Ridgeland loses

By Chase Wallace

Marietta Daily Journal

ACWORTH, Ga. — For the second straight week, Allatoona held on late to pull off a football upset, this time upending two-time defending Region 7-AAA champion Ridgeland 17-14.

Tied at the end of three quarters, Allatoona (2-0) found itself in a similar situation, a nail-biter in the fourth quarter.

Needing to score, junior Miles Jones broke off a 13-yard run for a first down. Stuffed on the next two plays, the Bucs called a pass play on third-and-9. Quarterback Jared Harris scrambled up the sideline and came up well short of the first down, but an unnecessary-roughness penalty gave Allatoona new life inside the 30.

Five plays later, senior kicker Brett Welborn split the uprights from 33 yards for the 17-14 lead with eight minutes to play.

Needing a defensive stand for the second straight week, the Bucs were up to the task. Kenny Padtha sniffed out screen on fourth-and-7 with 5:16 play.

Three plays and out on offense gave Ridgeland the ball back with under three minutes to play. Facing fourth and a mile, the Panthers tossed to running back Zach Clayton, who pulled up and found Devin Bowman wide open deep. Bowman caught it, then juggled, then fell to the ground.

“It was a great game. We played hard early and held on late,” Allatoona coach Gary Varner said. “I think this win puts us in a position where we belong with the rest of the guys in this region.”

When Varner’s offense came onto the field, his strategy was obvious. Miles Jones left, Miles Jones right. Six yards here, 10 yards there; mix in a few runs by T.J. Herron and cap it off with a Jared Harris score from 1 yard out for an 18-play, 98-yard drive that chewed 10:29 off the clock.

Jones scored on a 62-yard sprint on the next possession.

Coming out of halftime,, Ridgeland would not go silently. Clayton scored from 5 yards out to draw within a touchdown and from 29 yards to tie the game with three seconds left in the third quarter.

Clayton led Ridgeland with 94 yards and two touchdowns. Trey Stewart threw for 96 yards on 8-of-17 passing. Allatoona’s Jones had 158 yards on 29 carries.