MACON — The Central Academy football team capitalized on a key turnover and scored on a broken play to take the lead and hold on for a 24-22 victory against Calhoun Academy on Friday night in its home opener.
The victory enabled the Vikings to improve to 2-0.
“This is the second week in a row these boys have done this to me (scoring in the final minute of the game to take the lead),” Central Academy coach Ronnie Sciple said. “I feel too old for this, and I am only in my 40s, but I am proud of these guys because they never gave up and just found a way to get it done.”
Central Academy took the early lead on a 57-yard run up the middle by senior running back Drew Pearson (seven carries, 92 yards) with 33 seconds to go in the first.
It didn”t take long for Calhoun Academy to respond. On the first play of the ensuing drive, junior quarterback Hunter Harmon connected with junior running back Danny Joe Norman over the middle for a 49-yard score. Norman followed with a two-point conversion run by Norman to give the Cougars an 8-6 lead to end the opening quarter.
Calhoun Academy had the lone score in the second quarter, as sophomore backup quarterback J.T. Washington went up the middle for a 35-yard score. Washington”s two-point conversion run gave the Cougars a 16-6 halftime lead.
Like the first half, Central Academy struck first on an 18-yard bootleg run by senior quarterback Cole Newman (23 carries, game-high 106 yards). The Vikings failed to convert the two-point conversion attempt and trailed 16-12 with 3 minutes, 47 seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Norman churned out another huge play, taking the ensuing kickoff 75 yards and extending Calhoun Academy”s lead to 22-12.
With less than a minute to go in the third quarter Central Academy went 53 yards in six plays to cut into the lead. Following a big run by Newman, Pearson rushed for his second score with a 26-yard draw up the middle.
In a back-and-forth fourth quarter, Calhoun Academy took over with three minutes remaining, and following two straight rushing attempts it appeared that the Cougars were looking to run out the clock.
Sciple called a timeout in hopes to motivate his team and Sciple and senior defensive end Britt Reynolds shared a passionate exchange of words that ended with Sciple telling the defensive standout, “We need a play Britt, so make it happen.” On the next play Reynolds stripped the ball from Norman and recovered it on the Cougars” 15.
“He (Reynolds) is a senior and that is what I expect of my seniors,” Sciple said. “He (Reynolds) hadn”t made a big play all night and I just told him it was his turn and to make it happen and that was exactly what he did.”
Following five-straight rushing attempts, the Vikings stared at their final chance to take the lead with a fourth-and-goal situation. In what was supposed to be a passing situation, Newman recognized the strong coverage by the Cougars and tucked the ball and strutted 4 yards into the end zone untouched to give Central Academy a 24-22 lead with 58 seconds remaining.
The game ended on four failed passing attempts by the Cougars (0-2).
“These guys just find a way to win, and I am so proud of them,” Sciple said. “I would rather seal the victory earlier in the game, but if it means we are going to win by taking it to the final minute I will take it!”
Central Academy will travel next week to Delta Academy.
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