GREYHOUND FOOTBALL
The Greyhounds 16-game region winning streak came to an end Friday at Greyhound Field as visiting Ola’s touchdown with 1:55 to play was the game-winning score in a 22-15 defeat dealt to the Greyhounds.
And although that winning streak may be over, Jones County’s fate is fully within its hands. From here on out, the Greyhounds could finish anywhere from region champions for the fourth year in a row or potentially tie for fourth in the region.
Next? A road trip Friday to play undefeated Dutchtown, rated as high as third in some rankings. Defense has been no problem in recent seasons for the Bulldogs against the Greyhounds, with Jones County winning by identical scores of 21-13. Dutchtown has continued that and then some so far this year, averaging 8.17 points allowed per game, the lowest of any team in GHSA Class AAAAA. The Bulldogs have posted one shutout and allowed no team to score more than 14 points a game. That included a Sept. 16 14-7 win against Warner Robins. Dutchtown, 2-0 in the region, has not scored more than two touchdowns against a region opponent.
Friday’s stakes? They are simple. Dutchtown can all but lock up the region with a win over Jones County. A Greyhounds win, however, could set up a possible three-way tie for first with an Oct. 28 win at home against Warner Robins. That of course also weighs on what Ola does the rest of the season following Friday’s win against Jones County.
That came on a night where the Greyhounds, already battered and bruised by injuries, saw those prospects take on more black and blue hits.
Zion Ragins, who returned to action on Friday, would exit the game during its course. Omarion Tucker at one stage would leave the field with what appeared to be a minor injury. And then, in perhaps a microcosm of the season, quarterback Judd Anderson, who came off the bench to replace Devin Edmonds in the second quarter, appeared to injure his hand on the game’s final drive but walked off the field under his own power.
An offense already slowed with its top two playmakers – Ragins and Javious Bond – out, the Greyhounds were further hurt on Friday in having seven trips to the red zone but only scoring on three of them, scoring a pair of touchdowns and kicking a field goal.
One of those chances came early on. After the Greyhound defense came up with a fumble near midfield, the drive stalled inside the 20, where a field goal missed with 5:33 to go in the opening quarter. Late in that first quarter, Ragins fumbled on a play where his facemask appeared to be grabbed, but no penalty was called. The Mustangs, who on Friday rushed for 171 yards, went up 8-0 on a 20-yard run. The Greyhounds had a chance to draw even, mustering a drive into Ola territory that ended on an incomplete pass at the Mustangs 13-yard line.
Thanks to defense and special teams, Jones County pulled ahead, scoring twice in less than three minutes to end the first half. Jones County took full advantage of a Javion Clark interception, turning the field position at the 10-yard line into a touchdown on a quarterback sneak by Judd Anderson, who had come into the game in place of Edmonds. JCHS trailed 8-6 as the extra point missed.
Clark would again help turn the tide on Ola’s next drive, partially blocking a punt. Jones County took advantage again. Following a 23-yard pass to Geo Wade, who had five catches for 65 yards and runs by Tucker and Drew Jones, another sneak by Anderson got Jones County to end zone again to lead 12-8 after the extra point was missed. The Greyhounds nearly squeezed another score in, getting the onside kick and advancing to the Ola 13 before an incomplete pass ended the half.
But as much as Jones County appeared to have momentum on its side, Ola took it away to begin the second half, driving downfield to begin the third to go up 15-12 with 9:37 to play in the third. The Greyhounds nearly bounced back with a score of their own, only to fumble at the Mustangs five-yard line with 4:57 left in the third. Still, the gritty Greyhounds kept fighting, tying it 15-15 with Brendan Waters connected on a 31-yard field goal with 8:24 to play.
The Greyhounds got the ball back with 6:12 to go, having aspirations of a scoring drive to go ahead, but a holding penalty and sack backed the ball up to the Greyhounds own five, and a punt gave the Mustangs solid field position as a result, and they turned that chance into a meticulous drive to go up 22-15 with 55 seconds to go.
Anderson left the game on second down following the Greyhounds taking over due to his apparent injury, and Edmonds reentered, getting the ball near midfield before an interception ended hopes of late score for Jones County. Anderson was 9-of-17 for 105 yards with Edmonds being 5-of-13 for 77 yards on a night that saw Jaivon Solomon lead all receivers with four catches for 76 yards.
