Kent A Bathurst
12-10-2011, 6:18 PM
SMC SportsNetwork
Atlanta Georgia: December 10, 2011
After falling short in the two previous Georgia Class A State Championship games, the Red Raiders of Savannah Christian Preparatory School defeated the Landmark Christian School War Eagles by a score of 20-3 at The Georgia Dome earlier today. Only four times in the history of the GHSA playoffs has a fourth [lowest] seed Class A team made it to the Championship Game. Landmark Christian's appearance this year is one. Savannah Christian's appearance in 2010 is another. This undeerscores the hard work, effort, and commitment of those players.
The final score does not reflect the tremendous defensive effort by both teams. Two of the Raiders' touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, after an interception led to a touchdown, and a fumble recovery was returned for a touchdown. The size and toughness of the Raiders' offensive line finally wore down Landmark's valiant defensive front in the fourth quarter. Both teams run versions of the option and the veer offensive schemes, and, forced to pass late in the game, the War Eagles simply could not close the gap. Three passes were completed all game - combined for both schools - and one of those was even caught by a member of the same team that threw it. The backfields on both teams were more than willing to put their heads and shoulders down, and pound into the opposing defenders at full tilt.
Taking over on downs with 2:34 left in the game, and deep in War Eagles territory, the Raiders showed a lot of class. They snapped the ball with only a few seconds left on the play clock, and ran three successive plunges to the middle, to keep the clock running. Forced to decide between running a play for yardage or returning their defense to the field, the Raiders' quarterback made a first down, and stepped out of bounds inside the one yard line, leaving just enough time on the game clock to force one last snap. He took a knee to end the game, and preserve the score.
Leaving the Georgia Dome, Atlanta resident and SCPS fan Kent Bathurst was asked about the game.
"Well, I don't know any of the players, students, or parents, but I've been a big fan of the Red Raiders for many years. I have a long-time friend and fraternity brother that teaches there, and he lets me stay at his house when I go to Tybee Island for the speckled trout run. He comes to the Big City for the championship game, and stays at my house. Since he always brings a case of Harp and free tickets, I kinda feel obligated to go with him, even though I am invariably in the middle of some critical glue-up or finishing in my basement workshop. The game today was terrific, especially the monsters on the defensive front for both teams. But - I gotta be honest here - I was getting pretty dadgummed tired of walking out of the Dome without a Raiders' championship trophy, so I'm glad they finally quit screwing around and got the job done. And - one heckuva job it was!!"
Asking Mr. Bathurst's friend from Savannah to comment, he said: "I don't even know why you would listen to that bozo. There's a bunch of us from the past 35 years that never did, and never will. Complete waste of oxygen, and he knows nothing about football."
Atlanta Georgia: December 10, 2011
After falling short in the two previous Georgia Class A State Championship games, the Red Raiders of Savannah Christian Preparatory School defeated the Landmark Christian School War Eagles by a score of 20-3 at The Georgia Dome earlier today. Only four times in the history of the GHSA playoffs has a fourth [lowest] seed Class A team made it to the Championship Game. Landmark Christian's appearance this year is one. Savannah Christian's appearance in 2010 is another. This undeerscores the hard work, effort, and commitment of those players.
The final score does not reflect the tremendous defensive effort by both teams. Two of the Raiders' touchdowns came in the fourth quarter, after an interception led to a touchdown, and a fumble recovery was returned for a touchdown. The size and toughness of the Raiders' offensive line finally wore down Landmark's valiant defensive front in the fourth quarter. Both teams run versions of the option and the veer offensive schemes, and, forced to pass late in the game, the War Eagles simply could not close the gap. Three passes were completed all game - combined for both schools - and one of those was even caught by a member of the same team that threw it. The backfields on both teams were more than willing to put their heads and shoulders down, and pound into the opposing defenders at full tilt.
Taking over on downs with 2:34 left in the game, and deep in War Eagles territory, the Raiders showed a lot of class. They snapped the ball with only a few seconds left on the play clock, and ran three successive plunges to the middle, to keep the clock running. Forced to decide between running a play for yardage or returning their defense to the field, the Raiders' quarterback made a first down, and stepped out of bounds inside the one yard line, leaving just enough time on the game clock to force one last snap. He took a knee to end the game, and preserve the score.
Leaving the Georgia Dome, Atlanta resident and SCPS fan Kent Bathurst was asked about the game.
"Well, I don't know any of the players, students, or parents, but I've been a big fan of the Red Raiders for many years. I have a long-time friend and fraternity brother that teaches there, and he lets me stay at his house when I go to Tybee Island for the speckled trout run. He comes to the Big City for the championship game, and stays at my house. Since he always brings a case of Harp and free tickets, I kinda feel obligated to go with him, even though I am invariably in the middle of some critical glue-up or finishing in my basement workshop. The game today was terrific, especially the monsters on the defensive front for both teams. But - I gotta be honest here - I was getting pretty dadgummed tired of walking out of the Dome without a Raiders' championship trophy, so I'm glad they finally quit screwing around and got the job done. And - one heckuva job it was!!"
Asking Mr. Bathurst's friend from Savannah to comment, he said: "I don't even know why you would listen to that bozo. There's a bunch of us from the past 35 years that never did, and never will. Complete waste of oxygen, and he knows nothing about football."