Roswell edges Collins Hill in 2OT

By Michael Blum

For the AJC

Roswell wide receiver Chris Boyd capped an outstanding performance, making a leaping grab of a J.P. Douglas pass in the end zone to give the Hornets a 30-27 double-overtime victory over visiting Collins Hill in the first round of the Class AAAAA playoffs Friday night.

Boyd’s game-winning 15-yard catch came on the Hornets’ first play of the second overtime after the Roswell defense had turned in its second straight stand to limit the Eagles to a field goal.

Roswell (10-1) scored on a field goal to start the first overtime, failing to push the ball into the end zone from second-and-goal at the 2 and then taking a delay penalty on fourth-and-1.

The Eagles had second-and-goal from the 3 on their first overtime possession, but the Hornets twice tackled standout tailback Charles Perkins for losses to force a tying field goal.

Collins Hill (8-3) threw three straight incompletions to start the second overtime, taking the lead on Craig Tanguay’s 42-yard field goal.

Douglas then connected with the Vanderbilt-bound Boyd, who used his 6-foot-6 frame to go over the Collins Hill defender for the game-winner.

Boyd finished with eight catches for 142 yards and two touchdowns, with his first score coming in the third quarter on a 41-yard catch-and-run on a slant pass from Douglas.

Douglas connected with Boyd three times on the game’s first series for 49 yards, with Duvall Smith scoring on a 22-yard run to cap a 91-yard drive.

Roswell was about to go ahead 14-0, but Boyd fumbled out of the end zone after a 20-yard reception to the Collins Hill 5 later in the opening quarter.

The Hornets led 14-0 at the half, scoring on a 2-yard sneak by Douglas after a 72-yard Richie Leone punt backed the Eagles up and enabled the Roswell offense to start its next series at the Collins Hill 45.

Douglas was 12-of-20 for 201 yards, playing in place of Roswell’s season-long starter at quarterback, who quit the team after last week’s loss Lassiter.

The Eagles (8-3), who almost rallied from a 24-point deficit in a 31-28 playoff loss to the Hornets two years ago, turned in a strong second half effort to almost pull off the victory.

Roswell contained Perkins for most of the game, limiting him to 82 yards on 21 carries. But Taylor Heinicke sparked the Eagles’ offense with 251 yards passing and three touchdowns.

Heinicke hit Jeffery Glover for 59 yards for the Eagles’ first score, then teamed up with Perkins on a 28-yarder to again bring Collins Hill within a touchdown. After a 31-yard scramble to the Roswell 9, Heinicke hit Dustin Hallmark for 9 yards and a score, and tied the game with a 2-point pass to Jake Star with 4:37 to play.

Each team had one possession each after that in regulation, with Roswell stopping the Eagles in the final minute after Collins Hill gained possession at the Hornets’ 45.

“The kids just hung in there,” Roswell coach Leo Barker said, describing his first playoff win as “awesome, just awesome.”

The Hornets play at No. 1 Grayson in the second round of the playoffs next Friday.