Special might be the best way to describe Friday’s game between North Gwinnett and host North Cobb.
Special, as in special teams.
A series of momentum-changing plays in the kicking game defined the matchup between the Warriors and Bulldogs. North Gwinnett came out victorious, edging North Cobb 29-28 in a Class AAAAAA showdown of two unranked teams.
Bulldogs linebacker Matthew Andryusky returned a blocked field goal 75 yards with 5:29 remaining to bring the score to its final margin.
Deion Smith blocked the punt.
“What a great play on the blocked field goal,” Bulldogs coach Bob Sphire said. “Obviously that’s a game-changer. But it’s one of those deals where our kids just reached down with tremendous character ... to steal one on the road.”
Andryusky’s touchdown capped a 12-0 Bulldogs run to close out the game, pushing North Gwinnett to 1-1 on the season.
For North Cobb (0-2), it was a second straight tough loss in front of the home crowd. Last week against top-ranked Northside Warner Robins, the Warriors blew an 11-point lead with five minutes remaining and lost by three.
The Warriors built their lead by capitalizing on two Bulldogs blunders in the kicking game.
Early in the third quarter, North Cobb recovered a Bulldogs muffed punt and took a 21-17 lead after Will Lovett’s 37-yard touchdown strike to Drew Tejchman on the very next play.
Later in the third, a high snap on a North Gwinnett punt put the Warriors on the Bulldogs’ 7-yard line. Emanuel Pelzer scored three plays later on a 1-yard run and North Cobb went up 28-17.
North Gwinnett responded at the start of the fourth quarter with a 10-play, 71-yard drive capped by Kameron Pickett’s 1-yard run.
Smith’s interception of North Cobb with less than 20 seconds remaining ended the Warriors’ last hope.
The Bulldogs were led by Pickett’s 141 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries.
Warriors quarterback Will Lovett threw for 240 yards and a touchdown and rushed for two more scores.
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North Gwinnett 7 3 7 12 - 29
North Cobb 7 7 14 0 - 28
NC – Lovett 13 run (Will Horton kick)
NG – Pickett 1 run (Manuel Herrera kick)
NC – Lovett 1 run (Horton kick)
NG – Herrera 37 FG
NG – KJ Hancock 29 pass from Cade Fortin (Herrera kick)
NC – Tejchman 37 pass from Lovett (Horton kick)
NC – Pelzer 1 run (Horton kick)
NG – Pickett 1 run (pass failed)
NG – Andryusky 75 blocked kick return (run failed)
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