Camden Co. overwhelms Newnan

When Newnan fumbled, Camden County recovered and turned it into a touchdown.

When Camden County fumbled, Camden County recovered and turned that, too, into a touchdown.

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Allen Sullivan/asullivan@ajc.com

Camden fans who made the six-hour trip to Newnan celebrate a winning night.

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It was that kind of night for the No. 2-ranked Wildcats (14-0), who handled the six-hour trip from the coast as well as they handled Newnan’s miserly defense in a 27-7 victory in the Class AAAAA semifinal.

“We talked all week about how it was so important to get off to a great start,” said Camden coach Jeff Herron. “When they turned it over early and we were able to score, that changed a lot of things.”

Newnan’s defense, which had allowed 31 points in 13 games, was in a hole from the start and never got the big play to stem the tide.

Perhaps Camden had it coming after a dogfight in a second-round victory against Northside-Warner Robins and a harrowing comeback in the third round against Woodstock.

“We knew if we played like we did last week we’d get beat,” Camden receiver DeAngelo Smith said. “The seniors have been talking about winning a championship since we were in the eighth grade. We want to keep our promise to the coaches.”

Everything Camden tried worked, like a fourth-down pass from Christian Milstead to Mike Green, who was hit from behind and fumbled, only to have Smith grab it and step 1 yard into the end zone.

“When that happens, it was like can’t nothing go wrong for us tonight,” said Milstead, whose 1-yard run with 2:08 left iced the game for the Wildcats.

Said Smith: “I had a feeling he was going to fumble it, and I just kept going toward the play.”

Herron’s take?

“God smiled on us there.”

Camden needed 10 minutes of game clock to outscore every opponent Newnan had played, and by the time the first quarter ended, the Wildcats led 20-0. Reeling Newnan, looking to avenge a 50-0 loss three years ago to the visitors, was left to wonder what happened.

Camden outgained the Cougars 122-19 in the first half, during which Newnan (13-1) never got out of its own territory.

Newnan quarterback Russell Powell fumbled on the first play from scrimmage, and Camden recovered. The Wildcats drove 29 yards in nine plays to the first score, a 3-yard run by Darryl Williams, the first touchdown allowed by Newnan’s defense in the last eight games.

“It’s one of those things where you never know what’s going to happen,” said Newnan coach Robert Herring, who might have coached the last game in a 45-year career. “Our quarterback [Powell] and running back [Keandreas Wynn] have executed all year. You’ve got to do it, and we didn’t tonight.”