Friday’s game between Apalachee High School and Loganville High School was a fan’s dream — and a defensive coach’s nightmare.
The Wildcats and Red Devils compiled 87 points and both offenses were unstoppable in the second half. AHS did not punt the entire game, scoring on each possession. Yet, the Wildcats still fell by three points as LHS scored the game-winner on an 8-yard run by quarterback Garrett Ford with three seconds left.
“I’ve never been involved in a game where we scored every time we had the football but still lost,” Wildcat head coach Shane Davis said.
The AHS defense held Loganville to seven points in the first half but the Red Devils turned things up several gears in the second half.
“We knew if they got rolling, they would be tough to stop,” Davis said. “As the year’s gone on, they have really improved. They are vey big up front and their quarterback runs their system well. Our defense did a good job in the first half. In the end, our defense was on the field a lot so I am proud of the effort we had.”
The Red Devils, who finished the season 5-5, moved in front 38-30 with 5:30 left. LHS set up the drive by recovering an onsides kick at the Apalachee 48-yard line.
The Wildcats pulled to within two points on Zay Henry’s 11-yard run with 3:27 left. Henry slipped while trying to convert the two-point conversion and AHS still trailed by two.
A fumble recovery, however, by Jody Mathis with 3:18 to play gave the Wildcats new life. Trying to run the clock down as much as possible, AHS moved in front 42-38 after Tanner fought in from six yards. It appeared LHS simply allowed Tanner to score as the Red Devils were possible looking to preserve as much time as possible.
LHS took possession at its 22-yard line and once again moved methodically down the field, picking up five first downs. Ford intentionally grounded the football on first and goal from eight. On second and goal, the quarterback raced to his right, dodge would-be Wildcat tacklers and just got into the endzone with three seconds left. Had Ford been tackled shy of the endzone, the game would have ended as the Red Devils were out of timeouts.
AHS opened the game with an 80-yard, 14-play drive capped by a 4-yard run by Alante Billings. Christian Vasquez’s point after kick was good for a 7-0 advantage.
The Wildcat defense then forced Loganville to punt after it had gained two first downs. AHS moved in front 13-0 on a 38-yard run by Henry with 9:07 left before halftime. This drive covered 93 yards and lasted 14 plays.
The Red Devils got on the scoreboard on a 24-yard run by Brandon Beck. LHS converted two fourth down plays on the drive.
The Wildcats added a field goal with 21 seconds left in the first half as Vasquez drilled a 30-yarder.
The real fun began in the second half as the teams scored 64 points in the final 24 minutes.
Only one possession by either team in the third and fourth quarters did not yield points.
