Sonoraville quarterback Cody Long (31) and the Phoenix lost 43-10 to Westside-Augusta in the second round of the Georgia Class AAA state playoffs Friday.WESTSIDE-AUGUSTA 43, SONORAVILLE 10
Star: Westside quarterback Savion Knowlton rushed for 148 yards and three touchdowns and passed for two TDs.Up next: Westside will travel to Cedar Grove in the Class AAA quarterfinals.
CALHOUN, Ga. - Jim Kremer knew his football team needed its A-plus game to stay with a powerful and fast Westside of Augusta squad Friday night in the GHSA Class AAA second-round playoffs.
What the Sonoraville coach saw in a 43-10 loss was, obviously, not what he had hoped. After more than holding their own early, the Phoenix committed four turnovers, lost a decisive battle up front and could not handle Westside quarterback Savion Knowlton.
The elusive junior ran for 148 of the team's 222 rushing yards, scored three times and was 9-of-13 passing for 93 yards and two more scores as the 9-3 Region 2 No. 4 seed continued its Cinderella run.
"We knew coming in we would have to play our best ball on the offensive and defensive lines," Kremer said after watching the Seminoles rack up 13 tackles for loss. "They were very, very physical and they came out in the third quarter and took care of business. We're going to get it back in the weightroom and continue to grow so we can play against teams like that."
It was Sonoraville (8-4), though, that controlled the trenches early, twice driving deep into Seminoles territory in the first quarter. However, the drives netted only a 29-yard Kevin Villatoro field goal.
After a long Knowlton run led to a tying field goal to end the first quarter, the first Sonoraville turnover proved costly. After recovering a fumble at their own 4, the Seminoles used three Knowlton completions to take a 9-3 lead, the last one 25 yards to elite prospect Steve Dolphus for the touchdown.
A failed fake punt was sniffed out on the next Sonoraville drive, setting Westside up at the 42. The huge Seminoles front then started getting its way, leading to runs of 10, 13 and 10 yards before Knowlton scored from the 2 for a 15-3 halftime lead.
"We shot ourselves in the foot early," Kremer said. "We were on their plus side three or four times and got only a field goal, and against a team like that playing on the road you have to get more than that and put pressure on them."
The game got away quickly in the second half as the visitors scored on each of their four possessions. A 26-yard Knowlton pass to Gerimie Mitchell made it 22-3 midway through the third quarter, and after a three-and-out the Seminoles scored twice in 14 seconds on a Knowlton 3-yard run and a fumble return.
Kremer praised his seniors. "This program finally got a chance to experience the second round of the playoffs, and hopefully we can get better and reach another level," he said. "Right now I've got to say goodbye to 20 seniors, who are licking their wounds. They made the playoffs three years in a row, won the first playoff game in school history and for a half played with a really good football team.
"There's a lot to be proud of."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.