AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2006 > December > 01 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USPower running, defense end Norcross’ dream
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This was unfamiliar ground for Norcross, hosting a playoff game that led to the destination of everyone’s choice: the Georgia Dome.
That the Blue Devils will not make it to downtown Atlanta for next weekend’s semifinal games is more a product of their opponent Friday night than being fazed by the magnitude of the occasion.
For sure, Norcross performed with the same purpose as it has all season in ascending to No. 1 in the state. The problem was Warner Robins.
Although the Demons made the leap from AAAA to AAAAA, they retained the poise and know-how that makes champions. In other words, their experience mattered.
They had no turnovers. They had minimal penalties. They had control. Never did they seem threatened, even when Norcross had its moments of success.
With a dozen wins and no losses before Friday, the Blue Devils many times overcame obstacles. This time, the obstacles at times were themselves, and Warner Robins, on the strength of its 14-3 victory, gets another 2 1/2-hour trip north next weekend.
And the Demons deserved it. Coach Bryan Way and his staff are among the best around. They shifted in hard-running backs virtually every other play, keeping them all fresh. This was significant, as Warner Robins blemished Norcross’ season with an 82-yard drive that devoured 6:12 off the fourth-quarter clock.
Jeremy Grant’s touchdown put the crown on an admirable performance. Considering how their fast and tough defense had played all night, an 11-point cushion was insurmountable.
It was, of course, a devastating defeat for Norcross. The Blue Devils, especially after dismantling North Gwinnett in the regular season, had championship aspirations, and rightfully so.
They happened to face a team that historically performs at a high level. This was new ground for Norcross, but it will not be anymore. Clearly, coach Keith Maloof has constructed a program that should contend yearly. That might not be of much comfort now, with defeat still so fresh, but it will resonate in time.
Right now, the Blue Devils will ponder for a while what might have been. Quarterback Bryce Dykes amounted to the sole Norcross offensive threat. The senior made all the big runs for the Blue Devils, but it ended up as if he was running on a treadmill. Twice in the second half the Blue Devils traveled inside the Warner Robins 10-yard line.
They only came away with three points. It was a Roderick Rose interception in the end zone in the third quarter that turned out to be the decisive blow. The ebb and flow of the game had shifted to Norcross on the strength of Dykes’ running.
There was a feeling the Blue Devils would tie the score, but Dykes’ fade pass was deflected and picked off, deflating Norcross in a way that was not overcome.
Warner Robins led 7-0 at halftime when it dominated in every phase, but the game was still in the balance. But Norcross was undone by penalites — a holding call and chop-block infraction nullified big gains — and the Demons’ might.
All that and they still were in need of one more stop to have a chance. They could not get it. Warner Robins’ power running chewed up the clock, and time ran out on a dream season for Norcross.
Permalink | Comments (26) | Post your comment | Categories: Curtis Bunn
Comments
By Chad
December 1, 2006 11:23 PM | Link to this
When a team comes down to south georgia you better come to play because south georgia region 1 AAAAA play defense. That is why North Gwinnett only had 1 yard gained in the second half. Tift County beat the team, and the referee’s. The quarterback was tired of laying on his back, because he stayed there all night long.
By Chad
December 1, 2006 11:24 PM | Link to this
When a team comes down to south georgia you better come to play because south georgia region 1 AAAAA play defense. That is why North Gwinnett only had 1 yard gained in the second half. Tift County beat the team, and the referee’s. The quarterback was tired of laying on his back, because he stayed there all night long.
By DemonFan
December 2, 2006 12:03 AM | Link to this
Is that two teams from 1AAAAA in the Dome next week? I think so. No one gave WR credit for beating Camden County last week. We pulled the upset again this week against #1 in the state and #15 in the nation Norcross. Way to go Demons!
By realfan
December 2, 2006 12:16 AM | Link to this
Hey Curtis, How ‘bout some Kudos for a Marist team that everyone has written off since a controversial upset loss to Tucker?
By Eagle Fan
December 2, 2006 12:20 AM | Link to this
Congrats Demons, great job. I’m beginning to think WR will have two state champs this year…of course, you know which team is the best in Georgia, any classification. Northside!
By Hagar
December 2, 2006 12:55 AM | Link to this
Norcross is a class program, school and team. I’ve seen a lot of fans over the years, but Norcross had the best fans seen to date. Great game and season, best of luck next year unless we have to play again. Go Demons!
By Warner Robins Football Fan
December 2, 2006 01:17 AM | Link to this
Great season Norcross.Your quarterback,with enough protection,is top notch.I did appreciate you parent & fan support congratulating your team on a great season after the game.Most of the Norcross fan base was on the field.That is called character.I’m sure we’ll see you next year.
By Chad
December 2, 2006 08:29 AM | Link to this
IT’S GOING TO BE AWESOME TO HAVE TO NUMBER 1 AND NUMBER 2 TEAMS FROM REGION 1 AAAAA IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN TIFTON.
By george
December 2, 2006 08:50 AM | Link to this
Looks like two state titles in the International City to me (Warner Robins and Northside). Tift, don’t complain about the referees after the gift you received versus Houston County. Remember the “fair catch” you were allowed to return for 40 plus yards and win a game in overtime.
By Demon Fan in ATL
December 2, 2006 09:04 AM | Link to this
All we need now is for Maxie to pick Peachtree Ridge to beat Warner Robins! The State Champion this year will come from Region 1-AAAAA. GO DEMONS!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Borneo
December 2, 2006 09:16 AM | Link to this
Congratulation to Warner Robins. Great job.
Now, on to other matters. What is the GHSA thinking? Why would they send an incompetent officiating crew from the Atlanta area down to south Georgia to call a Tift County game when an Atlanta area school is involved. Didn’t they learn their lesson years ago when they allowed the father of one of the Parkview students to officiate a state championship game involving Tift County years ago. By the way, that official made a very controversial call which affected the outcome of the game. Are there not any good officials from “neutral” locations like Columbus, Augusta, Macon, etc… that could have called the Tift-North Gwinnett game? I understand that the officiating crew wasn’t necessarily crooked, but incompetent. The problem is that when you send a crew from the general vicinity of one of the participants, the appearance of impropriety may exist.
By DecaturTechFan
December 2, 2006 09:26 AM | Link to this
Way to go WR and Tift! You know Region 1-AAAAA is strong when my alma mater, Valdsota High, is the Worst team in the Region. Knock the stuffin outta these Gwinnett and Cobb County also-rans and show em what REAL MENS football is all about. An all Region 1AAAAA championship game is only fair, since all the best teams come from this region anyway. Go get em.
By Tift County Fan
December 2, 2006 10:43 AM | Link to this
I was at the Tift Co. game last night and that was the worst job of officiating I have ever seen. Tift Co. should have won by 28 points but the officials kept it close. I was sitting next to two officials who came over from Albany to watch the game. They were appalled and disgusted with the officials. These guys do not need to call anymore games period. The game never had a flow and went on for an hour longer than it should have. Seemed like it took 20 minutes of discussion with each penalty. I am not going to brag about South Ga. football…I think it speaks for itself!
By GaSouth Alum
December 2, 2006 05:07 PM | Link to this
Not the first time I have heard that Northside is the best team in the state. Hmmmmmm, how many state titles have the Eagles won? At least Warner Robins can claim tradition. Go Eagles, but win a state title before you start proclaiming yourselves team of the century.
By The Truth Hurts
December 2, 2006 05:37 PM | Link to this
Has anyone seen Eric Berry? Or a Creekside post? I thought they were shoo-ins for the championship game. At least, that’s what I kept reading. It’s strangely quiet.
By Earnest
December 2, 2006 07:32 PM | Link to this
I Don’t know how those referees got the job to call the Tift Co. vs Gwinnett game but they really should never be allowed to call another game ever.(maybe Little league rec.)
By 1AAAAA football fan
December 2, 2006 11:42 PM | Link to this
I agree with the poor officiating in the Tift - North Gwinett game..never have I seen so many confrences by the officials in 1 game in my life. Bad calls were made for both sides. I understand the need to make sure they get the call right but did every penalty need to be discussed? The 2 calls that stick in my mind were the waving off of a made field goal made by Tift when the ref dropped a flag for too many men on the field which after he counted there were only 11, and then went and missed the re-try, that could have been a game changer.The other was the “roughing the kicker on a Tift punt which was called after a 30-45 second talk between the punter and the ref.Yes I am a Tift County fan but it was still pretty late for such a call. I hope the GHSA reviews a film of that game and figures out maybe they should put together “all star officals” for the last 2 rounds much like the NFL does for their confrence championships and Super bowls
By BIG DAN
December 3, 2006 08:44 AM | Link to this
Well Atlanta ;looks like another state title might be coming from region one again.You cannot get away from the fact that region 1 is the strongest region in the state.Next year will be the same way too.Congrats to Tift & Warner Robins !! Lowndes fan
By Steve
December 3, 2006 11:39 PM | Link to this
Georgie boy yes that fair catch was a bad call but it happened in the second quarter of the contest. that did not lose the game for Houston repeat that did not lose the game for Houston. what lost the game for Houston is the fact the Bears had a one-man offense. O’Neal got tired and he couldn’t go anymore. leave it alone ok :D
By Boudreaux
December 4, 2006 03:20 PM | Link to this
Okay, this is a sore subject, but this is as close to a “vent” as we get…
Why is it the headlines read “Carver secures first trip to dome” and “East Paulding barely holds on”? One game was 12-10, and the other 35-28. One game could have been won on a field goal, while the other would take a TD just to tie?
Oh wait - that’s right. There just can’t be anything good out of Paulding County, so it must be that EP squeaked by. No mention of the two terrible calls in the 4th quarter by the same ref that allowed Starr’s Mill two easy TD’s.
I’m not taking away from SM, they played hard and took everything EP had to offer.
I’m saying that the AJC could be a little less obviously biased - at least once in awhile.
By kriddi
December 4, 2006 04:46 PM | Link to this
all this complaining about the officials this year is well deserved! how many teams have been victimized, caused to lose games, od had there seasons ended?
i emailed the ghsa to complain, and i suggest everybody else does the same!
lost in all this maddnes about warner robins and northside is that middle georgia is going to be well represented in the georgia dome this weekend. warner robins fans dont need to forget about your neighbors. peach county, dublin, and washington county have all had great years and will represent us all very well!
GO TROJANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By george
December 4, 2006 10:14 PM | Link to this
Steve, points in the second quarter count as much as points in the fourth quarter. Fact is the BS call resulted in a game going overtime, which should have been won by Houston County in regulation (without the call).
By 1AAAAA football fan
December 5, 2006 08:04 AM | Link to this
George, I agree with you that the ” fair catch” no call was awful ,but who’s to say we wouldn’t have scored anyway?..it’s not like we gained an extra possession or anything.. good teams find a way to overcome bad calls against them, if you need proof check the comments from our game with North Gwinett.
By 1AAAAA football fan
December 5, 2006 08:05 AM | Link to this
George, I agree with you that the ” fair catch” no call was awful ,but who’s to say we wouldn’t have scored anyway?..it’s not like we gained an extra possession or anything.. good teams find a way to overcome bad calls against them, if you need proof check the comments from our game with North Gwinett.
By Wally
December 5, 2006 09:28 AM | Link to this
Norcross was out coached, and the staff should be released. You had the best receivers in the state, and you start off the game running your QB? Why didn’t you start the game fast, like the North Gwinnett game. Warner Robbins was scared of the passing game, and you’re running your QB. Don’t tell me no one was open, because they were. Poor coaching and play calling. I knew this crap would happen with Maloff. Take a page from Armstrong at Peachtree Rige, rotate players. Your defense was tired as a dog, and you never rotated your line. WR kept fresh running backs coming at you. You sold these kids down the river. Your QB made horrible throws, and you probably told him to run. Norcross will never win with you at the helm. We need a coach who cares about his players, and not a few individuals.
By raiderfan
December 5, 2006 11:22 AM | Link to this
The article by Aschermann that East Pauldling “barely hangs on” made it sound as if the Raiders nearly lost the game. He seemed to forget that we were up by 21 points at the end of 1st quarter. Yes, Starr’s Mill, made a terrific effort in the 4th, but failed to make a touchdown to tie the game.
East Paulding has proven to be a powerhouse team by making it to the Semi-Finals. I think you should write an article on the Raiders making it to the State Playoffs for the first time in the history of the school, and hats off to a job well done by Coach Reid.
GO RAIDERS!!!!!!