The Bowdon High School football team was down 21-0 against defending state champion Wesleyan in Friday’s 34-28 overtime loss in the second round of the Class A state playoffs and could have easily faded away and been blown out. But after getting on the board with their first touchdown, everything changed for the Red Devils (10-2).

“Our defense started playing much better,” Bowdon coach Dwight Hochstetler said. “And offensively we did a much better job.”

And against a team that Hochstetler said is probably one of the best the Red Devils have played in a long time, Bowdon fought all the way back to tie the game 28-28 when senior quarterback Avery Cheeks ran three yards for a score as time expired and then hit senior tight end Seth Key for the two-point conversion that sent the game to overtime.

While the offense put up enough points to come back, Hochstetler said his defense’s improvement in the second half opened the door for his team to have a chance at the end.

“I thought the second half our defense really, really did a good job shutting them down,” Hochstetler said.

The 22nd-year Red Devil coach also credited his team’s linemen, who battled well against the Wolves’ bigger players.

“Their line of scrimmage was so much bigger and stronger than ours,” Hochstetler said. “Our kids fought hard.”

After a missed Bowdon field goal in overtime, Wesleyan scored the winning touchdown to head back to the state quarterfinals as it continues its pursuit of back-to-back state titles.

Hochstetler said his coaching staff came up with a great game plan, which his players executed. It was a gratifying effort for the coach, even in defeat.

“We showed up and left it all on the field,” Hochstetler said. “That’s all you can ask.”



Milestone year

For Hochstetler, it was a year of milestones in 2009. He coached his 400th game at Walker on Oct. 30, won his 300th at Gordon Lee on Oct. 9 and earned his 200th victory with the Red Devils on Nov. 6 against Bremen.

He prefers the credit go to his players and assistant coaches, though, and is grateful to still be coaching.

“I’m just proud just to still be around and coaching,” Hochstetler said. “I really enjoy it.”

He said this year’s group had a special quality.

“This team was such a pleasure to coach,” Hochstetler said. “Our goal is to get better each week. They did that.”

And as any coach loves to see his guys do, the Red Devils finished the season playing their best ball.

“Our kids peaked at the right time,” Hochstetler said. “And, you know, it’s just a shame we just came up short.”



Trojans disappointed, yet proud

Though it ended much earlier than any players or coaches associated with Carrollton would have wanted it to in a 20-13 second-round Class AAA state playoff loss at Eastside on Friday, the 2009 season will still be one to remember, players and coaches said.

Trojan coach Rayvan Teague said a few years ago he had so many question marks about how this season’s group might shape up, but Carrollton (10-2) ended up winning 10 games.

“For them to come out here as seniors and put together a 10-2 year, that’s pretty awesome,” Teague said.

The coach said it was a product of plenty of hard work year-by-year during both the offseason and the season.

“It’s been a wonderful senior class. The time and effort that these kids put in year-in and year-out is unbelievable,” Teague said. “I think they play above and beyond their own potential so many times. Real proud of that.”

And for junior quarterback A.J. Barge, though the on-field success this season was enjoyable, perhaps his favorite part of the season was the way the team clicked even when the guys weren’t on the field.

“I haven’t been with a group of guys like this in a long time, and I love them all,” Barge said. “They’re my brothers.”



Eyes on next year

The Trojans will absorb heavy losses along the offensive line due to graduation, but Barge should still have a solid group of playmakers to distribute the ball to next season.

Teague said making sure the line of scrimmage improves for his team will be vital to coming back strong in 2010.

“We’ve just really got to get in the weight room and get bigger, faster, stronger,” Teague said.

And for Barge, who wasn’t able to play in Carrollton’s 2008 playoff loss at Eastside but almost led the Trojans to a tying score late in Friday’s contest, losing in the second round again can only serve to fuel his fire even more heading into his senior season.

“It’s a big (motivator) to come back next year and try to win it all,” Barge said.



Blue Devils proud of season’s progress

Bremen opened the season with back-to-back losses to Alexander and Central and saw its 2009 campaign end in Friday’s 21-0 loss against Holy Innocents’ in Atlanta.

But it was the improvement that happened in between the opening struggles and the final game that Blue Devil coach Ricky Tolleson will remember about this season.

“It took a lot of hard work to get where we got because we had a lot of injuries,” Tolleson said.

And with the high expectations the seniors faced because of the program’s recent string of region championships, Tolleson said his team impressed him even though it may not have won as many games as he or the players would have liked.

“They knew what was expected. Things...didn’t turn out the way we wanted them to turn out, but I tell you, we’re real proud of them,” Tolleson said. “And they came a long way to get where they got.”