Prep Football: East Coweta falls in heartbreaker
From Staff Reports
sports@newnan.com
PHENIX CITY, Ala. —The East Coweta Indians trip across the state line in Alabama ended in heartbreak Friday night, as they fell to the Central-Phenix City Red Devils, 33-31 at Garrett Harrison Stadium.
East Coweta led for all but 2:28 of the second half in a back-and-forth game that had teams combining for 30 points in a wild fourth quarter finish.
East Coweta has now lost games to opponents with a combined record of 15-4 this season. The Indians won’t open Region 3-AAAAAA play until Oct. 12 in a trip to 0-5 Westlake.
On Friday, Indians senior tailback Dee Godfrey scored three times, including a final 2-yard touchdown on a run off left tackle with 4:22 remaining that gave East Coweta a final 31-28 lead. Bryce Gemmel’s long throw to senior receiver Wyatt Potter set the Indians up at the 4-yard line just seconds earlier.
Central responded, however, with a final scoring drive of its own to answer back a final time. A long kickoff return set the Red Devils up at the Indians 45-yard line. A short pass was then turned into a 30-plus yard gain to put Central inside the EC 10 before Ryan Humphrey scored the eventual game-winner from 2-yards out.
East Coweta’s final drive, which started after Nigel Gay’s long kickoff return, was halted with help from an offensive pass interference call that pushed the Indians backwards.
The Indians took a 14-13 lead into halftime after touchdowns from Godfrey and Weylin Orr on separate 2-yard runs. A missed extra point by Central in the second quarter helped the Indians keep the lead at the break.
Godfrey led the Indians ground game finding the end zone two more times in the second half to cap his three-touchdown night.
East Coweta’s special teamers later blocked a final kick to give the team a chance to win it with a potential field goal on a night where senior kicker Spencer Smith connected on a 25-yarder to push the Indians ahead again 24-21 early in the fourth quarter.
But East Coweta was outscored 20-10 in the final 12 minutes despite forcing two Central turnovers. The Red Devils finished with 596 yards of total offense.
SCORING SUMMARY – Central-Phenix City 33, East Coweta 31
East Coweta 7 7 7 10 — 31
Central-Phenix City 7 6 0 20 — 33
1st Quarter
EC — Demarcus Godfrey 2 run (Spencer Smith kick), 9:35
C — Traveon Samuel 4 run (Chandler Chancellor kick), 7:10
2nd Quarter
C — Samuel 38 run (kick failed), 2:22
EC — Weylin Orr 2 run (Smith kick), :47
3rd Quarter
EC — Godfrey 1 run (Smith kick), 5:19
4th Quarter
C — Samuel 26 run (Kenneth Thomas run), 11:46
EC — Spencer Smith 25 field goal, 8:07
C — Samuel 65 run (kick failed), 6:37
EC -- Godfrey 2 run (Smith kick), 4:22
C — Ryan Humphrey 2 run (kick blocked), 2:28
