Saturday's Daily News 'n Notes: Westfield wins title; GHSA softball/volleyball updated; Russell Henley; state college FB; and more
Saturday’s Central Georgia - and of interest to Central Georgia - news and notes, compiled from staff reports, email reports, the web, and social media.
In Coverage: Westfield cruised to its fourth straight GISA Class AAA state softball title
ICYMI: Central Georgia’s best Friday night high school football coverage, with the who and how and why.
Peach State College Football
Army 49, Mercer 3
Army was fortunate to have a 21-3 halftime lead, courtesy mostly of gifts – blocked punt and interception – from Mercer.
Which held the lead for nearly four minutes.
The Black Knights were different in the second half, taking over with a 21-point third quarter and controlling the ball while the success Mercer had on offense – other than scoring – was drastically slowed.
That first drive, ending in a 36-yard Caleb Dowden field goal, was 56 yards on 15 plays. Stats at halftime were pretty even in most areas
Army had two inexperienced quarterbacks, who didn’t turn the ball over. The Black Knights had the ball for more than 35 minutes.
The Black Knights accepted an invite to the Independence Bowl after the game.
Mary Person grad Caleb Etheridge got the start on the offensive line. Wilkinson County’s Brandon Mays lost five yards on one rush and caught two passes for two yards. Rutland’s Landon Miller and Bleckley County’s Zach Lassiter played but recorded no stats.
Boston College 48, Georgia Tech 27
Boston College dropped the hammer on Georgia Tech Saturday night, posting a 48-27 win at Alumni Stadium. The Eagles improve to 4-2 on the season and 3-2 in ACC play.
Phil Jurkovec finished 13-of-21 for 145 yards and two touchdowns. The redshirt sophomore also gained a career-best 94 yards on the ground. He is the first BC signal caller to rush for at least 90 yards since Patrick Towles (104) - vs. Syracuse on Oct. 22, 2016.
David Bailey gained 83 yards on 13 carries, finding the end zone twice. Travis Levy added 54 yards on 19 rushes. Six different receivers hauled in a pass on the night, led by CJ Lewis' four catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Hunter Long grabbed three passes for 39 yards.
BC led 14-0 after the first quarter, as Jurkovec and Lewis connected twice for touchdowns. On the first scoring strike, Lewis hauled in a seven-yard toss, capping a 10-play, 71-yard drive. On the next drive, the Eagles' Marcus Valdez recovered a strip sack fumble of GT QB Jeff Sims deep in Yellow Jackets' territory, setting up Lewis' five-yard grab four plays later.
In the second quarter, Aaron Boumerhi extended the lead to 17-0, connecting on his longest FG of the season - 41 yards - with 13:04 left. Tech scored to get within 24-7, and that was it. (Boston College sports info)
Tobias Oliver (Northside) had three tackles. Djimon Brooks (Washington County) played but recorded no stats.
Defense, mistakes doom Jackets
Coastal Carolina 28, Georgia Southern 14
The No. 24/25 nationally-ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers scored twice in the fourth quarter, held the nation's fourth-ranked rushing offense to just 119 rushing yards, and got three passing touchdowns from junior quarterback Fred Payton to defeat Georgia Southern in a Sun Belt East Division matchup on Saturday afternoon in Brooks Stadium.
No. 24/25 Coastal outgained the Eagles 382-218 in total offensive yards, with 130 coming on the ground and 252 through the air.
Despite the late scratch of starting quarterback Grayson McCall due to an injury, the Chants' offense continued to move the ball as Payton was 15-of-28 for 252 yards, two interceptions, and three touchdowns via the passing game. His three touchdowns tied his career-high set last season at ULM (Nov. 23).
Coastal broke a 14-all tie – after missing a field goal and forcing a three-and-out – with 8:53 left in the game. The Chants got another three-and-out, returned the punt 40 yards, and scored a play later. (Coastal Sports Info)
Coastal overcame the loss of its QB
Georgia State 36, Troy 34
Despite scoring a touchdown with 36 seconds to play to draw within two points and originally recovering the ensuing on-side kick, the Troy fell to Georgia State, 36-34, Saturday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Sun Belt Conference play.
Down 36-28, freshman Javon Solomon forced a fumble that was recovered by Kyle Nixon at the Troy 35-yard line with 1:20 to play. The turnover, was the final of three turnovers that Troy(3-2, 1-1 Sun Belt) forced in the game.
With the ball back in his possession, junior Jacob Free led the Trojans on a 7-play, 47-yard drive that was capped by an 11-yard strike to Reggie Todd that cut the Panthers (2-2, 1-2) lead to 36-34. On the ensuing two-point conversion, Free attempted a back-shoulder fade for Khalil McClain that fell incomplete.
Down two points with 36 seconds to play, Troy senior Kyle Coale delivered a perfect on-side kick attempt that appeared to be recovered by Todd at the Trojans' 45-yard line.
After originally ruling that Todd did not contact the ball before the 45, the officiating crew initiated a booth review and decided that the ball was contacted at the 44-1/2.. The result of the review triggered a flag that overturned the successful on-side kick attempt and gave possession back to the Panthers and ended the game.
Troy lost starting quarterback and Taylor County grad Gunnar Watson in the first half after he took a shot to the midsection. He was 8 for 10 for 78 yards and a score before the injury. Head coach Chip Lindsey said after the game Watson’s status was unknown.
Safety Kyle Nixon (Peach County) had eight tackles, and a fumble recovery and return of 18 yards.
Around/About Central Georgia
Henley shares top-round honors on Saturday
Russell Henley rocked the Sherwood Country Club course in Thousand Oaks, Cal., on Saturday, turning in a 63 to move into the top 15 at the Zozo Championship.
Henley and second-place Jon Rahm had the top score of the day by two strokes. It pulled Henley up 42 spots, and he’s tied for 15th with four others, including Jason Kokrak, who topped Henley in last week’s CJ Cup and moved up to fourth in the FedEx Cup rankings, 15 ahead of Henley.
Henley started on 10, and started knocking out birdies, like on the first five holes and on 17. He had three on the second nine, for a major change from Friday, when he had three bogeys.
It’s Henley’s best score of the 2021 season by three strokes. He is six shots back of leader Justin Thomas.
He tees off at 1:55 p.m. Sunday, and is playing with Joel Dahmen and Alex Noren. The Golf Channel picks up coverage at 5 p.m.
Around/About Georgia
Will Cephus be back in Georgia for Lions visit to Atlanta?
Quintez Cephus is likely to be about 80 miles from home on Sunday when the Detroit Lions visit Atlanta.
Likely.
Cephus has played in four games, and has six catches for 97 yards.
He was a healthy scratch last week against Jacksonville, mostly because of the improvement of veterans Marvin Hall and Jamal Agnew, and moving tight end Isaac Nauta up from the practice squad for the game.
With Atlanta’s secondary being banged up, the Lions may go back to another receiver instead of a tight end.
The Lions have a Peach State flavor, with former Goergia players Matthew Stafford and D’Andre Swift on the roster, and Isaac Nauta on the practice squad..
Sports and COVID-19
COVID funds for soccer complex cameras?
College football
Bama rolls Tennessee, Waddle rolls ankle, is done
Swaggering LSU hammers South Carolina
Auburn benefits from officials’ decision, nips Ole Miss
Missouri breaks streak against Kentucky
Nope, Florida State still isn’t back
Ohio State pulls away from Nebraska
King leads Miami past Virginia
Wake Forest surprises Virginia Tech
Good review call helps Indiana surprise Penn State
Clemson sluggish in romp of feeble Syracuse
Dabo mildly snippy at questions that aren’t positive
Legendary HBCU coach Gorden dies, was 90
Around the nation/world
The Rays stunned the Dodgers how?
Jansen has a record to get rid of