Missed chances doom East Coweta in loss
By DOUG GORMAN
dgorman@newnan.com
FAIRBURN — Turnovers are a football team’s worst nightmare. East Coweta found out the hard way.
The Indians shot themselves in the foot with five turnovers, including two in the second half in the red zone. It helped the Langston Hughes Panthers roll to a 28-14 win.
It’s the best start in school history for Langston Hughes. The Panthers only started football in 2009 and with a 6-2 overall record and a 3-0 mark in league play, this wil be the team’s first winning record.
The Indians dropped to 3-5 overall and 2-1 in the region.
The loss left East Coweta head coach Clint Wade searching for answers.
“We had a chance to win this football game and we just didn’t do it,” he told his teams just minutes before heading back to Sharpsburg,
With the Panthers leading 21-14, East Coweta moved the ball to the Langston Hughes 4 before giving the ball back on its second turnover of the second half.
Langston Hughes owned the momentum the rest of the way.
Throughout the game, East Coweta had its chances.
Quan Whatley stepped in front of a Kenny Moxey pass to kill a Panthers drive deep in East Coweta territory but the Indians were unable to convert. Bryce Gemmel’s 18-yard run put the ball in Langston Hughes’ territory, but the ball went back to the Panthers on downs after the Indians were unable to convert.
Seven players later, Keion Davis found the end zone on an 11-yard run for the go-ahead touchdown for the first of his two touchdowns. Davis added a 21-yard scamper midway in the fourth quarter for the Panthers final score.
Dee Godfey put the ball back in business when the returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to the Panthers 18.
However, the turnover bug took another bite out of East Coweta’s offense after fumbling one play later.
A missed field goal kept the Panthers off the scoreboard, but they added a second touchdown on Davis 21-yard run.
East Coweta drew first blood with 8:39 left in the first quarter.
The Indians’ first touchdown was set up following Nick Frasier's fumble recovery after East Coweta’s first drive stalled forcing a punt. One play later, Weylin Orr raced 39 yards for the East Coweta score.
It took the Panthers just one series to move 80 yards for the tying score.
Moxey led the Panthers on a six-play scoring drive. Mixing in the run and the pass, Langston Hughes capped the drive when the senior quarterback hit Devin Williams in the corner of the end zone on a seven-yard pass to tie the game.
East Coweta forced a turnover midway through the second quarter when Clifton Strong picked up the football and returned it to the Panthers’ 1. However, the Indians gave the ball right back on the play with their own fumble.
After a 15-yard personal foul by East Coweta helped the Panthers take over at the Indians 24, Moxley then completed a long third down play to Trevon Badger for a 64-yard touchdown with 5:17 left in the half.
East Coweta answered with a nice drive of its own, marching 76 yards in 13 plays for its second touchdown of the night. Markell Boston and Bryce Gemmel connected on an 18-yard pass on third down to kept the drive alive.
Two plays later, running back Dee Godfrey took the hand off and rolled to his left on a 21-yard touchdown scamper for the Indians.
East Coweta gets back in action next Friday with a game at Douglas County before closing out the regular season with rival Newnan.
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SCORING SUMMARY – Langston Hughes 28, East Coweta 14
East Coweta 7 7 0 0 —14
Langston Hughes 7 7 7 7 — 28
1st Quarter
EC — Weylin Orr 39 run (Spencer Smith kick), 8:39
LH — Kenny Moxey 7 pass to Devin Williams (Stephen Whitehead kick ), 6:16
2nd Quarter
LH — Moxey 64 pass to Trevon Badger (Whitehead kick), 5:17
EC — Dee Godfrey 21 run (Smith kick), :58
3rd Quarter
LH — Keion Davis 11 run (Whitehead kick), 3:24
4th Quarter
LH — Davis 21 yard run (Whitehead kick), 6:58.
