Published: 12:35 AM, Sat Nov 28, 2009
Critical turnovers doom Gray's Creek as season ends
By Jaclyn Shambaugh
Correspondent
Southern Nash 13, Gray's Creek 7
Gray's Creek's turnovers proved costly in their 3-AA sectional playoff game against Southern Nash on Friday.
The Bears turned the ball over four times, a better number than the Firebirds' seven.
But Gray's Creek's turnovers were at critical times, denying the Bears a chance to overcome the Firebirds in a 13-7 season-ending loss.
Trailing by six with 5:16 left to play, the Bears charged from their own 29-yard line to the Firebird 4, aided by passes for 29 and 39 yards to Quintel Burden from Caleb McNeill, his only two completions of the game.
But on a second-and-goal chance at the 4-yard line, McNeill's handoff to running back Devonte Cooley was fumbled and fallen on by tackle Garry Tharrington for Southern Nash.
The Bears (11-3) earned a second chance to score less than a minute later when a three-and-out situation forced the Firebirds (11-2) to punt from their own 10.
The Bears started their final drive of the game from the Southern Nash 42, but could gain no more than two yards before facing a fourth-and-eight.
On the Bears' final play, a double reverse returned the ball to McNeill's hands. The sophomore hurled the ball to Ryan Davis, who faced single coverage from Firebird defender Andrew Gehring.
Gehring won the battle in the air, landing with the ball on the Southern Nash 2-yard line with 56.8 seconds left to play, which the Firebirds ran off easily.
Bears head coach David Lovette said he was surprised to find the defender so close to Davis.
"Actually, he didn't bite on that play as much as I thought he would," Lovette said. "I think we've only run that play two or three times in the four years I've been here."
The Bears' ground game faced a tough contest from the Firebirds, who sealed holes in the defensive line to keep the Gray's Creek rushers at bay.
Davis' four first-half carries left him with minus-13 yards and Devonte Cooley rushed for 43 yards on eight carries.
Davis and Cooley both entered the game with over 1,000 yards rushing.
Cooley ended the night with 47 yards on 15 carries. Davis salvaged 19 yards on nine carries.
Justin Estes was the team's second-leading rusher, although the senior's only run came on a botched punt-attempt that he turned into 21-yard game and first down.
"They obviously controlled the line of scrimmage," Lovette said. "And if you do that, you have the advantage."
McNeill was 0-for-7 with an interception in the first half, and the Bears' offense gained 33 yards on the ground.
The quarterback finished the night with two completions for 68 yards and two interceptions.
On the other side of the ball, the Firebirds took advantage of a Bears defense that was without Roman Gutierrez after just two minutes of play.
The senior was ejected from the game during an altercation between players after the Bears' fourth play.
"They said he threw a punch," Lovette said.
Gutierrez, the team's third-leading tackler, entered the game with 111 tackles.
Tracey Coppedge gained 106 of his game-high 148 rushing yards in the first half, carring the ball 12 times and scoring the half's only touchdown on a 12-yard run with 4:38 remaining in the second quarter.
The Bears tied the game early in the third quarter.
Coppedge fumbled the ball on the Firebirds' first play of the half just inside their own territory.
Bears linebacker William McLaughlin picked up the ball and carried it 56 yards for the Bears' only score of the game.
Stephen Nalls' point-after tied the game at 7-all with 10:16 left in the third.
The Firebirds answered in the decisive quarter, capping an eight-play drive with a 7-yard run by Terron Huffman.
Huffman finished with 112 yards on 23 carries.
Bears defenders Damon Herring and Justin Estes blocked Lawerence Sandifer's extra-point attempt, giving Gray's Creek a glimmer of hope before the Bears' final two drives of the season ended in turnovers.