CHATSWORTH, Ga. - As a coach, Josh Robinson knew his depleted football team would give its best in Monday night's Region 6-AAAA mini game play-in event.
As a human he could have understood if his Northwest Whitfield team had just wanted the season to be over. The Bruins, playing without their starting quarterback, running back and two receivers, surprised a large crowd at North Murray High School by earning the region's No. 3 seed.
"I'm really proud of our guys," Robinson said. "We've overcome so much this year and now we've made the playoffs three years in a row, which is a really big deal for these kids. It's never been done in the history of Northwest.
"These guys had every reason to quit but they didn't, which doesn't surprise me a bit."
Northwest used a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown by Seth Godfrey in the opening half of the first mini game with Pickens, then made a stop on what would have been the go-ahead two-point conversion in the second half to win 7-6.
That result earned the Bruins the third seed and a trip to Cedartown on Friday when Pickens rebounded to defeat Southeast Whitfield, 7-0, in game two. Since Northwest defeated Pickens in the regular season, the Bruins were awarded the higher seed.
Pickens will travel to top-ranked Cartersville on Friday, while Southeast's bid for a third trip to the playoffs in four seasons fell short.
Pickens dominated the stat sheet in game one, running 21 plays to seven for Northwest, and three of the Bruins' were kneel-downs to run the clock out. The Dragons gained 110 yards, but the game turned when their first drive stalled at their own 31, forcing a punt.
Godfrey made one man miss and raced up the right sideline untouched the rest of the way.
"After the first guy missed I saw my blockers seal the edge, and it was wide open," Godfrey said. "I guess I just wanted to stay in on defense. There was no reason to play offense, so I just took it all the way.
"It's great, indescribable. To come out here after so much has happened means a lot to us."
Northwest got the ball first in the second half, but freshman quarterback Matthew Redmond's third-down pass was intercepted, setting Pickens up at its own 46.
Quarterback Jacob Brumby moved the Dragons down the field, hitting four consecutive passes, and running back C.J. Streicher capped the drive with a 9-yard TD run with 47 seconds to play. Pickens coach Chris Parker kept his offense on the field, a strategy that looked even better when the Bruins jumped offside twice, moving the ball to the 1.
Streicher took a snap in the shotgun formation and bulled into the pile at right guard, but Northwest's line, led by senior Jon Tant, stood him up to seal the win.
"We felt they would run that play, but I didn't think he would keep it front side," Robinson said. "But he did and our guys stuck their noses in there and made a play. I don't blame Pickens for trying to win the game, but our guys found a way to make it happen. Whatever it takes, just find a way to win."
The Dragons shook the disappointment off quickly against Southeast, taking the opening kickoff and marching 72 yards in 10 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Brumby hit Alex Snelgrove for 36 yards on the first play before the ground game took over. Streicher capped the drive with a 1-yard run with 59 seconds left.
Southeast moved to the Pickens 40, but with 10 seconds to go quarterback Porter Johnson's pass was intercepted. The Raiders took the second-half kickoff and moved to the 48 before Murphy Flood ripped off 29 yards to the 18. However, three plays netted only 7 yards and the Dragons held when Johnson's fourth-down pass was errant.
They effectively ran out all but six seconds of the two minutes remaining before punting. Southeast got off one play before the game ended.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.