Mount Zion-Carroll’s ball-control, Wing-T running game was limiting his offensive team’s opportunities, so star Mount Paran Christian running back Taylor Trammell made the game’s biggest play on defense.
Mount Paran was clinging to a 21-18 lead midway through the fourth quarter when Trammell stripped the ball from Mount Zion running back Jace Jordan, who was stretching for extra yardage at the Mount Paran 41. Two plays after the turnover, Trammell scored on a 53-yard run for a 28-18 lead, then scored again on his next carry to give Mount Paran a 35-18 victory at home Friday.
The win gave Mount Paran the subregion title in 6-A Division A and a berth in next week’s region championship game at Pinecrest Academy, which lost to Mount Paran 35-19 earlier this season. The defending Class A private-school champions also extended their Cobb County-record winning streak to 23 games.
“He just makes plays on both sides of the ball,” Mount Paran coach Mitch Jordan said of Trammell, who has committed to play baseball at Georgia Tech. “He hadn’t played a lot on defense, but there was no bigger turnover than that one. He also had an interception that was wiped out by a penalty. He’s one of the best players in the state. He’s also an outstanding baseball player. Georgia Tech is fortunate to be getting him, and if they’re smart they’ll ask him to play football as well.”
Trammell, who entered the game as the state’s No. 2 rusher with 1,728 yards, finished with 211 yards on 15 carries and had touchdown runs of 63, 53 and 34 yards. He had just five carries, for 105 yards, in the second half because Mount Zion controlled the ball for much of that time. Mount Zion ran 34 second-half plays to Mount Paran’s 13, four of which came on the final possession as Mount Paran ran out the clock. Mount Paran was hurt by seven second-half penalties, five of which came on offense.
“When you have our type of offense and you run a lot of stretch plays, you’ve got to hold a lot of blocks and there’s a lot of bodies out there,” Jordan said. “You get your hands in the wrong place, and some nights a lot of flags get dropped. But there were penalties on both sides, which is unfortunate. The game got a little sloppy, which is on us as coaches and players. But more than anything I just credit Mount Zion, because they came ready to play.”
Mount Zion was not able to take advantage of its ball control, in terms of yardage or points. Mount Paran finished with a 330-262 advantage in total offense, and Mount Zion crossed midfield just twice in the second half. Mount Zion drove 70 yards for a touchdown on its first possession of the third quarter, then got into Mount Paran territory just once more – when Trammell caused the turnover.
Despite his fumble, Jordan was the top weapon for Mount Zion. He finished with 93 yards rushing on 14 carries, 55 yards receiving on six catches and a reception for a two-point conversion. Mount Zion quarterback Jordan Akin was 12-for-22 passing for 156 yards.
Mount Paran quarterback Matthew Norton had a 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and threw a 36-yard second-quarter touchdown pass to Holt Shannon on a fourth-and-12 play that gave Mount Paran a 14-3 lead.
Mount Zion – 3-7-8-0 – 18
Mount Paran – 7-14-0-14 – 35
MP – Matthew Norton 4 run (Jackson McLarty kick)
MZ – Matthew Tittle 26 field goal
MP – Holt Shannon 36 pass from Norton (McLarty kick)
MZ – Jace Jordan 43 pass from Jordan Akin (Tittle kick)
MP – Taylor Trammell 63 run (McLarty kick)
MZ – Kareem Walker (Jordan pass from Akin)
MP – Trammell 53 run (McLarty kick)
MP – Trammell 34 run (McLarty kick)
