By KEVIN MOBLEY – Web Writer
The Clarke Central High School varsity football team finished the regular season with a 45-15 victory over rival Cedar Shoals High School on Friday, Nov. 8, at Billy Henderson Stadium.
CCHS senior fullback Baylor Ward scores on a touchdown run against Cedar Shoals High School. Photo by Chad Rhym.
Clarke Central High School head varsity football coach Ahren Self stood behind his defense before the 47th meeting between the Gladiators and cross-town rival Cedar Shoals High School.
Both literally and figuratively.
The first-year head coach, a former defensive coordinator as well, barked out encouragement and instruction to his senior-laden defense during a pre-game drill. Self felt that it was imperative for them to maintain their focus in such an atmosphere.
“With a game like this, especially being ‘Senior Night’ and also the rivalry between Cedar Shoals and Clarke Central, there’s always a bunch of trash talking throughout the week,” Self said. “I had to make sure our guys were focused and ready to play whenever we came out here for the first snap.”
The Gladiators tallied the first points on the scoreboard with a one-yard touchdown run by CCHS senior quarterback Cameron Johnson. The touchdown came after a blocked punt by the Gladiators recovered at the CSHS one-yard line.
“We had a few bad snaps on special teams and were sloppy on turnovers,” CSHS head football coach Chris Davis said. “That cost us tonight against a good football team.”
On their next possession, the Jaguars drove 74 yards down the field, capped off by a 33-yard field goal from CSHS senior kicker William Kirch.
From there, the Gladiators would notch 14 unanswered points, one a three-yard touchdown run by sophomore receiver Desmond Sorrells, the other a one-yard scamper by CCHS fullback Baylor Ward after the Gladiators recovered a fumble three feet from the goal line.
“I’m never satisfied, but we stepped up big and created turnovers when we needed to,” Self said.
The Jaguars would answer with a seven-yard touchdown run by senior running back Adrian Washington, who finished with 105 yards on 17 carries.
CCHS senior kicker Matthew Ward solidified the halftime score at 24-9 with a 24-yard field goal with six seconds remaining in the first half.
In the third quarter, the Gladiators exploded for 21 points.
The first score was ran in by Johnson yet again, who completed his final Classic City Championship game with 12 completed passes on 16 attempts for 161 yards while accumulating three total touchdowns.
“The effort was unbelievable,” Johnson said. “No heads down, (it was) all excitement, all energy. Everybody was picking each other up.”
CSHS sophomore quarterback Greg Smith, who finished with 226 yards of total offense, recorded the final score for the Jaguars on a 19-yard run with 6:07 left in the third quarter.
Johnson would then find senior receiver Austin Johnson for a 20-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 38-15.
CCHS senior linebacker Kavon Williams capped of the night with a 57-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, making it 45-15. He says the moment felt surreal to him.
“I was in the middle of my stride thinking ‘Am I doing this?’ I couldn’t believe it,” Williams said.
After the game, players toted a sign saying “We run this town.” The Gladiators have now won six-straight games against CSHS, dating back to a 23-21 victory over the Jaguars at Waters-Wilkins Stadium on Oct. 24, 2008.
The Jaguars finish the season 3-7 on the year, 3-5 in Region 8-AAAAA play.
The Gladiators improve to 7-3 overall, 6-2 in Region 8-AAAAA. CCHS will face off against Mays High School, the No. 2 team from Region 6-AAAAA, in the first round of the Georgia High School Association state playoffs.
“We’ve got to tighten up,” Self said. “We can’t make the mistakes that we made tonight. When you get in the playoffs, each team gets better and better as you move on. We’ve just got to correct our mistakes and we can’t make as many as we did this week, next week.”
Looking back on his high school career, Williams feels that the CCHS football program has prepared him for challenges beyond the gridiron.
“It’s not just playing football. It’s more than that,” Williams said. “It helps me out in the classroom, in life, at home and it’s more than football. It’s going to help me out in the long run.”
The win made a bittersweet night taste a little bit sweeter.
