Football Friday Night: Week 5

My teams were 2-1 this week with wins by Clinch County and Warner Robins while Villa Rica suffered their first loss of the season.

WARNER ROBINS 69, UNION GROVE 29
What a difference a week makes. After giving up a historical 70 points to Newton last week, Warner Robins got back on track scoring 69 points in their win over Union Grove. Warner Robins generated 450 yards of offense, produced a pick-six, returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns, forced a safety and added a field goal during their most complete scoring performance of the season. Warner Robins established control during a high-scoring first half behind quarterback Chandler Dyson and playmakers X’zavier “Zay” Cannon and Antavious Hawkins.  Dyson connected with Cannon for two touchdowns and found Hawkins for another. Hawkins also scored on runs of one and seven yards for a 36–22 advantage into halftime.

Next:  Friday at Eagle's Landing (0-4)

Warner Robins (3-2) will play the winless Golden Eagles this week.  Eagle's Landing lost to LaGrange two weeks ago 44-0 in the last game.  Warner Robins is 6-0 against Eagle's Landing winning in their last meeting 35-7 in 2023.  

CLINCH COUNTY 35, BACON COUNTY 0
Clinch County held Bacon County to 73 total yards. Traviian Miller passed for 70 yards and rushed for 61. Kyiis Mingo had six solo tackles and two tackles for loss. 

Next: Friday at Seminole County (1-3)

Seminole lost their last game to Thomasville 42-6 last week.  The Panthers are 11-1 against Seminole County.  They won their last meeting 35-6 in 2023.  The only loss in the series was 21-14 in 2013.

CASS 31, VILLA RICA 21
Cass took a 10-point lead on Kalil Charles’ 6-yard run with 1:19 left. Charles rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. Noah Rogers was 10-of-17 passing for 185 yards and three touchdowns.Villa Rica played well against one of the top teams in Class 5A, but interceptions and turnovers-on-downs came back to haunt them in the loss.

Next:  Friday at Cartersville (4-0)

This week will be a big task for the Wildcats as they face the #1 ranked Purple Hurricanes in Cartersville.  Cartersville had a bye week last week after defeating West Forsyth 49-13 two weeks ago.  Villa Rica is 9-14 in their all-time series.  The teams last met in 2007 which Villa Rica won 47-12.  

Surviving Blindsides

Has life ever blindsided you?

Just when you felt life was going in a certain direction, there was a plot twist that you never expected.

  

That happened to me this week.  

Although it wasn’t a life- or-death event, it still rattled me a bit.

It’s like when people say that “stuff happens.”  (Maybe not exactly stuff but you know the saying)  

Life is unpredictable.  When the unexpected happens it is like getting the wind knocked out of you.  

I have learned that when this happens to me that I have to allow myself time to absorb the event and I know it will take me a few days to adjust.  

The important thing is not to panic or allow my emotions to react.  I have to take some time to settle my mind about what has happened.  I pray about it and leave it in God’s hands because ultimately there is nothing I can do to change it.  In these times we are reminded that we aren’t in control like we think we are. 

While we are surprised by life’s plot twists, God isn’t.  So why not trust Him?  I will admit that sometimes I freak out but I also allow myself some time to let my emotions settle down.  Right now as I continue to digest the latest blindside in my life, I also know that I have been through this before and I got through it.  It may not be something I prefer but I do have some history I can look back on.  People say that everything happens for a reason but that doesn’t help much when you are going through that reason.  Sometimes we never know the reason.  We simply just have to keep moving forward. 

We can’t possibly know it all.  We just live another day.  

I could give you a Bible verse or some witty cliche here but i won’t.  The bottom line is that the only way we handle the things that blindside us is to just go through it.  There are no shortcuts.  

So, I am adjusting my mindset to what has happened to me and recentering my focus.  It’s much like when we use our GPS for directions and we make the wrong turn, we had to re-adjust our course and follow the changes ahead.  

Don’t be rattled by times you are blindsided in life but take time to re-center yourself and refresh your mind.

Football Friday Night: Week 4

This week was a tale of two teams going in very different directions. Villa Rica improved to 4-0 while Warner Robins gave up a historic 70 points in a loss.

Clinch County was off this week.

First the good news...

Villa Rica 35, Seckinger 13
In WSB TV's Sports Zone Friday Game of the Week, Villa Rica made a good showing. The game was delayed due to inclement weather for over an hour and a half but the Villa Rica (4-0) offense seemed to be ready to go right away. The Wildcats drove the length of the field almost immediately. Junior quarterback Blaine Brown connected with Josiah Walker on a scoring toss, giving the Wildcats a 7-0 lead just over two minutes into the game.

Seckinger (0-3) had its best possession of the first half midway through the opening quarter, but it stalled out. Their ensuing 42-yard field goal was off the mark as well, giving the ball back to Villa Rica. Villa Rica tailback Emmanuel Ajayi had a relatively quiet first half, then broke out completely in the third period. The Wildcats hopped on top of the second half kickoff, and on the very next play Ajayi raced in from 30 yards out to create a two-possession lead. Three minutes later as Ajayi punched it in from 30 yards out once more, giving VRHS a 21-0 advantage.

Seckinger finally found the scoreboard in the closing moments of the third quarter. Following a fake punt, the Jaguars scored on the ground. The extra point was missed, making it a 21-6 game going into the fourth quarter.

Ajayi scored again early in the fourth on a 20-yard carry with 9:42 remaining, running Villa Rica’s lead to 22 points. Brown later connected with junior receiver Tamaj Beasley for his second touchdown toss of the night, creating a 35-6 cushion.

This is Villa Rica's best start since 1998. They have surprised me so far after picking them to finish 1-9.

Next: September 18 vs. Cass (4-0)

It will be a battle of the unbeatens in Villa Rica.  The Wildcats are 10-4 in the series.  They lost their last meeting 17-14 in 2019.  Cass defeated Heritage last week 41-13.

Now the ugly....

Newton 70, Warner Robins 14

Yep, you read that right.  Warner Robins gave up SEVENTY points in this game.  It is the most points any Warner Robins team has ever given up in a game.  The previous record was a 67-13 loss to Lanier in 1966.  

Newton had all of the highlights as Kevin Hartsfield returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, and Newton led 64-0 at halftime. Braylon Miller caught TD passes of 19 and 61 yards in the first quarter and returned an interception 56 yards and a punt 65 yards, both for touchdowns, in the second quarter. Josiah Frazier was 7-of-11 passing for 170 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown on three carries. Zayden Harden rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on four carries.

It is disappointing to see how far Warner Robins has fallen.  From appearing in the state finals from 2016-2022 to this.  This is pathetic.  This is a terrible coaching staff.  Shane Sams should have NEVER been hired to take over this storied program.  Was it not enough that this team endured historic embarrassing losses to Benedictine (61-0) and Cartersville (64-0) last year?  Sams needs to go.  Sorry if he's someone's favorite but he won't get the job done.  How much worst does this need to get?  Warner Robins missed a golden opportunity to snag alum Rich Findley Jr. when he left Bowdon last year.  

Next:  September 18 at Union Grove

It won't get any easier this week when Warner Robins takes on Union Grove.  Although Warner Robins leads the series 3-0, it will be important to see how they respond after the historic Newton loss.  Union Grove is 1-3.  They got their first win this week with a 58-12 win over Salem.  This is a very pivotal week for Warner Robins football in 2026.

Clinch County Panthers 

After a week off, Clinch County (1-2) will travel to Alma to play Bacon County (2-1).  The Panthers got their first win in their last game and will face the Red Raiders who lost to Vidalia 28-14 two weeks ago.  Clinch County leads the series 21-11.  They won last season's game 25-6.  The Panthers have a 16-game winning streak against the Red Raiders.  Bacon County's last win was in 1985.