Through the years, I’ve seen more high school football games than I care to count.
This includes playoff games and state championship contests. I’ve seen some hotly contested games which have gone down to the wire.
However, I’m not sure I’ve been fortuante to witness anything like I saw last Friday night in Loganville when the host Red Devils and the Apalachee High School Wildcats locked horns in a Region 8-AAAA battle.
Going in, you knew the game was something special since two Atlanta television stations were there. Call it gut instinct, but I had a feeling this game was going to be a challenge for AHS, perhaps the toughest of the regular season for the Wildcats. Despite having two losses, the LHS Red Devils are a very solid team with plenty of offensive firepower.
“This just may very well be an old-fashioned football war,” I told someone approximately two hours before kickoff.
For once, my prediction turned out to be true.
On a night when true football weather arrived for the first time this season, AHS and LHS engaged in one for the ages. The Wildcats took early control only to see the Red Devils battle back behind a standout performance from a Division I-A caliber running back.
Not to be outdone, AHS was there to answer at every turn. It appeared the game was in hand when the Wildcats took a 35-27 lead with 1:31 left but no advantage was safe this night. LHS managed to tie the game and force overtime and that’s when things really got interesting.
John Ansley raced 15 yards into the endzone on Apalachee’s first play in overtime as the Wildcats took a seven point lead following Guy Hunt’s extra point kick.
Loganville was not finished, however. In three plays the Red Devils were in the end zone and I don’t think many people in the cold stadium were surprised when they lined up for a two-point conversion.
After both teams called a timeout, the game’s outcome was ready to be decided.
Everyone on the AHS sideline, myself included, held their breath as we hoped the Wildcat defense could make a play.
As it turned out, a play was made as the AHS defense stuffed Red Devil standout Storm Johnson and denied the two-point try to preserve the 42-41 win. The Wildcat sideline erupted into celebration as the players knew they had taken a big step closer to clinching a region title.
Fans poured out of the bleachers and joined in the celebration, much like you would see in a playoff game. While this was, in theory, a regular season contest, it had a playoff feel to it.
Games like the one last Friday are the reason I love high school football. Both teams left it all on the field and in the end, one team emerged with a dramatic victory. And when the school from your town wins, what more could you ask for?
I’m just now getting my breath back after that one. What a game. What a win. What a night.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. E-mail comments about this column to cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
