Canes Fall in Overtime

The Canes had a very spirited crowd as they traveled to Cochran to take on the Bleckley County Royals last Friday. Despite the 19-13 loss the Canes played their hearts out and competed through the last buzzer and into overtime. However, it was still a good night to be a Hurricane!

The captains of the game were seniors Walt McMichael, Quincy Standifer, and Garrison Williams. The game started out slow for the Canes, as the Royals received the ball first. The Canes defense was pretty strong throughout the whole night. Great tackles were made through the first couple of drives by Jordan Stewart, Xavier Guide, Jamaric Bonner, and Williams.

Williams was in on a big sack, which put the Royals in a third down situation. Before the Royals earned their first score of the evening, Jay Johnson was on a tackle around the 4 yard line. Shortly after, the Royals scored their first touchdown with about a minute left in the quarter.

Before the quarter expired, Jordan Stone received the return and brought it out to around the 30 yard line. Unfortunately, with the Royals applying great pressure through the drive, the Canes were unable to get one positive yard in that drive, and were forced to punt at the end of the quarter. The Canes trailed 7-0 at the end of the first quarter.

To start out the second quarter, the Canes were still very active on defense with Standifer and Stone on a couple of tackles. With heavy pressure by the defensive line, the Canes forced the Royals to punt, and with Standifer getting the return, he brought it out to the 28 yard line. However with nothing positive coming from the Canes offense in the first half, they were forced to punt again.

The Canes failed to convert any first downs in the first half, but with the great defense the Canes were still in the game. With about five minutes left in the half, the Canes forced the Royals to punt again. This time it was a big return by Standifer and brought it all the way to the Royals 36 yard line. The Canes started to get some positive momentum right before the half ended.

Unfortunately, Johnson received a toss from Thomas Deraney around the outside corner but the Royals defense stripped the ball giving them possession with about 25 seconds remaining in the half. The Canes defense stopped the Royals once more and closed out the first half only down 7-0, with absolutely no offensive movement.

The Canes came out pumped and ready for the second half after an intense halftime speech. Standifer got the return to start the second half and took it for about 65 yards, and got tripped up right before the end zone. This gave the Canes plenty of momentum. Immediately after, Deraney hit Standifer on a short route for a touchdown about two minutes into the half. Bryce Crawford came up big and made the extra point, which tied the game 7-7.

Game action began to escalate to another level with the Canes kicking off to the Royals. Tae Campbell was on a big tackle. Gude and Standifer still made their presence known on the defensive side with great tackles being made. With about eight minutes remaining in the quarter, the Royals running back put on some shifty moves and took it in for a score, giving the lead to the Royals, 13-7. However Johnson was there to block the extra point attempt.

The Canes took over halfway through the third quarter. Stone picked up several yards for the Canes. Unfortunately, they were forced to punt again. Gude started out the next drive with a couple tackles. Then the defense was at it again, and forced the Royals to punt with about two minutes remaining in the third. Johnson got a great first down run right before the third quarter ended, which added momentum. The Canes were still trailing at the end of quarter, 13-7.

However, the first play of the fourth quarter, Deraney hit Johnson for a long pass, as Johnson took it all the way down to the 6 yard line, which put the Canes in perfect scoring position. Shortly after, Stone punched it in the end zone for the Canes second score of the evening. Now tied at 13-13, the Canes were unable to connect on the extra point.

With both crowds on their feet and with the tension rising between both teams, the Canes were definitely amped as the game seemed to wind down. Gude made a big tackle which put the Royals in a third and long situation. On the next play, Jordan Stone sacked the quarterback which caused the Royals to punt with about 9 minutes remaining in the game.

However on the punt, the Royals coughed up the ball, and the Canes recovered the fumble, first down Canes! Deraney hit Standifer for a first down pass, one of the very few first down completions during the night.

Unfortunately, the Canes fumbled the ball, which gave the Royals back the ball with about 3 minutes remaining. The Royals drove the ball down field before Johnson made a tackle which put them in a fourth and one situation. Bleckley easily converted on the fourth down. As the clock was quickly running out, they had time for one more play and handed a ball in the corner of the end zone, but with great pressure by Johnson, the pass was caught out of bounds. The Canes had forced the game into overtime!

The Canes won the toss to get the ball first, and Standifer’s number was called first as he got a gain of about five yards. The struggle for yardage carried over into overtime for the Canes as well.

The Canes were eventually forced to be in a fourth and 14. Deraney got the snap and threw the ball in the corner of the end zone, pass intended for Stone. With heavy aggressive pressure from the Royals, the pass was not caught and the Canes turned the ball over.

The Royals eventually punched it in for the score, and won the game, 19-13.

Despite the loss, the Canes played an outstanding game. Please keep supporting the Canes, especially as they take on the defending Region Champs and defending State Runner Ups, the Lamar County Trojans. It’s certainly going to be a dog fight for the Canes. In the meantime, come and support the Canes as they try to capture a WIN, to clinch their spot in the playoffs.

The Canes will take on the Trojans on Halloween this Friday. Grab your candy and come on down to Barnesville! Kickoff time is at 7:30.

Go Canes!