Yellow Jackets defeat Aiken High
11/7/2009 12:58 AM
By CAM HUFFMAN
Sports Editor
North Augusta High School head coach Dan Pippin should be walking a little faster this week without the weight of a monkey on his back.
The Yellow Jacket coach had never beaten Aiken High School, and North Augusta had lost 14 of the last 17 meetings with the Hornets coming into Friday night's showdown at Yellow Jacket Stadium. Three Aiken turnovers and an explosive North Augusta offense changed all that, though, as a 35-7 victory game the Yellow Jackets a 10-1 regular season and evened the overall series between the two schools at 41-41-6.
"I think the most special thing is to go from 1-10 to 10-1," said Pippin, whose first North Augusta team four years ago won only a single game. "The freshmen that were 1-10 are now seniors and are 10-1. That is a credit to everybody in our program and the community. It is a huge deal for everybody."
Aiken, which finished the regular season with a 4-7 record and will be on the road in the first round of the Class AAAA Division II playoffs next Friday, came into the game believing it could win, and it seemed to have some momentum going for it as it drove the ball deep into North Augusta territory on the opening possession, sticking completely with the run. A fumble by Aiken quarterback Billy Vickers ended that drive, though, and the Jackets took over at their own 30-yard line.
The Hornets didn't get that close again until the game was already decided in the fourth quarter.
North Augusta quarterback Loranzo Hammonds helped set up his team's opening score, keeping a zone read and rumbing 37 yards to the Aiken 3-yard line, and Demarcus Rouse took it into the end zone from 1 yard o
The Jackets increased that cushion with a 37-yard screen pass to Jessie Pernell that set up a 2-yard slant to the same player on the next play that went into the end zone.
It was still 14-0 late in the second quarter, and Aiken was driving the football on the strength of Vickers' legs when another crictical mistake haunted the Hornets. A North Augusta interception with 5:19 left on the clock gave it a chance to add to its lead before the halftime break, and it did just that, when Montez McGuire outjumped an Aiken defensive back in the end zone on a fourth-and-long. The 27-yard catch put the Jackets up 21-0, and they never looked back.
"That's been the story of our season," said Aiken head coach Carey Johnson of the turnover problem. "That took the wind out of our kids sails. You could see them deflate a little bit."
A 37-yard Hammonds cutback touchdown run capped off a 70-yard drive to open the second half, and North Augusta later went ahead 35-0 when Hammonds scored on a one-yard keeper before the end of the third quarter. He finished the game with 108 rushing yards and 177 more on the ground. He played a part in four of North Augusta's five touchdowns.
"They are a good football team," said Johnson. "They capitalize on mistakes. They try to hit people with big plays, and they have some kids who can do it."
North Augusta's defense did the rest of the work, holding Aiken to just 219 total yards - only 19 of those coming through the air. Aiken did ruin the shutout with an 18-yard Devontai Pope toucdown run in the fourth quarter, but that didn't stop the Jackets from celebrating a long-awaited victory.
"I've never been 10-1 or 9-1 or 8-1," said Pippin, whose team will host a first round playoff game next season. "The most wins I've ever had is seven, so I feel good. I think we have a shot. We have a one in eight change of making it to Williams-Brice (Stadium for the Class AAAA Division II title game), and that's special."
Aiken 0 0 0 7 7
North Augusta 14 7 14 0 35
Scoring Summary
NAHS-Demarcus ROUSE Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN!!! 1 yds PAT Kick by STUBERFIELD GOOD!
NAHS-HAMMONDS Passes to PERNELL COMPLETE TOUCHDOWN!!! 7 yds PAT Kick by STUBERFIELD GOOD!
NAHS-HAMMONDS Passes to MCGUIRE COMPLETE TOUCHDOWN!!! 27 yds PAT Kick by UNKNOWN GOOD!
NAHS-HAMMONDS Carries(QB Keeper) TOUCHDOWN!!! 37 yds PAT Kick by STUBERFIELD GOOD!
NAHS-HAMMONDS Carries(QB Keeper) TOUCHDOWN!!! 1 yds PAT Kick by STUBERFIELD GOOD!
AHS-Devontai Pope Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN!!! 18 yds PAT Kick by Alex Hamrick GOOD!
NAHS AHS
FIRST DOWN 14 9
RUSHES/YARDS (NET) 31/225 38/200
PASSING YARDS (NET) 177 19
Passes Att/Comp/Int 16/9/0 10/4/2
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS/YARDS 47/402 48/219
Fumble Returns/Yards 0/0 0/0
Punt Returns/Yards 2/27 0/0
Kickoff Returns/Yards 2/60 4/59
Interception Returns /Yards 2/6 0/0
Punts (Number/Avg) 3/50 5/35
Fumbles/Lost 0/0 2/1
Penalties/Yards 4/45 5/42
Possession Time 59:56 12:02
Sacks By: Number/Yards 2/7 1/7
RUSHING(Att/Yards):
Aiken-Billy Vickers 13/73 Devante Perkins 4/42 Devontai Pope 6/36 Aubrey Johnson 9/27
Marquiez Garvin 6/22
North Augusta-Loranzo Hammonds 10/108 Demarcus Rouse 13/62 Vinny Miller 2/28 Tyrell Hillary 1/19
Cordero Bland 4/6 Montez McGuire 1/2
PASSING(Comp/Att/Int/Yard):
Aiken-Billy Vickers 4/10/2/19
North Augusta-Loranzo Hammonds 9/15/0/177 Jessie Pernell 0/1/0/0
RECEIVING(No/Yard):
Aiken-Devon Johnson 2/14 Devante Perkins 1/3 Marquiez Garvin 1/2
North Augusta-Jessie Pernell 3/56 Matt Hazel 2/43 Demarcus Rouse 1/35 Montez McGuire 1/27
Cam Alston 2/16
11/7/2009 12:58 AM
Sports Editor
North Augusta High School head coach Dan Pippin should be walking a little faster this week without the weight of a monkey on his back.
The Yellow Jacket coach had never beaten Aiken High School, and North Augusta had lost 14 of the last 17 meetings with the Hornets coming into Friday night's showdown at Yellow Jacket Stadium. Three Aiken turnovers and an explosive North Augusta offense changed all that, though, as a 35-7 victory game the Yellow Jackets a 10-1 regular season and evened the overall series between the two schools at 41-41-6.
"I think the most special thing is to go from 1-10 to 10-1," said Pippin, whose first North Augusta team four years ago won only a single game. "The freshmen that were 1-10 are now seniors and are 10-1. That is a credit to everybody in our program and the community. It is a huge deal for everybody."
Aiken, which finished the regular season with a 4-7 record and will be on the road in the first round of the Class AAAA Division II playoffs next Friday, came into the game believing it could win, and it seemed to have some momentum going for it as it drove the ball deep into North Augusta territory on the opening possession, sticking completely with the run. A fumble by Aiken quarterback Billy Vickers ended that drive, though, and the Jackets took over at their own 30-yard line.
The Hornets didn't get that close again until the game was already decided in the fourth quarter.
North Augusta quarterback Loranzo Hammonds helped set up his team's opening score, keeping a zone read and rumbing 37 yards to the Aiken 3-yard line, and Demarcus Rouse took it into the end zone from 1 yard o
The Jackets increased that cushion with a 37-yard screen pass to Jessie Pernell that set up a 2-yard slant to the same player on the next play that went into the end zone.
It was still 14-0 late in the second quarter, and Aiken was driving the football on the strength of Vickers' legs when another crictical mistake haunted the Hornets. A North Augusta interception with 5:19 left on the clock gave it a chance to add to its lead before the halftime break, and it did just that, when Montez McGuire outjumped an Aiken defensive back in the end zone on a fourth-and-long. The 27-yard catch put the Jackets up 21-0, and they never looked back.
"That's been the story of our season," said Aiken head coach Carey Johnson of the turnover problem. "That took the wind out of our kids sails. You could see them deflate a little bit."
A 37-yard Hammonds cutback touchdown run capped off a 70-yard drive to open the second half, and North Augusta later went ahead 35-0 when Hammonds scored on a one-yard keeper before the end of the third quarter. He finished the game with 108 rushing yards and 177 more on the ground. He played a part in four of North Augusta's five touchdowns.
"They are a good football team," said Johnson. "They capitalize on mistakes. They try to hit people with big plays, and they have some kids who can do it."
North Augusta's defense did the rest of the work, holding Aiken to just 219 total yards - only 19 of those coming through the air. Aiken did ruin the shutout with an 18-yard Devontai Pope toucdown run in the fourth quarter, but that didn't stop the Jackets from celebrating a long-awaited victory.
"I've never been 10-1 or 9-1 or 8-1," said Pippin, whose team will host a first round playoff game next season. "The most wins I've ever had is seven, so I feel good. I think we have a shot. We have a one in eight change of making it to Williams-Brice (Stadium for the Class AAAA Division II title game), and that's special."
Aiken 0 0 0 7 7
North Augusta 14 7 14 0 35
Scoring Summary
NAHS-Demarcus ROUSE Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN!!! 1 yds PAT Kick by STUBERFIELD GOOD!
NAHS-HAMMONDS Passes to PERNELL COMPLETE TOUCHDOWN!!! 7 yds PAT Kick by STUBERFIELD GOOD!
NAHS-HAMMONDS Passes to MCGUIRE COMPLETE TOUCHDOWN!!! 27 yds PAT Kick by UNKNOWN GOOD!
NAHS-HAMMONDS Carries(QB Keeper) TOUCHDOWN!!! 37 yds PAT Kick by STUBERFIELD GOOD!
NAHS-HAMMONDS Carries(QB Keeper) TOUCHDOWN!!! 1 yds PAT Kick by STUBERFIELD GOOD!
AHS-Devontai Pope Carries(Hand Off) TOUCHDOWN!!! 18 yds PAT Kick by Alex Hamrick GOOD!
NAHS AHS
FIRST DOWN 14 9
RUSHES/YARDS (NET) 31/225 38/200
PASSING YARDS (NET) 177 19
Passes Att/Comp/Int 16/9/0 10/4/2
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS/YARDS 47/402 48/219
Fumble Returns/Yards 0/0 0/0
Punt Returns/Yards 2/27 0/0
Kickoff Returns/Yards 2/60 4/59
Interception Returns /Yards 2/6 0/0
Punts (Number/Avg) 3/50 5/35
Fumbles/Lost 0/0 2/1
Penalties/Yards 4/45 5/42
Possession Time 59:56 12:02
Sacks By: Number/Yards 2/7 1/7
RUSHING(Att/Yards):
Aiken-Billy Vickers 13/73 Devante Perkins 4/42 Devontai Pope 6/36 Aubrey Johnson 9/27
Marquiez Garvin 6/22
North Augusta-Loranzo Hammonds 10/108 Demarcus Rouse 13/62 Vinny Miller 2/28 Tyrell Hillary 1/19
Cordero Bland 4/6 Montez McGuire 1/2
PASSING(Comp/Att/Int/Yard):
Aiken-Billy Vickers 4/10/2/19
North Augusta-Loranzo Hammonds 9/15/0/177 Jessie Pernell 0/1/0/0
RECEIVING(No/Yard):
Aiken-Devon Johnson 2/14 Devante Perkins 1/3 Marquiez Garvin 1/2
North Augusta-Jessie Pernell 3/56 Matt Hazel 2/43 Demarcus Rouse 1/35 Montez McGuire 1/27
Cam Alston 2/16
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