Jackets fall in playoff game against Gators
North Augusta High School ruled the first half Friday evening, but Goose Creek turned the tables in the second half, racking up a 35-21 playoff win and putting the brakes on North Augusta's football season.
The Yellow Jackets, coached by Dan Pippin, wound up with an 11-2 record, while Goose Creek marched on at 10-3.
The Gators, playing on their home turf, turned three turnovers into points in the final four minutes.
"I thought we played well the majority of the time," Pippin said. "We had a chance with 3 minutes and 51 seconds to go to win the game. We just didn't do it, but again, we had a chance, and that's pretty much all you can ask for. You have to be in those situations to be successful."
North Augusta has not passed the second round since winning the state title in 1989. The Yellow Jackets lost two fumbles and threw an interception at the end of the game to let the Gators off the hook.
For about 44 minutes, it looked like the Yellow Jackets were going to make a return trip to the Lowcountry this week, leading 21-14 with 4:01 left in the game. But the Jackets coughed it up at their own 26 with 3:35 left, and Gators defensive lineman Terrell Rowland recovered the fumble.
Ranoy Hines, who finished with 122 yards, capped a short scoring drive on third down with a 10-yard run around the right side to tie it at 21-21 with 1:51 left. Then North Augusta coughed it up again at the Gators' 41, and linebacker T.J. Burrell was there to recover.
On the first play after, Goose Creek's big fullback, Virgil Smalls, rambled 41 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 1:14 left. He led all rusher with 146 yards for the game.
The Yellow Jackets made one final mistake. On North Augusta's second play, Burrell stepped in front of a Loranzo Hammonds pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.
"People say those kids made mistakes, but without those kids that made mistakes, we wouldn't have been where we are," Pippin said. "We wouldn't have been 11-2 without those kids."
Linebacker L.J. Perry had 9.5 tackles for the Yellow Jackets. Rick Griffin had 6.5 tackles and Montel Hughes, a North-South selection, had six stops. Jaylon Myers made 5.5 tackles. Cam Alston added 40 yards on four catches.
"Next year, that game has to be home," said Pippin, recalling the 2008 playoffs, when the Jackets were bounced in the first round by way of a loss at Laurens. "We need to get home-field advantage for the playoffs."
He pointed out that his squad's play was "about as close to perfect as you can get in the first half," and also noted that the fan support and atmosphere were "phenomenal" this season.
Hammonds finished 23-of-35 for 170 yards and was sacked five times. He had a 9-yard touchdown pass to Shrine Bowl receiver Matt Hazel on North Augusta's first possession. Hazel had eight catches for 71 yards.
He tacked on a 1-yard scoring plunge to cap the Yellow Jackets' second drive, making it 14-0 with 4:57 left in the first half.
Goose Creek, which had just 26 yards in the first half, didn't score until 7:58 left in the third quarter on Mike Myers' 2-yard run.
North Augusta's Vinny Miller, however, returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a score to put North Augusta back on top 21-7.
Goose Creek came right back to score again when Smalls capped an 11-play, 73-yard drive with 3:34 left in the third quarter. Daniel Smith's extra point made it 21-14.
Pippin said, "I would just about guess we had more people than they did. It was something to see, but it's been that way all year, where we've had huge crowds at our home games - pretty much all games."
He added, "It was a great year, and I'm just really proud of the kids and the community. School doesn't stop and the athletics don't stop - basketball and all the spring sports.
"We've just got to keep it going. We need the community to come out and support because it's the same kids. I would hope they'd see how much stuff they did in the community."
Pippin cited the example of a drive to provide book bags and other school supplies for local needy kids and a car wash to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
"Our goals are going to stay the same. We've got to be successful."
