North Cobb doesn’t need much help putting up points in a hurry, but the Warriors’ offense can be devastating when it gets the kind of boost provided by Latrell Gibbs on Friday.
North Cobb’s senior defensive back had four interceptions (a fifth was nullified by a penalty), returned two for touchdowns, set up another score with a return to the 3-yard line and caught a 37-yard touchdown pass to lead the Warriors (3-1 overall, 2-0 in Region 4-AAAAAA) to a 46-14 victory at Harrison.
“He didn’t have his best game against these guys last year, and he kind of took it personally,” North Cobb coach Shane Queen said. “Tonight he had four interceptions and could have had five. That’s what he’s about and what we expect from him.
“You can put him on the other team’s best receiver, and he can make plays. He’s a baller, and he’s got the biggest heart on the team.”
Gibbs stopped Harrison’s first drive of the night with an interception at the North Cobb 5-yard line. It was just a sign of things to come.
His 34-yard return late in the first quarter set up the Warriors at the Harrison 3-yard line, and Tyler Queen scored on the next play for a 19-0 lead. His 27-yard return for a touchdown midway through the second quarter made the score 32-0, and his 37-yard catch with 1:58 to play in the quarter gave North Cobb a 39-0 halftime lead. The second half was played with a running clock.
Gibbs scored the Warriors’ final touchdown of the night when he returned interception No. 4 79 yards. In all, he had 169 return yards.
The result was great field position and short drives for North Cobb. The Warriors’ five touchdowns on offense in the first half covered an average of 49.6 yards, and all were scored in five plays or less.
J’Vonte Herrod rushed for 133 yards and scored on a 70-yard run midway through the first quarter. Queen finished with 121 yards and a touchdown passing in addition to the short touchdown run.
Harrison (3-2, 2-1) scored its touchdowns in the fourth quarter, on a 3-yard run by Jonathan Fisher and an 8-yard run by Winston Boykin in the game’s final eight minutes.
Harrison held a moment of silence before the game and players wore stickers on their helmets in memory of Paul Oliver, a former Hoya and Georgia player who committed suicide this week.
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