to penalty.
Four other Eagles got in on the scoring including quarterback Rashad Silver who ran for one touchdown and threw for another to go with receiving touchdowns by Jaleel Baugh and Cain Jefferson. Nishan Hillman ran for another score while quarterback Cameron Graves threw a pair of touchdown passes in the game.
Druid Hills 27, Midtown 0
The Druid Hills Red Devils put a up a shutout at Adams Stadium on Thursday night in a 27-0 win over the Midtown Knights that gave the program its 250th victory (250-476-23).
Kai Robinson threw touchdown passes of 60 yards to Reese Patterson and 15 yards to Bre’lon Cade to fuel the win. Jaden George (18 carries, 147 yards) ran for a pair of touchdowns to aid the cause.
The shutout was the just the third in the past five seasons for the Red Devils. Druid Hills has not won more than four games in a season since a back-to-back 6-4 marks in 1992-93. This is the 11th time since 1993 the team has reached four wins.
DCSD HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RESULTS
– WEEK 8
Thursday, Oct. 5
ADAMS STADIUM
Druid Hills (4-1-1) 27, Midtown (2-5) 0
AVONDALE STADIUM
Pinecrest Academy (2-3) 45, Cross Keys (0-7) 14
GODFREY STADIUM
McNair (4-3)* 34, Towers (0-6) 20
HALLFORD STADIUM
Stone Mountain (1-5) 14, Clarkston (1-5) 8
AWAY GAME
Columbia (4-3) 64, Landmark Christian (0-7)* 7
DCSD HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE – WEEK 8
Friday, Oct. 6
ADAMS STADIUM
Chamblee (3-3) vs. Tucker (3-3)*, 7:30 pm
AVONDALE STADIUM
M.L. King (1-5) vs. Lithonia (1-5)*(HC), 7:30 pm
GODFREY STADIUM
Hapeville Charter (2-4) vs. SW DeKalb (2-4)*, 7:30 pm
HALLFORD STADIUM
Carver-Montgomery (4-2) vs. Cedar Grove (2-4), 7:30 pm
NORTH DEKALB STADIUM
Holy Innocents’ (5-1) vs. Miller Grove (5-1)*, 7:30 pm
AWAY GAMES
Arabia Mountain (5-1) at Decatur (2-4)*, 7:30 pm
SOUTHERN CRESCENT STADIUM
Lakeside (3-3) vs. Charles Drew (2-3), 7:30 pm
Redan (2-4) at Eagles Landing Christian (1-4)*, 7:30 pm
Stephenson (4-2) at Westminster (4-2), 7:30 pm
OPEN: Dunwoody (5-1)