The Lee County defense led by Devin Collier (7), Tion Garmon (12), Jaydon Cory (33), Nehemiah McCloud (44) and Leroy Jackson (91) swarm Northside’s quarterback as he tries to get off a pass.
Joe Whitfield
Joe Whitfield
Staff Correspondent
LEESBURG – Two fumbles and a successful onside kick helped Northside of Warner Robins score 23 points in the final six minutes of the game Friday night to come from behind and beat the No. 2 -ranked Lee County Trojans 23-20 at Trojan Stadium in Leesburg. It is the first region loss for the Trojans since 2017 and makes next Friday night’s game with unbeaten Thomas County Central even bigger. Lee County Head Coach Dean Fabrizio said this loss was on him.
“I give credit to Northside, their kids didn’t quit,” Fabrizio said. “As the head coach, I made some bad calls late in the game. This loss is on me. Our players played hard and deserved to win. This loss is on the head coach and the bad decisions late in the game.”
The coach was specifically referring to the final play of the game. The Trojans were faced with a fourth down at the Northside 38-yard line with seven seconds remaining on the clock and Lee County ahead 23-20. Fabrizio chose not to punt and instead told quarterback Weston Bryan to throw the ball away in the end zone. That plan didn’t work because Northside’s defense sacked Bryan and caused a fumble. Northside’s Ja’marian Lawson picked up the fumble and raced 40 yards into the end zone to put the Eagles up 23-20.
“There were seven seconds left. We should have punted but I thought the punter might drop the ball or something so I told the quarterback to throw it into the end zone. I figured it would kill most if not all of the time. I thought worst case they would have one or two seconds, but no fumble, scoop and score.”
“This is a tough, tough, tough loss. Just devastating. Watching the last six minutes of this game is just surreal,” the coach added. “But we will come back from this. There is still a lot of football left for this team.”
The Trojans led 20-0 with six minutes to play in the game but Northside made a couple of plays to get down the field before the Trojan defense stood up and forced a 30-yard field goal that put the first points on the board for the Eagles. After Northside kicked off, the Trojans had the ball at the twelve-yard line and then fumbled the ball, giving the Eagles possession deep in Trojan territory. Northside scored on the first play and closed the gap to 20-10.
Lee County coaches were on the sidelines calling for the “hands team” because they knew an onside kick was coming. And it did with a strange setup for Northside with all 11 men huddled together and running at the ball together, Northside recovered the onside kick. The Trojan defense had pushed the Eagles back and Northside had a third-and-30 situation when Duke Mcclinton broke through the Trojan defense and picked up 34 yards. Moments later the Eagles were in the end zone on an 18-yard touchdown pass to D’Shawn Hooten. With just over three minutes to play the Trojans led 23-20. But then that final play happened.
The Trojans had scored on a three-yard run by Devin Collier and a 17-yard run by Braxton Honer in the first half and then scored in the third quarter on a sideline pass from Bryan to JD Fugerson. It was a quick sideline pass to Fugerson who raced past everybody for a 60-yard touchdown play.
The Trojans (6-2) now must prepare to face undefeated and No. 7-ranked Thomas County Central (8-0) next week in Leesburg. The Yellow Jackets beat Houston County 42-21 Friday night and are now in sole possession of first place in the region.
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