Football: Wildcats snap "Battle of Barrow" losing skid with 7-6 ...

Apalachee head football coach Tony Lotti could barely catch his breath — or swallow — in the mayhem and ecstasy of it all Friday night. After taking a couple of long swigs of water in between hugs and doing a couple of television interviews, he finally got to address his team, which had just beaten rival Winder-Barrow for the first time in six years, 7-6 in an overtime thriller at R. Harold Harrison Stadium.
“Boys, I’m getting too old for this,” Lotti exclaimed, before sending the Wildcats and their fans sprinting for the victory bell behind the near end zone.
For the second straight game at home, the Wildcats went to overtime. For the second straight game, they fell behind in the extra period when the Bulldoggs scored on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jhaydon Sullivan to Aaron Bagley. For the second straight game, the opponent missed the extra-point attempt when Winder-Barrow kicker Harlin Brown pushed his kick to the right.
And for the second straight game, the Wildcats faced a do-or-die fourth-down play and delivered. Backup quarterback Todd Jones rolled out to his right and heaved the ball toward the end zone. Junior receiver Hayden Goss came down with it for the tying score and Carlos Rodriguez knocked the point-after attempt through the uprights, snapping a five-game losing skid against the Bulldoggs and handing the Wildcats (3-3, 1-0 GHSA Region 8-AAAAAA) their first three-game win streak since 2012.
Rodriguez’s teammates hoisted him on their shoulders and carried him toward midfield. Goss was mobbed by family, friends and fans, clamoring for pictures.
“This is amazing. Words can’t even explain this feeling right now,” Goss said. “I’m just glad we could take this one home.”
After both teams, which entered the game with offenses struggling to consistently scored points, failed to score on a wet surface during regulation, the Bulldoggs got the ball first in overtime. After a two-yard loss, on second down, Sullivan looked downfield, couldn’t find an open receiver in the end zone, but checked down to Bagley in the flat, and Jackson fought off a couple of Wildcat defenders and found his way into the end zone.
Down 6-0, the Wildcats got a 10-yard pass from Jones to Jonathan Ocampo down to the Winder-Barrow 5-yard line to set up 1st-and-goal. Two plays later, they appeared to tie the game when Tauheed Ferguson took a misdirection handoff and scooted around the left end across the goal line untouched, but the Wildcats were called for a holding penalty that backed them up to the 11. A delay of game, a sack and an illegal procedure penalty eventually led them to the 4th-and-goal situation at the 22, setting up Jones’ and Goss’ heroics.
It was a triumphant return to the field for the sophomore Jones, who entered the season splitting time with junior AJ Forbing, but was sidelined after the season opener with a broken collar bone. Forbing had to exit Friday’s game in the third quarter with an ankle injury but, despite the rust, Jones was sharp, finishing 4-of-5 for 45 yards.
Jones “hasn’t been able to practice at all. He just started last week,” Lotti said. “I’m just so proud of his toughness. And I’m proud of how, as a team, we continue to stay together. And we’ve still got a long way to go, but I’ll tell you what; we’re on the right road.”
The Wildcats continued to excel on defense as they kept the opposing offense off the scoreboard in regulation for a third straight game. The only points the Wildcats have allowed over the last 12 regulation quarters came two weeks ago when Walnut Grove returned a fumble for a touchdown on special teams.
“Our defense is playing very well,” Lotti said. “It’s kind of bend, don’t break right now. We’ve got a lot of things to fix but they’re playing great. My hat’s off to (Winder-Barrow head coach Ed Dudley). His played hard and I obviously wish them the very best.”
The Bulldoggs (2-4, 0-1) entered Friday’s game sporting a strong defense of their own. And despite losing star defensive end Logan Cash to an apparent ankle sprain in the first half, they limited Apalachee’s scoring chances.
The Wildcats’ best opportunity came late in the second quarter when they started at their own 13 before moving their way to the Winder-Barrow 18 — the key play a 33-yard halfback pass from AJ Millbrooks to Matthew Chavis. But Forbing was sacked for an 11-yard loss back at the 29 and was brought down again on a bad snap on the final play of the first half.
Still, Winder-Barrow’s offensive struggles also continued. The Bulldoggs started out promisingly, starting the game with the ball at their 35 and marching 60 yards down to the Apalachee 5 on 14 plays. But a 22-yard field goal attempt by Brown missed. The Bulldoggs had another chance to take a 3-0 lead midway through the third quarter when Brown lined up for a 43-yard try, but the Wildcats blocked the kick to keep the game scoreless.
Both teams will be back in region action next week as the Bulldoggs host Lanier (4-2, 1-0) and the Wildcats travel to Dacula (4-2, 1-0).
While Lotti was preparing to look ahead to the challenge of facing the two-time defending region champion Falcons, he was still soaking in the atmosphere of a potentially program-altering win for a team that is seeking to snap a nine-year postseason drought.
“I’ve been fortunate to be a part of some great wins, with kids that, whether nobody felt they deserved to be there or had a chance, pulled out wins that nobody could have seen,” said Lotti, who, prior to coming to Apalachee, spent six seasons turning West Hall into a perennial playoff contender. “I equate (the back-to-back come-from-behind overtime wins) to the first time we reached our goal (of a playoff appearance and region title) at West Hall and the look on those people’s faces.
“All I want to do is work as hard as I can. I’m surrounded by a great coaching staff that I was able to bring in. I love this staff and how hard they work, and they did a great job of preparing these kids.”
And as Goss bluntly put it, the kids have bought in.
“He’s an amazing coach,” Goss said of Lotti. “He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to Apalachee. I’ll tell you that.”
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W 0 0 0 0 6 — 6
A 0 0 0 0 7 — 7
W—Jhaydon Sullivan 17 pass to Aaron Bagley (Kick failed)
A—Todd Jones 22 pass to Hayden Goss (Carlos Rodriguez kick)