Hornets Hang On To Capture Second Straight Region Title

By Mike Blum

No matter what else happened in Roswell’s Region 4-AAAAAAA champions game against Cherokee – and a whole lot happened, little of it good for the Hornets – the Roswell defense was simply not going to allow the team to lose its first game of the season.

Thanks to an unyielding effort by Roswell’s standout defensive unit, the Hornets escaped with a 20-14 victory on their home field Friday night, wrapping up a 10-0 season and a second straight region title.

The Roswell defense had to overcome a long list of mistakes by the team’s usually productive offensive, a host of ill-timed penalties committed by the Hornets and some conservative decisions by the Roswell coaching staff that contrasted with the go-for-broke approach of the Cherokee coaches.

The Warriors, who were unbeaten in 4-AAAAAAA coming into the game, emptied their bag of trick plays, trying a fake field goal, a fake punt, an on-sides kick, a few hand-off/pitch back passes and a quarterback throwback, the latter of which produced the Warriors’ only offensive touchdown.

Other than the touchdown and a 71-yard run on a standard inside handoff, the Hornets clamped down on an explosive Cherokee offense, allowing only 168 yards, just 62 excluding the two big plays.

The Hornets committed four turnovers -- a pair of interceptions in the first half and two fumbles in the second half, one of which Cherokee returned for a touchdown, with the other putting the Warriors in position to score a go-ahead touchdown in the final period.

But standout Roswell safety Xavier McKinney kept the Warriors from taking a late lead, intercepting a pass at the Hornets’ 5 and returning it for a seeming clinching touchdown. But Roswell’s Justin Ellis was called for a block in the back when he flattened the Cherokee quarterback who was turning his back prior to the contact.

The Hornets were assessed another 15 yards by the officiating crew, as a member of their special teams was flagged for coming onto the field for what he thought was going to be an extra point attempt. The Hornets went 3-and- out and punted, but seemingly put the game away when they sacked the Cherokee quarterback and defensive lineman Max Boyd recovered at the Cherokee 29 with 1:15 to play.

Even though Cherokee had two timeouts, the Hornets called two kneel down plays, which did not run much time off the clock and lost nine yards. Sheldon Evans gained 11 yards on third down, but was knocked out of bounds, and the Hornets missed their second field goal of the night to give the ball back to Cherokee with 53 seconds on the clock.

The Warriors managed to cross midfield with time running out before the Roswell defense made its final statement, ending the game with its fifth sack of the second half. Cherokee had minus-41 yards rushing in the second half – not all of that total the result of sacks – as the Hornets put a fitting conclusion on a game they could have dominated but did not.

Roswell drove 68 yards for a touchdown on its first series, with Malik Willis hitting Kentrell Barber with a pinpoint pass for 16 yards and the score, the second time on the series the two teamed up for a big play.

But Willis was intercepted on each of Roswell’s next two possessions, the first with the Hornets deep in Cherokee territory.

After the first interception at their 3, the Warriors nearly scored when speedy back Montrell Washington broke loose for 71 yards, but was caught from behind by the faster McKinney at the Roswell 9.

The Hornets held at the 2, and Cherokee came away with nothing when Roswell expertly defended a fake field goal attempt. The Warriors capitalized on the second interception, scoring on a 35-yard quarterback throwback, a play the Hornets had prepared for in practice.

Evans carried four straight times for 41 yards on the next Roswell series, but the Hornets had to settle for a 40-yard Turner Barckhoff field goal to take a 10-7 lead midway through the second period.

A 33-yard punt return by McKinney set the Hornets up at the Cherokee 25 late in the half, but a holding penalty kept Roswell out of a first-and- goal and Barckhoff missed from 43 yards.

The Hornets started the second half like they began the game, marching 53 yards on their first series with Evans fighting his way into end zone on fourth-and- 2 from the Cherokee 7. The Warriors got back in the game on a 44-yard fumble return with a minute left in the third quarter, and nearly got the ball right back, but Roswell recovered an on-sides kick attempt.

The Hornets were driving for a touchdown that would have increased their lead to 24-14, but another holding penalty wiped out an 11-yard TD run by Evans, and they settled for Barckhoff’s 21-yard field goal.

The Warriors crossed midfield but were stopped by a third down sack, with Roswell pinned at its 2 after a Cherokee punt. On the second play, the Warriors took the ball away from Evans for their fourth forced turnover, but McKinney’s interception ended the threat and the Hornets held on.

“Xavier made a great play,” Roswell coach John Ford said. “He saw it and read it the whole way. I’m proud of our defense. They played well when we needed them to, and did not pay attention to the situation.”

Evans finished with 140 yards on 30 carries, with the Hornets gaining 212 yards on the ground and 119 in the air.

Roswell finished the regular season 10-0, 5-0 in the region, with Cherokee second in the region at 5-1, 6- 4 overall. The Hornets, the top ranked team in Class AAAAAAA, open the playoffs at home Friday, Nov. 11 against Cobb County opponent Pebblebrook.

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