DeKalb County’s Cedar Grove High Saints advance to semifinals, Stephenson + Columbia fall

By Mark Brock

DCSD Athletics Specialist

The No. 2 ranked Cedar Grove High Saints defeated 28-14 win over the No. 3 ranked Mary Persons Bulldogs in the Class 3A quarterfinal matchup at Mary Persons on Friday, Nov. 24.

Junior receiver Devin Carter played a role in two third quarter touchdowns that propelled the Saints to victory.

The Bulldogs (11-2) knotted the game at 14-14, following a successful onside kick to open the second half. The Saints (8-5) defense had held on a fourth-down play with an interception in the end zone but got called for two 15-yard penalties on the play to give the Bulldogs a first and goal at the Saints six-yard line.

Cedar Grove’s defense forced a fourth and goal at the five, but Mary Persons quarterback Mac Nelson managed to get the ball to a tightly covered Gavin Martin in the end zone for the touchdown. Ryan Bankston’s extra point kick knotted the game with 7:14 to play in the third quarter.

Mary Persons went to the well again with another onside kick, but Lamarcus Parks recovered for the Saints and returned it eight yards to the Bulldog 34.

Cedar Grove didn’t waste time after a two-yard run by Bo Walker EJ Colson dropped back and threw down the middle to a streaking Devin Carter who made a nice over the shoulder catch and tumbled into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown with 6:30 to play in the quarter. Alex Brock knocked through the extra point kick to make it 21-14.

The Saints then turned the tables on Mary Persons by kicking a bouncing onside kick to recover at the Bulldogs’ 44-yard line to set up another short scoring drive. Walker sprinted through a hole on the right side for 31-yard gain to the 13 on a second and 10 play.

A false start penalty put the Saints in a third and goal at the seven when they pulled trick out of the book. Colson tossed to Carter coming from the right side and he pulled up and threw a pass over a defender to Jordan Christie for the touchdown. Brock hit the PAT again to make it 28-14 with 2:51 left in the quarter.

The Bulldogs threatened on their next drive as a pair of pass interference penalties on the Saints aided them moving to the Saints 24. A third down pass was intercepted by Malachi Miller and Cedar Grove had the ball at their own seven with 11:47 to play.

Cedar Grove kept the football for the next nine minutes and 22 seconds of the game before turning the ball over on downs at the Bulldog 31.

A sack of Nelson for a seven-yard loss by Cedar Grove defensive lineman Chase Kerns forced Mary Persons to turn the ball over on downs and the Saints ran out the remainder of the time for the win.

Mary Persons scored first on the opening drive of the game with Najeh Reese taking it in from the one on fourth and goal. Bankston hit the PAT.

Cedar Grove answered with Colson connecting with Carter on a pass across the middle for a 50-yard gain and a half a distance penalty that put the ball on the Bulldog three. Walker took it the rest of the way for the touchdown but the PAT was blocked and Cedar Grove trailed 7-6.

Late in the second quarter the Bulldogs were backed up on their own nine and went to the air where Cedar Grove’s Lakhi Roland intercepted at the 35 and returned it to the four. Walker finished it off with a four-yard run into the end zone with 3:14 left in the first half. Colson dropped back and took off up the middle to get the two-point conversion to make it 14-7 at the half.

Besides the two scoring drives (66 yards of offense) by the Bulldogs that were aided by penalties the Saints allowed just 66 more yards of total offense for the game and piled up 11 plays they held Mary Persons to negative gains.

Walker finished the night with 121 yards on 17 carries and two touchdowns. Colson threw for 118 yards and a touchdown while Carter finished with four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown to go with his touchdown pass to Jordan Christie.

The Saints move into the semifinals for a third consecutive season and face No. 1 ranked Calvary Day Cavaliers (13-0) at Godfrey Stadium on Friday night.

CLASS 4A 

The Stephenson Jaguars scored on the first drive of the game but would not get into the end zone again until the fourth quarter in a tough 34-20 loss to the Perry Panthers in the Class 4A quarterfinal game at Hallford Stadium on Friday night.

Stephenson (10-3) put together a 14-play, 73-yard drive to open the game that took over seven minutes off the first quarter clock to go up 7-0. Senior running back Devin Ingram went the final 10-yards to the end zone and Anthony Zelaya hit the point after to make it 7-0.

Ahmad Gordon’s one-yard run for a touchdown and Zach Peacock’s PAT tied the game at 7-7 with 4:59 to play in the second quarter.

The Jaguars were driving deep inside Perry territory when the Panthers forced and pounced on a fumble to get the football back. Ginn then hit Korry Pettigrew for a 54-yard touchdown pass play with 18 seconds left in the half to give Perry the lead for good at 14-7.

Perry extended the lead on the second play of the second half with a 67-yard toss to Kiel Sparks and then added two Peacock 19-yard field goals to go up 27-7 heading into the fourth quarter.

Stephenson got back on the board in the fourth as Devin Ingram refused to go down knocking a pair of would-be tacklers out of his way on a 24-yard run. Zelaya closed the gap to 27-14.

Perry answered with a 13-yard touchdown run by Gordon to go up 34-14. Marte Barton scored on a three-yard run with 3:06 to play to pull the Jaguars within 34-20.

Perry recovered the onside kick attempt and ran out the clock to seal the win.

CLASS 2A 

A big comeback by the Columbia Eagles came up short against Cook in a 23-20 loss in a Class 3A quarterfinal road game at Cook.

Cook used some Eagles miscues to score using a short field on the way to an early 20-0 advantage. One big play was a 38-yard fumble return by Cook’s Reshauld Tippins.

The Eagles made it 20-8 at the half as Cameron Graves connected with Jadan Baugh on a 16-yard touchdown pass play. Graves then hit Jaleel Baugh for the two-point conversion.

Jadan Baugh got loose on a 52-yard touchdown run with 7:49 left in the third quarter to close the gap to 20-14. Cook answered with a 20-yard field goal by Brooks Moore to go up 23-14 with 1:46 left in the third period.

Baugh came up big again following a turnover by Cook at the Columbia 10. Baugh took the ball 90 yards to the house to pull the Egles within 23-20 with 8:23 to play.

Columbia (9-4) was driving at the Cook 24 late in the game when Tippins came up with an interception to put the game away for Cook (11-2).

DCSD FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RESULTS

Friday, Nov. 24

HALLFORD STADIUM

CLASS 4A

Perry (11-2) 34, Stephenson (10-3) 20

AWAY

CLASS 3A

Cedar Grove (8-5) 28, Mary Persons (11-2) 14

CLASS 2A

Cook (11-2) 23, Columbia (9-4) 20

DCSD FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

CLASS 3A STATE SEMIFINALS

GODFREY STADIUM 

Calvary Day (13-0) vs. Cedar Grove (8-5), 7:30 pm  

Story and photos by Mark Brock, DeKalb County School District Athletics Specialist.