Gordon Lee Clinches Final Playoff Spot With A 16-14 Win Over Armuchee.
Sports, Team FYN Sports October 30, 2021
It was a very emotional Senior night at H.A. Lindsey Stadium in Armuchee Friday night. The Armuchee Indians and the Gordon Lee Trojans squared off in a head to head battle with the winner clinching the final playoff spot in 6A Public. It was a hard fought game with the visiting Trojans holding on for a 16-14 win.
Both teams traded punts on their opening possessions of the game. Gordon Lee went to work on their 2nd possession. A face mask penalty on the 1st play gave the Trojans good field position at the Armuchee 47. In 12 plays they were able to move the ball inside the Indian 10 yard but a 6 yard tackle for loss by Sophomore Jessie Smith forced Gordon Lee to settle for a 29 yard field goal to take a 3-0 lead with 1:06 left in the 1st Quarter.
Armuchee put together a 13 play 80 yard drive on their opening drive of the 2nd Q. Senior RB Austin Stacy and Junior QB Chandler Desanto accounted for 75 yards of the drive on the ground. Stacy would take the hand off and plow ahead for a 9 yard TD to give the Indians a 7-3 lead with 6:09 remaining in the 1st half.
Gordon Lee answered back quickly with a 71 yard 8 play drive of their own, all on the ground. The Trojans would score on a 27 yd TD run and retook the lead at 10-7 with 2:38 remaining before halftime.
The Indians received the 2nd half kickoff. Starting at their own 20 they used 15 plays, including a 4 and 1 conversion from Sophomore Ryland Steen, to march the ball to the Gordon Lee 27. Gordon Lee came up with 2 big stops on defense on 3rd and 4th down and Armuchee was forced to turn the ball over on downs with 5:39 remaining in the 3rd Q.
The Armuchee defense stepped up and forced Gordon Lee to punt. Armuchee took over at their own 30 with 2:30 to play in the 3rd Q. After several positive run plays the Indians would commit their only turnover of the night coughing the ball up near midfield. Gordon Lee would take advantage of the fumble and go 50 yards in 5 plays, capped off by a 16 yard TD run. The extra point was no good and the Trojan lead was 16-7 with 10:30 min left in the game.
The Indians would put together a 13 play 71 yard drive on their next series that included 2 big 4th down conversions. One was a 4th and 12 from their own 48. QB Chandler Desanto was being chased out of the pocket and heaved the throw downfield. Senior Kameron Parker leaped up between two defenders and brought the catch down at the Gordon Lee 15 yard line. Desanto would eventually take the QB keeper in from the 1 yard line to cut the lead to 16-14 with 3:24 to play.
The home fans felt like there may be some magic in the air this night as the Indians lined up for the onside kick. The kick bounced around but the Trojans were able to bounce on the loose ball at their 35 yard line. The Indians used their timeouts and all Gordon Lee needed was one first down to end the game. On a 3 and 8 the Gordon Lee RB looked like he was caught behind the line of scrimmage but he reversed direction and broke free for a 38 yard gain. They were able to run out the clock and secure the 16-14 win and a spot in the GHSA State Playoffs.
After the game Coach Green met with the Indians in the endzone and announced that he would miss the rest of the season as he begins radiation treatment for throat cancer on Monday. In a classy move the Gordon Lee Trojans wore green socks and the cheer team sported green bows in support of Coach Green’s battle.
Notes:
Total Yards
Armuchee 234
Gordon Lee 209
Indian Leaders:
Rushing : Stacy (118), Desanto (51)
Passing: Desanto (65)
Rec: Parker (47), Drinic (11)
Armuchee Moves To 4-0 For First Time in 12 Years With 45-7 Win Over Weaver
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports September 25, 2021
H.A. Lindsey Stadium hosted Youth Football Night pregame on Friday, & the young Indians were in for a show. The Indians converted 5 turnovers into 4 scores and Junior QB Chandler Desanto had a breakout game scoring 4 TDs in a 45-7 win over the Bearcats from Weaver, Alabama.
Armuchee started the scoring early. The Bearcats were forced to punt on their first possession the Indians took over near midfield. After several short yard gains by Senior Alex Wright, Desanto kept the ball for a 35 yard run down to the 5 yard. Two plays later Sophomore Ryland Steen would give the Indians their first TD on the night with a 4 yard run up the middle. Sophomore K Grayson Perry added his 1st of 6 XPs on the night to put the Indians up 7-0 with 4:32 left in 1st Q.
After a touchback Weavers next possession began at their own 20. On the second play of the drive the Bearcats tried to throw deep across the middle. Armuchee Sophomore Jacob Seagraves made a leaping interception to set the Indians up with good field position at the Weaver 29.
On a 3rd and 13, Desanto found Senior Malik Drinic in the back of the end zone on a 32 yard scoring strike to put the Indians up 14-0 with 1:50 left in the 1st Q.
Weaver put together an eight play 83 yard drive to begin the 2nd Q culminated by a 40 yard TD pass to cut the lead to 14-7 9:56 to go in the 2nd Q.
The Indians responded quick. After the attempted onside kick by Weaver, recovered by Senior Riley Ross, Armucee took over on their own 46 yard line. Wright took the handoff on the 1st play of the drive 54 yards up the left sideline to put the Indians ahead 21-7 with 9:36 left in the 1st half.
After several change of possessions with a Weaver punt, Indian fumble, and a Weaver punt Armuchee took over at their own 18 with 1:30 left in the half. On the third play of the drive Desanto scored on a 69 yard keeper to give the Indians a 28-7 lead at the end of the 1st half.
Weaver came out ready to play in the 2nd half catching the Indians with an onside kick to open the 3rd Quarter. After a 7 play drive that took the ball to the Indian 30, Sophomore Ryland Steen came up with a drive stopping interception and after a 20 yard return the Indians took over at midfield.
The Indians were able to get the ball down to the Bearcat 7 yd line after a 45 yd completion from Desanto to Senior JJ House but the drive stalled and the Indians settled for a 35 yard FG from Perry to go up 31-7 with 6:57 left in the 3rd Q.
Two Weaver possessions later Senior Riley Ross would come up with the Indians 3rd interception of the night. Ross returned the ball to the Bearcat 9 yard line leading to a Desanto 8 yard TD run putting the Indians up 38-7 to end the 3rd Q.
The Bearcats fumbled on the first snap of their next possession, recovered by Steen at the Weaver 32 yard line. 5 plays later Desanto would find JJ House on 21 yard TD throw to cap the scoring at 45-7. Sophomore Jackson Coonley would add the Indians 4th interception of the night late in the 4th.
The Indians will open Region play next week when they host the Mount Zion Eagles.
Notes:
Armuchee put up 348 yards offense
Chandler Desanto (QB) had 264 total yards and 4 TDs.
Unofficial Solo tackle leaders: Junior Jessie Smith (7), Steen (4) with INT and FR, Senior JR Early (4) with a sack and QBP, Senor Will Daniel (4)