Monticello Stuns AAA Monroe Area In Opening Win
By STONE WORKMAN
Friday night, while Hurricane Irene threatened the entire East Coast, two Purple Hurricanes, Class AA Monticello and Class AAA Monroe Area, clashed eye-to-eye at Rose Bowl Field in a football game of Category Five intensity.
After three hours and 20 minutes and in the third overtime period, an interception of a Monroe Area pass by Monticello’s Quincy Standifer on the Monticello four yard line resulted in a 46-40 victory that had several hot and sweat-drenched local fans reporting, “that was the best game I have even seen.”
The Monroe Area team, one of the larger AAA high schools, came to Jasper County, one of the smallest AA high schools, with both teams remembering last year’s shellacking of the young local team.
The local Monticello seniors and second year coach Eddie Roberts were anxious to demonstrate what a difference a year makes.
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Monticello won the coin toss and deferred to receive in the second half. Senior Dee Chapman kicked off to Monroe Area and also made the tackle on the Monroe 41. Two stops by the Monticello line and a QB sack by Standifer resulted in a 55 yard punt with a fair catch by Destin Breaux at the Monticello 16.
Two consecutive unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Monroe improved the local team’s field position to its own 43. After a short gain by Deonte Norwood, sophomore Tra Jackson went around the left side for a first down on the Monroe 38. The next play, senior A.J. Thomas went to the right for Monticello’s first touchdown of the year. Chapman made the PAT and with 8:21 left in the first quarter the local team took a 7-0 lead.
Both teams’ defense stiffened in the remaining of the first quarter but a long Monroe pass gave the visitors a first down at the Monticello 24 as the second quarter began.
The highly rated option quarterback from Monroe wasted little time and found the Monticello goal line in two plays knotting the score at 7-7.
Monroe’s kickoff sailed out of bounds and the local boys took over at their own 35. A holding penalty put the ‘Canes deeper in their territory and even a 15 yard Brady McMichael to Jackson pass left them short.
An illegal procedure penalty resulted in a re-punt off the side of A.J. Thomas’s foot, but a block in the back against Monroe put the ball on the Monroe 34.
Senior Juvenal Bermudez intercepted the Monroe pass on the next play and returned the ball to the Monroe 47. The visitor’s defense and penalties stopped the Canes but a good A.J. Thomas punt resulted in a Monroe fumble on their own eight with senior Norwood recovering the loose ball.
The next play Norwood charged through the middle to the Monroe one yard line where QB McMichael pushed it over on the next play. Chapman made the PAT and with 3:40 left in the first half Monticello took a 14-7 lead.
However, it only took a minute for Monroe to complete a 60 yard swing pass for an answering TD.
The PAT was no good and with “showboating unsportsmanlike conduct” penalty called against the Monroe receiver as he crossed the goal-line, Monroe kicked off from their own 25 trailing 14-13. A good run back placed the ball on the Monticello 47 where A.J. Thomas blasted for consecutive gains of 18 and 11 yards through the large Monroe middle to take the ball to the Monroe 24. On 3rd and five with 22 seconds remaining Breaux scampers across the Monroe goal line. A high snap resulted in a blocked PAT and a 20-13 Monticello halftime lead.
The second half started ominously for the home team with Breaux fumbling the kickoff return on his own 18. A sideline swing pass by the visitors for a quick TD and the PAT tied the score at 20 with only a minute of the clock used in the third quarter.
Both defenses held the remaining of the quarter with a big stop by Monticello on a fourth down Monroe play at the Monticello 33.
The fourth quarter started with Monroe holding the Canes and then a great A.J. Thomas punt resulted in a fair catch by Monroe on their own 11. Monticello held and received the Monroe punt on the visitor’s 49. On 3 and 12, QB McMichael found Marquell Strozier who, despite called interference on the Monroe defender, still caught the ball and rambled to the Monroe 6 yard line.
Two plays later A.J. Thomas bulled into the goal line, but another blocked PAT left Monticello with a 26-20 lead.
Monroe again struck quickly with an 80 yard halfback pass on the first play of their series. A big PAT block by Monticello’s Standifer resulted in a tie at 26.
After starting their series on their own 29, Monticello drives to their 46 and then loses a fumble to the visitors. A big QB sack by Brandon Barger stops Monroe on Monticello’s 24 with 11 seconds left in regulation. Monticello calls two consecutive time outs before the field goal try with noise levels in Rose Bowl Field reaching Richter scale levels. The field goal attempt was short and the game goes into overtime.
In Georgia High School Association overtime, each team gets the ball on the 15 yard line and either scores or hands the ball over to the other team on the 15. A team can make a first down on the 5 yard line. Monroe started on offense and quickly ran 15 yard for a TD and good PAT. Monroe now leads 33-26.
Monticello starts its series with two runs into the big Monroe line by A.J. Thomas and then QB McMichael finds Chris Thomas in the end zone and with a good Chapman PAT the first overtime ends 33-33.
Monticello starts the second overtime and after three rushes gets the ball first and goal on the five yard line.
Two stops by Monroe and a loss of three leaves Monticello with a fourth and goal on the eight yard line.
QB McMichael makes a statement for this year’s Canes team by rolling to the right and seeing no receiver open actually leaps over a Monroe defender on the four yard line crashing into the end zone!
Another good PAT gives Monticello a 40-33 lead. However, the heralded Monroe team does not give up. A roughing the kicker penalty against them on the Monticello PAT places the ball on the 30 yard line and the next play a bad snap puts them on the 45.
A pass on second and 21 gives them a first down on the 18 (they started on the 30 due to the penalty). On 3rd and 20, the Monroe QB finds a receiver in the end zone and after the PAT the second overtime ends at 40 each.
In Overtime #3 (maybe they should name overtimes like hurricanes!), Monticello again goes on offense with Breaux, A.J. Thomas and Chris Thomas providing the legs to run the ball for a 46-40 lead. The PAT is no good.
Monroe takes over on the 15 and the Monticello defense gets tough with two stops; one of them A.J. Thomas getting to the QB for a one yard loss. On 3rd and 12, Standifer knocks down the Monroe pass and on 4th and 12, Standifer intercepts the pass on the four yard line resulting in a 46-40 Monticello victory and a wild celebration from the exhausted team and fans.
“We didn’t dwell on last year’s defeat to Monroe,” said Coach Roberts, “but this year we weren’t going to be intimidated before we even got started. The boys were mentally and physically ready to play and we were able to take advantage of the other team’s mistakes which is something we couldn’t do in the past.
“We were also able to take the Monroe team out of their game plan because our defense set the tone of the game early on. In the second half the fumbled kickoff gave the boys the opportunity to give up, but they never did. The team and I never thought we would lose. There is something special about this group.”
“Our biggest improvement is in our offensive line which gives our Quaterback (Brady McMichael) the opportunity to execute. We are also blessed with five running backs who can also play in multiple other positions. Our defensive standouts were Justin Van Horn, A.J. Thomas and Billy Edwards. Also Quincy Standifer, our freshman, who in his first game blocked an extra point, made a touchdown saving open field tackle and the game winning interception in the third overtime, played well. I also was pleased with the punting of A.J. Thomas but we need to improve on our kick-off coverage.”
“Jackson next Friday will be our second AAA team in a row. Jackson is big and physical and has a running back who made 240 yards against Mary Persons last week.
It is important for us to have a good week of practice and also to concentrate on handling winning. I couldn’t be more proud of this team and I appreciate the community’s support. This was a good win for the boys, the school and the entire community.”
Monroe Area was coming off an 11-2 season that included a 55-7 victory against Monticello in the opener last year. It is the first time the Monticello ‘Canes have posted a win in the opener in at least a decade.