DOWN & OUT
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COVINGTON — In the end, Git Aiken proved to be too much for the Carrollton High School football team, which rallied from a dismal first half to lead 13-5 in the third quarter before Aiken helped host Eastside make a comeback of its own for a 20-13 second-round Class AAA state playoff win on Friday night at Homer Sharp Stadium.
Aiken had 154 yards rushing and a touchdown on 20 carries to lead the home team to a state quarterfinal date with Jackson next Friday, as the Eagles beat the Trojans in the second round in Covington for the second year in a row.
“I just kind of felt like (Aiken) kind of took the game over,” Trojan coach Rayvan Teague said. “He just refused to go down, and we had a hard time tackling him.”
The Carrollton offense struggled to 43 yards on 23 plays in the opening half before a pair of touchdown drives that accounted for 140 yards in the third helped the Trojans (10-2) turn a 5-0 halftime deficit into a 13-5 edge heading into the final 12 minutes.
Carrollton sophomore Telvin Brown, who had 56 yards rushing on five carries for the night, was instrumental in both drives, tallying a 23-yard run on the first one and returning a punt 49 yards to give the Trojans great field position to start their second scoring drive.
Carrollton’s scores came on a 3-yard run from Louis Hudson, who had a team-high 68 rushing yards, and a 1-yard A.J. Barge run. After a missed two-point conversion on their first score, the Trojans got an extra point from Joel Smith on their second touchdown.
“We decided at halftime we’re going to come out here and do what we do offensively, and that was run and mix it up — inside, outside,” Teague said. “Had a very good second half. Those two drives were very, very good.”
But it was Aiken’s 39-yard run on the next-to-last play of the third quarter that put his team back across midfield, as Eastside (10-2) would eventually cap a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard Greg Griffieth touchdown run with 7:46 remaining in the contest.
“That just showed our guys that we could still do it,” Eagle coach Rick Hurst said of Aiken’s 39-yard run. “You know, anytime you put it in his hands, he’s got a chance to make a play. And you see what kind of player he is.”
When Aiken ran in for the two-point conversion to tie the game 13-13, much of Carrollton’s momentum was gone. And after a three-and-out by the Trojans, the Eagles were back in business again.
“We got the momentum. We thought we had the game,” said Trojan senior fullback Preston Brooks, who rushed for 45 yards on five carries — all in the second half. “You just never know what’s going to happen. Their offense started clicking, and they got things working.”
This time the home team took 5:16 off the clock as it went 54 yards in nine plays to go ahead — highlighted by a 33-yard pass from Aiken to Jerome Ivey and finished by a 1-yard Aiken scoring run that with the extra point made it 20-13 with 47.7 seconds left in the game.
“We played very well defensively in the first half, and in the second half those last two drives we just couldn’t stop them for whatever reason,” Teague said. “Credit to them and (Aiken). He’s a great football player, you know. But our kids never gave up and played extremely hard.”
On the fourth play of the ensuing drive, Carrollton was down to a make-or-break play to keep the game going on a 4th-and-8 from its own 32. That’s when Barge threw the ball high down the right sideline to his brother, sophomore wide receiver Josh Barge, who came down with the ball for a 33-yard gain to the Eagle 35.
A.J. Barge had been impressed with his brother’s jump-ball abilities dating back to even summer workouts, and he gave him a shot to make a play.
“Usually my brother would bring down anything (in the summer),” A.J. Barge said. “I knew he was going to make the catch.”
Brooks said the play embodied the heart the Trojans showed in battling back.
“That just shows that we never give up, and we had a lot of heart (Friday),” Brooks said. “And we put ourselves in a position to win it, and I’m proud of that.”
Two plays later, A.J. Barge hit senior wide receiver J.R. Freeland for an 11-yard gain to the 24, and the Trojans called a timeout to set up a play to try to tie the contest.
But on the game’s final play, Eastside senior free safety Zac Johnston picked off A.J. Barge and returned the ball about 25 yards before being tackled as time ran out.
Teague said the final drive was emblematic of how his team battled all season long.
“We were like that all year. I mean, we just never gave up. We had the ability to go down (the field). Josh has made big catches. A.J.’s made big throws,” Teague said. “We did everything right going down there and had a chance at the end. That’s all you can ask.”
Aiken had 154 yards rushing and a touchdown on 20 carries to lead the home team to a state quarterfinal date with Jackson next Friday, as the Eagles beat the Trojans in the second round in Covington for the second year in a row.
“I just kind of felt like (Aiken) kind of took the game over,” Trojan coach Rayvan Teague said. “He just refused to go down, and we had a hard time tackling him.”
The Carrollton offense struggled to 43 yards on 23 plays in the opening half before a pair of touchdown drives that accounted for 140 yards in the third helped the Trojans (10-2) turn a 5-0 halftime deficit into a 13-5 edge heading into the final 12 minutes.
Carrollton sophomore Telvin Brown, who had 56 yards rushing on five carries for the night, was instrumental in both drives, tallying a 23-yard run on the first one and returning a punt 49 yards to give the Trojans great field position to start their second scoring drive.
Carrollton’s scores came on a 3-yard run from Louis Hudson, who had a team-high 68 rushing yards, and a 1-yard A.J. Barge run. After a missed two-point conversion on their first score, the Trojans got an extra point from Joel Smith on their second touchdown.
“We decided at halftime we’re going to come out here and do what we do offensively, and that was run and mix it up — inside, outside,” Teague said. “Had a very good second half. Those two drives were very, very good.”
But it was Aiken’s 39-yard run on the next-to-last play of the third quarter that put his team back across midfield, as Eastside (10-2) would eventually cap a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard Greg Griffieth touchdown run with 7:46 remaining in the contest.
“That just showed our guys that we could still do it,” Eagle coach Rick Hurst said of Aiken’s 39-yard run. “You know, anytime you put it in his hands, he’s got a chance to make a play. And you see what kind of player he is.”
When Aiken ran in for the two-point conversion to tie the game 13-13, much of Carrollton’s momentum was gone. And after a three-and-out by the Trojans, the Eagles were back in business again.
“We got the momentum. We thought we had the game,” said Trojan senior fullback Preston Brooks, who rushed for 45 yards on five carries — all in the second half. “You just never know what’s going to happen. Their offense started clicking, and they got things working.”
This time the home team took 5:16 off the clock as it went 54 yards in nine plays to go ahead — highlighted by a 33-yard pass from Aiken to Jerome Ivey and finished by a 1-yard Aiken scoring run that with the extra point made it 20-13 with 47.7 seconds left in the game.
“We played very well defensively in the first half, and in the second half those last two drives we just couldn’t stop them for whatever reason,” Teague said. “Credit to them and (Aiken). He’s a great football player, you know. But our kids never gave up and played extremely hard.”
On the fourth play of the ensuing drive, Carrollton was down to a make-or-break play to keep the game going on a 4th-and-8 from its own 32. That’s when Barge threw the ball high down the right sideline to his brother, sophomore wide receiver Josh Barge, who came down with the ball for a 33-yard gain to the Eagle 35.
A.J. Barge had been impressed with his brother’s jump-ball abilities dating back to even summer workouts, and he gave him a shot to make a play.
“Usually my brother would bring down anything (in the summer),” A.J. Barge said. “I knew he was going to make the catch.”
Brooks said the play embodied the heart the Trojans showed in battling back.
“That just shows that we never give up, and we had a lot of heart (Friday),” Brooks said. “And we put ourselves in a position to win it, and I’m proud of that.”
Two plays later, A.J. Barge hit senior wide receiver J.R. Freeland for an 11-yard gain to the 24, and the Trojans called a timeout to set up a play to try to tie the contest.
But on the game’s final play, Eastside senior free safety Zac Johnston picked off A.J. Barge and returned the ball about 25 yards before being tackled as time ran out.
Teague said the final drive was emblematic of how his team battled all season long.
“We were like that all year. I mean, we just never gave up. We had the ability to go down (the field). Josh has made big catches. A.J.’s made big throws,” Teague said. “We did everything right going down there and had a chance at the end. That’s all you can ask.”
As an old Trojan Myself who has landed back somewhat near the area and able to take in some games again when reason presents, I would like to take a moment and congratulate the whole team and coaching staff for a great season.
That said, Ten wins is quite an accomplishment in itself; We never did it, went 9-1 and didn’t even make the playoffs one year. My hats off in recognition of what this group of Trojans has seen fit to place on the Trojan mantle piece this year, forever known as “the greatest destruction of a Central High School football team in our playing history.” I actually thought FEMA might pay that school a visit on the following Monday.
That was fantastic and it sent out a beacon which called me back into high school football again.
Thanks guys it is great too be back as a Trojan, even if you’re just an old “Bonehead.”