Coosa Enters Playoffs With Big Win

Eagles Break 4 Year Drought with Style and Effort

By David Dawson, Rome News-Tribune Sports Editor, Photo: Prepgameface.com

The Coosa football team intercepted Sonoraville’s playoff hopes on Friday night and converted them into a long-awaited postseason berth of its own. Energized by their opportunistic defense, the Eagles scored 10 points in the third quarter to break open a scoreless tie, and held on for a 17-8 victory in the Region 7-AA “play-in” game at Coosa. The win sends the Eagles (6-4) to the Class AA playoffs for the first time since 2004, and denied the young Sonoraville program its first-ever postseason berth. The Phoenix finished 7-3. Coosa will visit top-seeded Jefferson next Friday in the opening round. “Making the playoffs takes a big load off us,” said Coosa senior quarterback/defensive back Shane Smith as his teammates celebrated nearby. “All of us were going crazy in there (in the lockerroom). We’ve never experienced anything like this.” Desmond Curtis, Jared Van Curen and Smith each came up with pivotal interceptions to fuel the victory. Curtis returned one of the picks 67 yards to score the game’s first touchdown late in the third quarter and give the Eagles a 10-0 lead. On the opening play of the fourth quarter, Smith stepped in front of a pass and returned it 22 yards, setting up another Coosa touchdown. Van Curen then capped the interception flurry in the fourth quarter when he picked off a pass at Coosa’s goal line and carried it 86 yards the other way to seal the victory. “(Our opponents) have been throwing the ball on us a lot lately, and for us to come up with three interceptions tonight was huge,” said Coosa coach Chad Perry. “Especially in a game like this where one play can be the difference.” Sonoraville did have some success through the air, as back-up quarterback Ryan Bess completed 6-of-12 passes for 84 yards and one touchdown after starting quarterback Y.J. Glover was injured in the third quarter. Bess hooked up with Ethan McCarley on a 10-yard scoring strike with 19 seconds left in the game, and then hit Taylor Simms with a two-point conversion pass. For Coosa, placekicker Michael Ray contributed heavily to the win. He connected on a 29-yard field goal with 1:33 left in the third quarter to produce the first points of the game, and went 2-for-2 on extra-point attempts. He also delivered two booming punts, one of which covered 52 yards. The victory provided a strong sense of satisfaction on an up-and-down season for the Eagles, who had been hindered by injuries and inconsistency in the past few weeks. Beyond that, the win also ended a stretch of frustration for a team that had come up one win short of the postseason in each of the past three years. “This is huge for our team, especially the seniors,” said Perry. “This is the group that came in with me when I arrived at Coosa (in 2005), and making the playoffs has been their goal since Day 1.” Sonoraville, conversely, saw its memorable season come to an end. The Phoenix, playing just their third season of varsity football, grabbed state-wide attention by storming through the first half of their schedule with five straight wins. They ultimately earned second place in Region 7-AA North, and provided limitless optimism for the program’s future after the team had gone 1-19 the past two seasons. “We didn’t play as well tonight as we would have liked, but this is a great group of kids,” said Sonoraville coach Chuck King “I hate to see it come to an end, and the guys are hurting right now. But that’s part of it. I certainly feel like we made great strides as a football team.” Friday’s game was dominated by defense in the first half. Coosa limited Sonoraville to just 48 yards in the first 24 minutes, all on the ground. Sonoraville was only slightly less stingy, allowing 110 yards in the first two quarters to forge the 0-0 halftime tie. But Coosa used the key interceptions to seize the momentum in the second half, beginning with Clark’s electrifying return with 1:11 left in the third quarter. Smith and Van Curen then followed with their crucial picks to keep Coosa in control. “We didn’t really expect (that the secondary) would make big plays tonight because Sonoraville is not normally a passing team,” said Smith. “But when the opportunities came up, we were able to take advantage of them.” And snatch their long-awaited playoff berth out of the air.

Eagles Desecrate Temple on Halloween

Tiger Stadium becomes House of Horrors

Article Taken from PrepGameFace.Com…Times-Georgian writer Clark Leonard contributed to this report.

TEMPLE — One less day of preparation obviously didn’t have an ill effect on the Coosa football team.

The Eagles had their most efficient offensive game of the season Thursday while blowing past Temple 55-7 in a Region 7-AA game.

The contest, originally scheduled for Friday, was moved up 24 hours at the request of the Temple administrators earlier this week.

With the win, Coosa (5-4, 3-2) clinched a spot in next week’s 7-AA subregion playoff game against Sonoraville.

“During my pregame speech, I told the kids that I feel like we’ve only played at about 60 percent of our capability all season,” said Coosa coach Chad Perry. “I really challenged them to go out tonight and play four quarters of football. And they responded well.”

Especially Fatir Pillow. The Coosa running back scored four touchdowns while serving as the catalyst for the lopsided win. Quentin Hight and Lebron Neal also added TDs for Coosa.The Eagles broke out to a 17-0 lead in the opening four minutes en route to sending Temple (1-8, 0-5) to its eighth straight loss,

Coosa extended the advantage to 38-0 by halftime, and was leading 55-0 before surrendering a touchdown in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter. Temple received an excessive celebration following the score — just their second TD in the past six games.

“The thing I was most proud of tonight was our defense,” said Perry. “Our starters pitched a shutout while they were in there.”

After an onside kick attempt by Temple on the opening play of the game was recovered by Coosa, the Eagles marched 52 yards in four plays, capped by a 17-yard touchdown run by Pillow. Coosa quarterback Shane Smith ran the ball in on a fake extra point for the 2-point conversion and an 8-0 lead 95 seconds into the game. “We went for the onside kick and didn’t get it. You know, we were just trying to get some momentum early,” Temple coach Seth Rogers said. “And after that, it was all downhill from there. We didn’t play well. The kids didn’t respond.”A kickoff and two Temple offensive plays later, a sack in the end zone upped the visitors’ advantage to 10-0. Pillow soon added a 10-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive, and Coosa was cruising. Hight added a 6-yard touchdown run late in the first, and Neal’s 9-yard touchdown scamper with 8:45 remaining in the opening half pushed it to 31-0. A late turnover gave the Eagles the ball back on the Temple 33-yard line in the final seconds of the first half. Two plays later, Pillow found the end zone again, this time on a 27-yard run for a 38-0 halftime lead. Rogers said his team’s struggles are going beyond the mere physical aspects of the game.

“Football stuff takes care of itself. We’ve got some kids that need to learn how to win,” Rogers said. “And, you know, we’ve just got to get better.”

Pillow added a fourth score late in the third as Coosa pushed its cushion to 45-0, and Michael Ray’s field goal with 3:54 left in the game made it 48-0. A late fumble was run back by Coosa to complete its scoring with a little more than two minutes to go. Tiger junior Matthan Burton then ran the kickoff back roughly 65 yards for a touchdown for the final score of the game as time expired, and senior Jake Shirley’s long extra point after a celebration penalty made it 55-7. “Matthan had some good returns, and I think he finally just got a seam,” Rogers said. “And he’s probably one of the fastest kids on the field, regardless of who we play every Friday night.”

And Rogers said he hopes his team can build off that exciting run and kick going forward, which was one bright spot on an otherwise long night.

“Hopefully we can have some of that momentum carry over,” Rogers said.

EAGLES CONTINUE DECADE LONG STREAK AGAINST INDIANS

Article By David Dawson, Rome News-Tribune, Photos by Lindy Dugger Cordell

The Eagles, who escaped with a 7-6 win over the host Indians on Friday.The 7-AA South win wasn’t secured until Armuchee missed a 46-yard field goal attempt on the game’s final play.“This was a four-quarter football game tonight,” said Coosa’s Shane Smith, who delivered big plays on both sides of the ball. “It was tough all night, but we got the ‘W’ that we needed to stay alive in the playoff hunt.”Smith, who sees time at defensive back in addition to his quarterback duties, blocked an Armuchee field goal attempt midway through the third quarter to enable the Eagles (4-3, 2-1) to protect their one-point lead.Offensively, Smith produced 100 total yards — 75 passing and 25 rushing — which proved to be a significant amount on a night when the defenses controlled the tempo.Smith’s efforts, coupled with a defensive touchdown by Coosa’s Nick Mitchell, keyed the victory.“Shane did a lot of big things tonight,” said Coosa coach Chad Perry. “That blocked kick was huge, and he had a big quarterback sack, too.”In recent years, the Eagles have hardly celebrated after a win over the Indians (4-3, 0-3). But this time, the Coosa players were jubilant.On the other side of the field, the Indians were the picture of sheer dejection. Many of the Armuchee players laid on the sidelines, facedown, for several seconds in the immediate aftermath of the loss.

Their show of emotions was understandable.“I’ve been a head coach since 1979, and I can only think of one loss in my career that hurts as much as this one,” said Armuchee coach John Mullinax, referring to a double-overtime loss in the state championship when he coached in Tennessee. “I am so proud of our players and our coaches. I just wish we could have won this for them.”Armuchee trailed 7-0 at the half, but used a 16-yard touchdown pass from T.C. Boyd to Taylor Evans midway through the third quarter to pull within 7-6. The Indians then attempted a trick play on the ensuing conversion attempt. They initially lined up in kicking formation, but instead tried to run the ball to the outside. The play failed — and it ultimately proved to be the decisive moment.

“I take full responsibility,” said Mullinax. “All week long, we’d planned to use that play after our first touchdown, and when the moment came, we tried it.”

Less than two minutes later, Armuchee recovered a Coosa fumble at the Eagles’ 20-yard line. After two short runs and an incompletion, the Indians attempted a 39-yard field goal. But Smith, playing safety, sailed in and blocked the kick. “Give (Smith) a lot of credit,” said Mullinax. “He hurt us in several ways, and may have won the football game for them.” The night was a roller coaster of emotions for both sides, and at times, the zealousness spilled over.

Armuchee had two players ejected — Dalton Earwood in the opening moments of the first quarter, and Blake Poole early in the third — for their involvement in altercations between plays. Under GHSA rules both players will have to sit out next week’s game against Temple. “I have no explanation for that,” said Mullinax, who said he wanted to review the game tape. Coosa built a 7-0 lead late in the second quarter on a strange-looking play.

Armuchee had the ball at its own 22-yard line when Mitchell, the Coosa linebacker, broke into the Indians’ backfield and appeared to “intercept” a handoff. Mitchell then raced 22 yards for a touchdown, and Michael Ray added the extra point.

EAGLES LOSE TO DRAGONS

Jeff Gable, Rome News-Tribune

The No. 3-ranked Dragons used a businesslike approach in Friday’s game at Coosa, methodically grinding out yardage and dominating every facet of the game in a 34-0 shutout at the Eagles Nest.Pepperell (8-0 overall, 4-0 in Region 7-AA South) got big plays on offense, defense and special teams as the Dragons marched closer to an undefeated regular season.Coosa fell to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in Region 7-AA South.

The visiting Dragons overcame a fired up Coosa team and cold and soggy field conditions, and head coach Jeff Shiflett was pleased with how his team took care of business.

“We came out on offense and had to figure a few things out early because Coosa gave us some different looks,” Shiflett said. “But we got our running game going after a while, and we played good defense all night.“I’ll bet we haven’t practiced but a couple of times all year in the rain, so to sit there today and see it rain all day, it’s kind of a mental thing for players,” he added. “Sometimes they think too much about holding on to the ball, but for the most part we did a good job of protecting the ball tonight.”

Coosa, on the other hand, struggled with the slippery conditions all night, throwing two interceptions and fumbling the ball four times — although the Eagles recovered all four. Coosa also had a muffed snap on a punt, which led to the kick being blocked.

“We felt like our kids battled hard against a really dominant football team. We played toe-to-toe with them for a while but we just couldn’t finish drives,” said Coosa coach Chad Perry. “And any offensive coordinator will tell you your playbook gets cut in half on a night like this with the wet conditions.”

Perry said despite the loss to Pepperell and injuries to two key players this week — both Cody Shepherd and Benji Logan are out due to injuries in practice — the Eagles are looking forward, not behind.“If the scenario is right, if we beat Temple next week we’ll play in week 10 for a playoff spot,” Perry said. “We’ve still got some things to work on and we still plan to take each week game-by-game.”In Friday’s game, Pepperell fumbled the ball to Coosa on its second play from scrimmage, but that was one of the few things that didn’t go the Dragons’ way. Pepperell’s Cameron Ball got a hand on Coosa’s first punt, blocking it and setting the tone for things to come.The Dragons marched 64 yards on their third possession of the game, capping it off with an 18-yard touchdown run by Brandon Whitaker. Corey Ginn’s extra point made it 7-0.Pepperell then had another 64 yard drive early in the second quarter, and Marcus Jackson’s 3-yard TD run made it 14-0.The Dragons’ Kelvin Harper picked off Coosa quarterback Shane Smith on the very next play, returning it to the 8 yard line, and three plays later, Whitaker’s 1-yard TD plunge made it 20-0.On Coosa’s first drive of the third quarter, Harper picked off Smith again, and Whitaker then sprinted in the end zone from 15 yards out to build a 27-0 lead. He finished as the game’s leading rusher with 19 carries for 113 yards.Marcus Jackson’s 1-yard TD run gave Pepperell its final margin of victory.

Quarterback Jonathan Watters was 5-of-10 passing for 91 yards, and the Dragons’ offense outgained Coosa 300 to 119.

“Any high school player is subject to distractions, but we saw a lot of focus from our team today and they wanted to play well tonight,” Shiflett said. “We haven’t looked behind or looked ahead this year. Our focus is just staying healthy and now getting ready for Model.”

Pepperell travels to Model next week, while Coosa plays at Temple.

FORMER EAGLES FLY AT THE NEXT LEVEL

Chris Jones, a 2007 graduate of Coosa High School, was named a 2008 Preseason All-South Atlantic Conference selection. In 2007, he was a first team All-SAC selection as a freshman. He.averaged 41.4 yards on 34 punts,.kicked six inside the 20-yard-line and had a long punt of 64 yards for the Carson Newman Eagles. Carson Newman, a NCAA Division II Football power, is currently ranked 11^th in the nation by the Associated Press. Cody Neighbors , former defensive lineman for the Coosa Eagles, has made the team at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C..Known as the “Harvard for the Hearing Impaired”, Gallaudet is an extremely prestigious institution with a proud academic and athletic heritage. Most sports historians agree that the practice of beating a bass drum to substitute for the quarterback’s cadence began at Gallaudet. Cody has been moved to the offensive side of the ball by the Bison staff where he is expected to make and immediate impact. His career at Coosa began in 2004 and lasted until 2006. It was a difficult transition for both the coaching staff at Coosa and for Cody . He was assisted while at CHS by Michelle Mattos, his interpreter. “ I remember one time during a J.V. game at Rockmart, Cody kept hitting a long time after the whistle blew. We had to talk to the ref about Cody’s hearing impairment in order to avoid a penalty. From that point on, we told the referees at the beginning of the game” stated former CHS kicking coach, Randy Vice. Joe Knight, defensive line coach of the Eagles stated , “ We are all proud of Cody and his continuing endeavors in football”. Chris and Cody join former Eagles Blue Cooper (UT-Chattanooga), Drew Putman (Shorter College), Zach Owens (Shorter College), and DeVeion Haselrig (Shorter College), who are currently on active collegiate rosters..

FORMER EAGLE BLUE COOPER NAMED ALL-CONFERENCE

Rome News-Tribune Staff Reports

Coosa grad Blue Cooper was the second-leading receiver for the UTC Mocs last season. Blue Cooper has officially proven his versatility: The former all-state quarterback is now an all-conference wide receiver. Cooper, who starred at Coosa High and now plays for Tennessee-Chattanooga, was selected as an All-Southern Conference Second Team preseason pick earlier this week. The league office announced the all-conference team, along with other preseason awards, on Wednesday at the annual SoCon Football Rouser. Cooper, a junior, hauled in 37 passes last season, and led the Mocs in receiving yards with 476. His four touchdown catches tied for the team lead, and he averaged 12.9 yards per catch. The Mocs are hopeful that Cooper will be a key contributor again this season, although an injury caused him to miss spring practice. While at Coosa, Cooper earned All-State status his senior year. He compiled 1,885 yards of total offense — rushing for 935 yards and passing for 950 — while leading the Eagles to an 11-3 record and a trip to the Class AA quarterfinals. Cooper was among six Chattanooga players selected to the All-Southern Conference team. (The teams were chosen based on voting by the league’s nine coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players.) The Mocs had three representatives on offense and three on defense. “I think this is the most preseason players we have had selected since I have been here,” UTC head coach Rodney Allison said. “We have great players, and it is exciting to know that my fellow coaches in this league recognize that. We would like to have had a few more, but we are happy for the ones who were picked.”

NOTES: Cooper caught four or more passes in five games last season, including setting his career high with nine catches against The Citadel ... He racked up 86 receiving yards on four catches, including a five-yard touchdown grab, in win at Georgia Southern ... Cooper caught nine passes for 126 yards as a freshman.

Eagles fall hard to Calhoun 51-12

by John M. Willis, Rome News-Tribune (Prepgameface.com)

Photo Courtesy of Prepgameface.com

The Calhoun Yellow Jackets put on an impressive offensive and defensive show Friday night at Phil Reeve Stadium, upending Coosa, 51-12.

The Jackets scored 42 first-half points and held the Eagles scoreless through two and a half quarters of play.

Calhoun scored early in the second half when substitute quarterback Landon Curtis handed the ball to Kelby Holbrook who ran for a 20-yard touchdown. Sam Maldonado's kick was blocked, but the Jackets extended their lead to 48-0 with 9:28 left in the third quarter.

The Eagles eventually scored two touchdowns, the first on Timmy William's two-yard run to close the gap to 48-6.

The Jackets answered immediately when Adam Griffith kicked a 26-yard field goal, giving his team a 51-6 lead.

Coosa's last score came on an 11-yard run by Troy Case in the fourth quarter. The Jackets took little time taking the game in hand in the first quarter. Four plays after taking the opening kickoff, Calhoun had a first and 10 on the 46, Michael Johnson found Deshawn Printup on the sideline and Printup sprinted to the Calhoun end zone. Adam Griffith’s kick was good and Calhoun led 7-0 just 2 minutes into the game.

A stingy Jacket defense got the ball back quickly.

Chaz McCormick caught a 25 yard pass from Johnson to give the Jackets a first and goal from the one. On the next snap, Dustin Christian swept right for the score. Griffith’s kick was good and the Jackets led 14-0 with 5:05 left in the quarter.

After forcing a punt, Johnson moved the Jackets downfield again, finding Andrew Fielding with a 27-yard strike to the 15 yard line.

Kedron Aker carried for 14 to the one and then got the call for the final yard. Griffith was good again and the Jackets held a 21-0 lead with 1:20 left in the quarter.

After an exchange of punts, the Jackets got the ball in Coosa territory following a short punt.

Johnson took advantage of the short field, and after setting up a first and 10 at the 30, he found Andrew Fielding for the Jackets’ fourth TD of the night. After Griffith’s PAT, the Jackets led 28-0 to nothing with 8:27 left in the half. The Jacket defense stifled Coosa’s offense in the first half, and the Eagles did not cross into Calhoun territory until midway through the second quarter. Facing a fourth and five in the closing minutes of the half, Coach Hal Lamb called a fake punt and Carter Harrison rumbled 60 yards for the score. Maldonado’s point-after was good and the Jackets led 35-0 with 1:39 left in the half. With just over a minute left in the half, the Eagles declined to punt facing a fourth and 21 on their own nine.

The Jackets took over and facing third and goal with 1:14 left on the clock, new quarterback Landon Curtis found Fielding in the end zone. Maldonad's kick was good and the Jackets led 42-0 with 16 seconds left in the half.

Printup appeared to have scored a touchdown on an interception as time ran out, but it was called back by a penalty.

Eagles Fall to Central-Carroll County

by David Dawson, Rome News-Tribune Sports Writer

Photo by L D Cordell, Prepgameface.com

What ever happened to the concept of playing a weak opponent on homecoming? Apparently, it has become an antiquated notion. Or at least it appeared that way Friday night at Coosa, where the host Eagles ran into a vastly-talented Central-Carroll team and absorbed a 27-7 defeat in the non-region game. The loss dropped the Eagles to 2-1, and took some of the shine away from the festivities and floats. Coosa’s normally-powerful rushing attack totaled just 36 yards on 38 attempts, and the Eagles commited several costly penalties and three damaging turnovers, including losing a fumble in the end zone. “This was definitely a night when things didn’t go our way, and I take full responsibility for that,” said Coosa coach Chad Perry. “We knew Central-Carroll was quick, and we knew they were good … But we just didn’t execute on either side of the ball.”

Central-Carroll quarterback Elijah Adamiak rushed for 106 yards on nine carries, with touchdown runs of 7 and 29 yards. Kicker Israel Escobar also had a starring role, nailing a pair of 33-yard field goals. But it was the Lions’ defense that stole the show. They sacked Coosa quarterback Shane Smith eight times, and held the Eagles scoreless in the second half. “I give all the credit to coach (Mike) Ledford,” said Perry. “He came in here tonight and had his team ready to play. And we weren’t.” Coosa’s Cody Shepherd provided a momentary burst of excitement for the home crowd when he made a dazzling 24-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter. The lunging grab — which is certain to be the No. 1 clip on Coosa’s highlight reel at the end of the season — enabled the Eagles to pull within 9-7 with 8:59 to play before the half. But Central-Carroll reversed the game’s momentum later in the quarter when the Lions put together a 65-yard scoring march that ended with Adamiak’s 29-yard run with 29 seconds left in the half. The Coosa defense committed two critical dead-ball penalties during the drive, and Adamiak eventually made the Eagles pay by breaking off his long run on a second-and-12 play. “That quarterback is an athlete and he really made some plays tonight,” said Perry. “We knew he had the capability of hurting us. And he did.” In its first two games, Coosa had showcased a forceful rushing attack while posting victories over LFO and Cedartown. But the Eagles weren’t able to run the ball inside — and they certainly weren’t able to get to the outside — against the speedy Lions. The Central defense produced 11 tackles behind the line of scrimmage (totaling 54 yards in losses) and held Coosa to no gain on six additional plays. Overall, Central-Carroll limited Coosa to three yards or less on 28 of 36 rushing plays. Coosa fullback Lebron Neal, regarded as one of the area’s most dangerous running backs, had 28 yards on 10 carries. His running mate, the quick Quentin Hight, had 33 yards on 12 attempts. “There is a difference between being confident and being cocky,” said Perry. “And I think we learned the difference tonight. I think we underestimated Central Carroll.”

Next week, another big challenge awaits for the Eagles. They visit six-time region champ Calhoun on Friday night.

Coosa Holds off Cedartown to Win 19-14

By Brad Easterwood, Rome News-Tribune, Photos Courtesy of Prepgameface.com, RN-T

CEDARTOWN – Maybe the Coosa Eagles should think about moving into Region 6-AAA. After downing Lakeview Fort-Oglethorpe in week one, the Eagles continued to fly high in week three as they defeated Cedartown 19-14.

“This was a rollercoaster of a game,” Coosa coach Chad Perry said. “We told the kids all week that it would take four quarters to beat Cedartown and that was exactly what happened.”

Perry was dead on about that, as Cedartown was only 30-yards away from scoring the game-winning points when the Coosa defense broke through the Bulldogs offensive line and recorded a sack with no time left on the clock to win the game.

“Hats off to Cedartown, they are a great football team,” Perry said. “I saw a lot of great leadership from our kids tonight and I think that is due to us having 19 seniors.”

After Coosa (2-0) took a 12-0 lead into halftime, the Bulldogs (1-2) came out strong in the third quarter to take the lead.

Jamar Whatley got things going when he took the second half kickoff back 85 yards for a score. Rury Torres converted the kick to cut Coosa’s lead to 12-7.

Later in the quarter, Hayden Privett kept the ball on a triple-option play and scored from 2-yards out. Torres PAT made it 14-12 Cedartown with 4:26 left in the third period.

But Coosa remained resilient and stopped the Bulldogs on a fourth-and-inches play on the 29-yard line with 2:40 remaining in the game.

On the very next play, the Eagles Lebron Neal took a handoff up the middle for 50 yards to put Coosa on the Bulldog’s 20-yard line. After a Shane Smith 10-yard run, the Eagles took some time off the clock before scoring on a Quentin Hight 2-yard run with 45 seconds remaining in the game. Michael Ray made the extra point to make it 19-14.

Cedartown tried to rally after the score, completing a 17-yard pass and a 15-yard pass to move the ball to the 30-yard line. But with the clock running, the Bulldogs had to rush in a play and the Eagles were able to break through the line to record the sack and end the game.

“I’m proud of the kids for the way they played in the second half,” Cedartown coach Mark Loudermilk said. “Jamar’s kickoff return gave us a spark but we just weren’t able to keep the momentum.”

Coosa had jumped out on top when Hight ran in from 4-yards out to cap a four-play, 72-yard opening drive that took just 1:39 off the clock. The extra point failed, but that didn’t phase the Eagles.

In the second quarter, Smith scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak to make it 12-0.

“I have so much pride for our team,” Perry said. “They pulled together tonight and showed a lot of unity.”

Neal led the Eagles 243-yard rushing attack by gaining 109 yards on 11 carries. Smith added 56 yards on the ground and Hight tallied 49.

For Cedartown, John Poulin had 77 yards on 22 carries. Privett completed 7-of-10 passes for 74 yards and Brandon Brown caught five of those balls for 42 yards.

“We’ve just got to bounce back,” Loudermilk said. “We played another great team next week.”

Coosa will look to keep their winning streak against Region 6-AAA next week as they host Central-Carroll.

The Bulldogs will head to Summerville to face the undefeated Chattooga Indians.

Coosa fights off LFO to claim a 19-12 season-opening win

Jeff Gable, Rome News Tribune, Photo Courtesy of Rome News -Tribune

Three plays made a big difference in Friday night’s game between Coosa and Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe — two plays that were made and one that was not.

Coosa quarterback Shane Smith had two long first-half touchdowns, one rushing and one passing, while LFO quarterback Cody Commons had a long desperation fourth-down pass late in the game fall incomplete, as the Eagles held off the visiting Warriors 19-12 in the season-opener for both teams.

Smith, Coosa’s senior signal-caller, sprinted 70 yards around the left end on an option play in the first quarter, and he connected with senior wideout Cody Shepherd for an 80-yard scoring strike right before halftime to help the Eagles build a 19-0 lead at the break.

It turned out that Coosa needed every one of those points, as LFO rallied for two late scores before its final drive of the game stalled with just over a minute left to play.

“Shane is kind of like a coach on the field,” said Coosa head coach Chad Perry of his quarterback, who missed some practice time in the preseason due to some appendix problems. “He was out a few practices this summer, but he hasn’t missed a beat. He studies film, he works hard and he executes plays.

“We put a lot of expectations on him as a coaching staff, but he handles it well and runs our offense well.”

Across the field, LFO coach Todd Windham was disappointed that his team fell in such a big hole early, but he was impressed by his squad’s fourth-quarter rally that wasn’t over until Commons had a long fourth-and-26 pass broken up with 1:17 left in the game.

“I hope our guys were not satisfied being down 19-0, but they certainly showed a lot of guts and character to come back and give themselves a chance,” Windham said. “But this experience will serve us well later in the year, knowing we can go hard against a good team like Coosa in the second half.”

Coosa (1-0) saw its opening drive reach LFO’s 1-yard line, but the Warrior defense stiffened and forced a field goal attempt, which hit the post and bounced away.

After forcing LFO to punt on its first drive, Smith took a second-and-ten option play 70 yards for the first score of the night.

Three plays later, the Eagles’ Trevor Byers intercepted Commons, and Coosa converted when Quentin Hight scored from four yards out to make it 12-0.

Smith’s pass to Shepherd late in the second quarter brought the crowd to its feet, and the Eagles led 19-0 at the half.

But LFO (0-1) came to life early in the fourth period, when Commons hit Matt Holden with a 43-yard scoring pass to make it 19-6.

With two minutes to play, LFO struck again on a six-yard TD run by Commons, and it was 19-12.

The Warriors recovered the onside kick at their own 44, giving them one last chance to tie the game, but Coosa forced LFO to a four-and-out, with Commons’ last-gasp pass falling incomplete to end the drive.

Commons was 9-of-18 for 147 yards, while Smith was 4-of-7 for 100 yards passing for Coosa. Smith added 82 yards on the ground, leading Coosa’s rushing attack.

LFO hosts Gordon Lee next week, while Coosa is off next Friday before traveling to Cedartown on Sept. 12.

EAGLES LEARN TOUGH LESSONS IN DALTON SCRIMMAGE

R. Vice, CHS Web Sports

The Dalton Catamounts are a highly successful AAAA Football Program. This goes without saying. Luckily for the Coosa Eagles, it was a scrimmage game in which the strength of Dalton was exhibited. When the Varsity players left the field on Thursday night, the Eagles were down 23-7 . On the positive side, the Eagles were given a boost in confidence knowing they could put the ball in the end zone against a quality opponent. There was some confusion early as the Eagles adapted to a new defensive scheme. As the game progressed, the defensive side seemed to settle in. One senior player was quoted as saying, “It was a little confusing for us early but as the game moved on we got in a rhythm”.

EAGLES PRACTICE EARLY

Article by Jeremy Stewart, Rome News-Tribune, Photo by Brittany Hannah

It didn’t take long before the midsummer heat affected the Coosa Eagles’ football practice. Monday was the second day of official practice in shorts and helmets for local high schools and Coosa was forced to postpone the start of drills nearly an hour and a half when the wet-bulb temperature exceeded the limit for outside activity. “That will force us to go to our early practices starting tomorrow,” Eagles head coach Chad Perry said. “So we’ll be going at 6 a.m. in the morning so we can get some pad work in.” They won’t be able to go out in full pads until Wednesday. Then they’ll be a week and a day away from their scrimmage against Dalton at Harmon Field in Whitfield County. “We’re running out of time all of a sudden,” Perry