The McIntosh Chiefs’ place in the subregion standings was decided before the kickoff of Friday night’s game against the Drew Titans, but the outcome was important in determining the order of the top four teams going into next Friday’s Region 4-AAAAA play-in games.
Already assured of fifth place in Subregion A, the Chiefs tried to play spoiler and put a wrench in Drew’s quest for one of the top two spots but after an early 7-0 lead they saw the home team take control the rest of the way for a 49-13 Titans’ win at Southern Crescent Stadium in Riverdale.
The Titans’ win over Mundy’s Mill earlier this season proved to be the tiebreaker that put Drew in the top spot in the subregion going into the play-in games.
McIntosh took the opening kickoff and moved quickly into Drew territory. Avery Hurns scored from a yard out on first-and-goal, set up by a 21-yard run by Josh Ange. That put the Chiefs on the board just four minutes into the game.
After an exchange of punts, Drew started at midfield and picked up a quick first down before Joseph Newman connected with Donya Vaughn on a 40-yard scoring pass, but the two-point conversion attempt failed.
Duke Kinamon kept the next drive alive with a quarterback scramble on fourth-and-10 to take the ball inside the Titans’ 20 on the last play of the first quarter. But Drew came up with a couple of key sacks and the drive was halted on fourth down. The Titans moved downfield quickly, capped off by Quarderman Sloan’s 1-yard touchdown run. This time the two-point conversion was good, and Drew led 14-7 with 7:36 left in the second quarter.
The Chiefs went for it on fourth-and-2 near midfield, but another sack by the Titans gave them the ball at the McIntosh 30. Three plays later, Newman hit Sloan for a 17-yard score.
On the Titans’ next possession a series of penalties gave them a first-and-35 at the McIntosh 46, but they converted and got close before Robby Mustic’s interception in the end zone closed out the first half.
Bryson Duckworth caught an 8-yard touchdown from Newman to complete the first drive of the second half. Newman hit Duckworth for a 47-yard bomb and another score on the Titans’ next possession as the home team began to pull away.
The Drew defense that pursued Kinamon ferociously around the backfield all night stiffened after allowing McIntosh to get a first-and-goal at the 3. The Titans took over on downs at their own 9 and marched 91 yards, with Marquis Terry scoring on a 3-yard run with 8:13 left.
The Titans tacked on another score on a run by Deveal McClendon, and Kinamon got a score for the Chiefs on an 18-yard run with 1:51 to play.
The Chiefs (3-6, 2-4) will host Ola next Friday.
STARR’S MILL 24, NORTHGATE 14: The Panthers (5-4, 4-2) clinched the third spot in the subregion and will play at Dutchtown in next Friday’s Region 4-AAAAA play-in game.
SANDY CREEK 16, CARROLLTON 0: The Patriots (8-1, 3-1) play at Fayette County next Friday.
FAYETTE COUNTY 39, TROUP 19: The Tigers (4-5, 2-2) host Sandy Creek next Friday.
LANDMARK 42, STRONG ROCK 13: The War Eagles (7-2, 2-1) travel to Our Lady of Mercy next Friday.
ELCA 19, OUR LADY OF MERCY 11: The Bobcats (6-3, 2-1) host Landmark next Friday.
WHITEWATER 31, WOODWARD 28: The Wildcats (6-3, 2-2) travel to Troup Friday.
