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Devils finish season 9-1, will face Trion Friday
The evening was plagued by injuries on both sides of the ball. Most notably, the Red Devils starting quarterback, Brandon Barden, twisted his knee during warm-ups. Barden, who did not play in Friday's game, is believed to have torn his meniscus, a cartilaginous tissue layer that is used to maintain structural integrity in the knee during tension or torsion. "Anytime you lose your star quarterback, it affects you," commented Campbell. Barden's return next week is questionable. "It's serious enough that he needs an MRI," Campbell warned. Senior Bulldog Mike Medlin scooped up a Red Devil fumble just seconds into the first quarter, running the ball deep into the Devils' red zone. Thanks to powerful Devil defense, a penalty, and a blocked field goal, the Dogs were unable to make good on the recovery. Senior Red Devil running back Darrell Norman managed to catch the blocked field goal, however, and making something out of a nothing first few minutes, ran into the end zone, putting the Devils on the board. The Lincoln County Red Devil Pride Marching Band was responsible for a penalty on GMC's next possession, for playing while football players were at the line of scrimmage. The unusual penalty did little to assist the struggling Bulldogs who were stopped cold. GMC was stopped dead in their tracks on their next ownership when senior Red Devil defensive end Tyler Beale pulled off a killer sack against senior Bulldog quarterback Brett Scott on fourth down, handing the ball over to the Devils. The Devil possession spilled over into the second quarter, where early on senior Devil fullback Franklin Jones handily ran 29 yards for his team's second touchdown. The Bulldogs were crippled on their next ownership, and when the Devils retook command, Franklin Jones glided across the goal line once again. Replacement kicker Rontae Norman picked up his first and only extra point on the play. Norman replaced Devil regular Vance Tarver, who sprained his ankle during practice. The Bulldogs forced hard on their next ownership, but finally having to punt, kicked a short one into the visitor's stands, blindsiding cheerleaders and giving fans a start. Seconds later, a nice completion by junior Red Devil quarterback Austin Goldman to senior wide receiver Alex Bradford set the framework for another Red Devil touchdown made by Beale. GMC picked up their only serious piece of real estate of the evening when they regained control. The yardage came after the Devils were charged with a 15-yard penalty. "That's the best gain they've had all night," said a Red Devil fan. Red Devil fans were vocal on the next Lincoln possession about some apparent confusion on the part of the officials, who may have miscalled a down. "They gypped us out of a down!" yelled fans. The Devils soon turned over the ball but kept the Dogs in check as time ran out on the first half. GMC school officials opted to host the Devil Pride Band on the field before the game so that the senior Bulldogs could be recognized during halftime at the team's final game of the regular season. GMC's next possession was lengthy as flags and close plays abounded. The extra time gave the announcer time to raffle off homemade cakes and show excessive enthusiasm at each Bulldog first down. His fervor was reminiscent of that of the announcer's at Aquinas earlier in the season. Rest assured, if you're not a Red Devil, achieving that elusive first down means just a little bit more. Despite heavy pressure on the Devils' next possession, Darrell Norman almost immediately ran in his second long touchdown, the team's fifth and final. A fisticuffs almost erupted after an unspoken disagreement between junior Devils defensive lineman Tony Wells and Dog junior Michael Eubanks felt fuel in GMC's next struggle. The Bulldogs were finally forced to punt after Scott threw a hard incompletion to Medlin. Dogs Mark Chapman and Ben Prestwood brought pressure against the Devils on their next to last ownership and Lincoln fumbled, giving GMC their last opportunity as the clock ticked down. After a fourth down incompletion intended for senior Bulldog Branan Dennard, the Dogs turned the ball over and time ran out soon thereafter. GMC's passing game suffered throughout the contest, and their ground game was transparently twodimensional, as Scott chose more often than not to get the ball to senior Matt McGhee. No passing game plus a stagnated ground game equals and disastrous contest and, in GMC's case, season. Lincoln County now sets its sights on a second-straight Class A state championship, with the playoffs beginning this week. Campbell understands that his team must work to prepare for another Bulldog team, that of Trion High School. Game time will change to 7pm next week when the Red Devils meet the Trion Bulldogs at home for round one of the Class A playoffs. GHSAset playoff ticket price will be eight dollars. |
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