Gators score six times on ground in 42-9 decision
Ware County has made a habit this season of falling behind early in games, often because it’s given up a long opening drive that usually includes a big play or two.
The Gators, however, have recovered each time to use a scoring burst to pull away for a win. Such was the case Friday night in Memorial Stadium against Tallahassee-Lincoln.
The Trojans led after a quarter only to see the Gators score 35 straight points — 28 in the second quarter — in a 42-9 nonregion victory for Homecoming. The win was the fifth straight to open the season for Ware County.
With the sixth-ranked Class AAAA Gators leading 35-9 at halftime, senior Carlie White was crowned Homecoming Queen. Destiney Mendoza was first runner-up and Anilah Boyd was second.
The same team that blanked the Gators 10-0 in Waycross last season, found things a bit tougher in the rematch, especially defending the run.
Ware rolled up 242 yards on the ground led by 171 and three touchdowns on 13 carries from Tayshaun Franklin. Backfield mate Jamir Boyd ran for two touchdowns and quarterback Isaiah White added a sixth.
“We found something in the run game going into the week we liked,” Strickland said. “But a lot of it was on Isaiah getting us in the right play. He did a tremendous job changing plays to take advantage of their loaded boxes.
“What he’s doing from the mental side of the game is amazing. I bet 40 percent of our plays he changed in some form or fashion. I can’t say enough about his leadership. It’s just fun to watch him progress.”
White, a junior, was also 7-for-8 passing for 113 yards. Kicker Jeffrey Gonzalez was perfect on six extra points.
The Gators’ defense and special teams also had a big hand in the win. The defense allowed 244 yards, but 155 of the total came on Lincoln’s first two drives.
Ware County had 10 tackles for loss, got interceptions from Davion Jones and Cameron King, and a fumble recovery from Nick Grant. The Gators also blocked a punt.
“The guys up front, Walker (Hudson), Seth (Suess), (Jamarion) Keyhea, (Avante) Ballentine, they got control of things after the first couple series and clamped that running game down,” Strickland said.
Lincoln played without starting quarterback Taylor Jacobs, Jr. The senior had passed for 592 yards and five touchdowns in three games.
Senior receiver Malek Denmark started in Jacobs’ place and sophomore Jonah Bedford followed him in the second half.
The Class AAAAA 10thranked visitors (2-2) wasted no time challenging the Gators after the opening kickoff. Denmark hit Kabran Paul in stride behind the secondary for a 54-yard play to the Ware County 18.
“Until we stop those big plays, we’re going to see them early from everybody,” Strickland said. “I think we’re still a little tentative starting out, afraid to make a mistake. You can’t go and make a play if you’re worried about making a mistake.”
YARDSTIICK
Lincoln 9 0 0 0 - 9 Ware County 7 28 0 0 - 42 SCORING SUMMARY First Quarter LHS - Will Tawney 2 run (kick blocked), 8:38 WCHS - Tayshaun Franklin 63 run (Jeffrey Gonzalez kick), 7:45 LHS - Thomas Arnold 25 field goal, 3:21
Second Quarter WCHS - Franklin 49 run (Gonzalez kick), 10:29 WCHS - Jamir Boyd 2 run (Gonzalez kick), 8:45 WCHS - Boyd 4 run (Gonzalez kick), 4:37 WCHS - Isaiah White 1 run (Gonzalez kick), :48,7 Fourth Quarter WCHS - Franklin 12 run (Gonzalez kick), 11:52 TLHS WCHS First downs 12 16 Rushes-yards 33-101 35-242 Passing yards 143 113 Total yards 244 355 Comp-Att-Int 11-13-2 7-18-0 Punts-Avg 3-38.2 3-39.3 Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0 Penalties 5-29 6-45 3rd Down Con. 4-of-9 2-of-3 4th Down Con. 1-of-2 0-of-0 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING – LHS: Huggins 10-59, Wells 4-34, Bodiford 3-11, Tawney 3-10, Thompson 2-4, Paul 1-(-3), Bedford 3-(-5), Denmark 7-(-9).
WCHS: Franklin 13-171, Boyd 935, White 5-15, McKoy 4-12, Hampton 3-12, Lawson 1-(-3).
PASSING – LHS: Denmark 6-6-0 99, Bedford 5-7-2 44. WCHS: White 7-8-0 113.
RECEIVING – TLHS: Tawney 4-26, Jacobs 3-33, Denmark 2-19, Paul 1-54, Cooper 1-11. WCHS: Rice 3-51, O’Hara 3-47, Hayes 1-15.
Will Tawney, normally a tight end, moved into the backfield and finished the 72-yard, eight-play drive on a two-yard run with 8:38 left in the first quarter. The PAT was blocked leaving the Trojans with a 6-0 lead.
The Gators regained the lead 53 seconds later on Franklin’s first scoring run. Running into the boundary, the Gators sealed off the inside and the big senior rambled down the sideline for a 62yard score. Gonzalez added the extra point for a 7-6 lead with 7:45 left in the quarter.
Lincoln responded by going 83 yards in eight plays before stalling at the Ware County eight. Thomas Arnold came on for a 25-yard field goal at the 3:55 mark of the first quarter giving Lincoln a 97 lead.
The game belonged to the Gators from that point on beginning with the decisive second quarter.
After forcing a punt on the first play of the period, the Ware County took the lead for good on Franklin’s second touchdown, a 49-yard run again to the weak side of the Lincoln defense. His score capped a five-play, 74yard drive which made the score 14-9 after the conversion kick of Gonzalez with 10:29 left in the half.
“We tried to run away from number 11 (Jaylin Parrish, 6-foot-3, 255pound defensive end),” Strickland said. “When we had a bubble, Isaiah saw it and changed the play. Credit the line for picking up all those calls.”
On the second play after the ensuing kickoff, Grant pounced on a fumble after a bad snap to Denmark to give Ware County a first down at the Trojans’ 18. Boyd converted the turnover into points on a two-yard run, and another extra point by Gonzalez with 8:45 left in the period upping the lead to 21-9.
After forcing another punt, Boyd collected his second touchdown run on a four-yarder that finished a 59-yard, seven-play possession. The Gonzalez conversion made it 28-9 with 4:37 remaining in the half.
Another bad snap led to a blocked punt on the Trojans’ following possession setting the Gators up at the Lincoln seven. White scored on a one-yard keeper just 48.7 seconds before intermission, and the kick by Gonzalez gave the Gators a 35-9 cushion.
Ware finished off the scoring on the first play of the fourth quarter on Franklin’s final touchdown of the night, a 12yarder with 11:52 left in the game. The 52-yard, seven-play drive was set up by Jones’ interception of Bedford.
