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GWA routs Mount Vernon Academy
Published November 1, 2009
MONROE — Rebounding from one of its most surprising home losses in recent memory, George Walton Academy routed Mount Vernon Academy 37-7 in the regular-season finale Friday night at Keith Henderson Field to claim second place in Region 1-AAA and earn a home game in the first round of the Georgia Independent School Association playoffs, which begin next Friday.
GWA will play host to Southland Academy, which finished third in Region 3-AAA.
Pinecrest Academy, which upset GWA last week, defeated Holy Spirit Prep Friday to wrest the league title from the Bulldogs.
“It was a tough week,” said GWA head coach Don Williams. “But the kids didn’t hang their heads, and we had our best practice of the year on Wednesday. It feels good to get back on the winning track.”
After coasting to the region championship last year, the Bulldogs were heavily favored to claim another league title and enter the post-season as a top seed. But after self-destructing with four turnovers against Pinecrest, they had to settle for runner-up.
“We talked all week about getting back to playing physical football,” Williams said. “Against Pinecrest, we let them stay in the game too long and they eventually took advantage.”
Not this week, as GWA jumped out early and put the game away by intermission.
After bumbling through its first possession, committing four penalties for 35 yards in just five plays, the Bulldogs recovered to score on four of its ensuing five possessions to take a 27-0 halftime lead.
In the process, they compiled 285 total yards while holding the Mustangs to just 17. Three of their scoring drives were three plays or less.
The Bulldogs big-playmakers led the way. Eric Dobbs scored twice and Justin Brown and Michael Peek added the other two.
GWA ended the game with a season-high 474 total yards, including 430 on the ground in 39 carries. Both starting backs rushed for over 100 yards.
Brown, who had 83 yards on four carries in the first half, opened the scoring with a 55-yard run around the left end. He finished the game with a team-high 136 yards on just eight runs.
On its next possession, GWA moved 69 yards in eight plays, highlighted by a 21-yard scramble by quarterback Ty Shelnutt and an 18-yard burst up the middle by Dobbs before Peek caught his sixth TD pass of the year on a 21-yard toss from Shelnutt.
Dobbs carried the ball on three of the next five plays, scoring twice on runs of 14 and 29 yards to seal the victory. He finished the game with 112 yards on seven carries.
The defense was equally impressive, holding the Mustangs to just 132 total yards, more than half of which came on one play when Mount Vernon quarterback Coleson Randall connected with Jaylan Adlam on a 70-yard TD strike late in the fourth quarter to avoid the shutout.
Before that, the Bulldogs intercepted Randall twice and stopped the Mustangs on three plays or less on eight of their 10 possessions.
Cord Gunnin scored all of the Bulldogs points in the second half. On GWA’s first play of the second half, he slipped around the left end and went 64 yards for a touchdown. He ended the game with 81 yards on three carries.
Late in the fourth, he culminated a 12-play, 58-yard drive with a 33-yard field goal.
Combined with his four PATs, he led the team in scoring with 13 points. He also intercepted a pass just before halftime.
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