Savannah Christian earns landmark win over Landmark

By S. Thomas Coleman

For the AJC

After two consecutive unsuccessful trips to Atlanta and the Class A title game, Savannah Christian made the third time pay off on Saturday. The Raiders rode their punishing option offense and blunt-force defense to wear down a feisty squad from Landmark Christian, and claim a 20-3 victory.

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Jason Getz, jgetz@ajc.com Savannah Christian coach Donald Chumley, center, celebrates with assistant coaches as time expires after their 20-3 win over Landmark Christian.

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While Savannah Christian’s losses the past two years had been to two different foes -- Wilcox County in 2009 and Clinch County in 2010 --  they stung just the same.  But the Raiders’ two-year headache went away  as they capped off a perfect (15-0) football season with their first Georgia High School Association title. Savannah Christian had won seven championships between 1975 and 1984 in the Georgia Independent Schools Association.

“It feels great. It’s the best feeling in the world,” Savannah Christian senior linebacker Russell Wilson said. “I love playing with these guys. We’re just like brothers.”

Held to just 75 yards of total offense, Landmark (12-3) had a tough time blocking senior defensive linemen DeAngelo Brown and Josh Gay, Wilson and fellow senior linebacker Hal Davis.

But as dominant as the Raiders were defensively, Landmark’s defense matched them almost step for step in the first half, which ended with Savannah Christian clinging to a 6-3 lead. The Raiders could muster just 80 yards of offense through two quarters, most of it coming on senior Will Austin’s 67-yard touchdown run on the first play of Savannah Christian’s second possession.

In fact, aside from Austin’s touchdown run, Savannah Christian’s five other possessions resulted in three failed fourth-down attempts and two turnovers, one of which --  a muffed punt --  led to Landmark’s only points of the game, a 36-yard field goal by Garrison Adams.

“We told them this was going to be a tough game,” said Savannah Christian coach Donald Chumley, who is 67-10 in seven seasons. “They’re well coached and they play great defense."

In the second half, the Raiders offense got untracked. Savannah Christian’s triple-option offense imposed its will, rolling up 174 yards with fullbacks Nardo Govan and Chris Johnson doing most of the damage. The two combined for 18 carries and 98 yards, with Govan scoring the game-sealing touchdown on a 24-yard run with a little over five minutes left to play.

“They were slanting hard to take me away in the first half,” Govan said. “In the second half they weren’t keying on me as much. On the touchdown run, I don’t think they even knew I had the ball.”

Landmark Christian 0 3 0 0 3

Savannah Christian 6 0 0 14 20

SC – Will Austin 67 run (kick blocked)

LC – Garrison Adams  36 fg

SC – Nardo Govan 24 run (Mac Miller kick)

SC – Ahmad Johnson 27 fumble return (Miller kick)