Maroons top Blue Devils

By JIM CUNNINGHAM/Staff

The George Wythe Maroons found the best way possible to keep warm on a cold night in a Region C, Division 2 football game played on Friday. They kept running through the Grayson County defense and then found themselves jumping up and down to celebrate touchdowns.
The GW starters finally began to cool down late in the third quarter when many were pulled from the game to make way for the reserves after the game had already been decided.
George Wythe ended the game with a one-sided 50-8 shellacking of the Blue Devils.
Most observers will likely tell you the game was over before the first quarter ended.
The Maroons scored touchdowns on each of their four possessions in the first quarter to zoom out to a 29-0 lead before the opening period ended.
Incredibly, GW scored six TDs on its first 13 offensive plays.
George Wythe Head Coach Donnie Pruitt said he wasn’t that surprised at the quick start. “This is the most focused team that I’ve had.”
He said the 29 points is probably the most the team has ever scored in one quarter.
He credited Seth White for having a great game. The senior led the team in rushing with 114 yards on 11 carries and scored two touchdowns. Larry McCoy rushed for 106 yards on five carries.
“Larry’s still not 100 percent,” said Pruitt. McCoy suffered an injury earlier in the season and has seen limited action.
Pruitt also expressed concern about reserve tailback and place kicker Brett Grimes who was injured late in the fourth quarter. He was taken by the rescue squad to the hospital, but his injury is not thought to be serious. He was released from the hospital later that night with a whiplash type injury.
Also injured was senior linebacker and fullback Devin Smith who suffered a banged-up finger. Smith, who in addition to making numerous tackles on defense, also had an eight-yard touchdown run on his only carry in the first half. He didn’t play the second half, but he is expected to recover in time to play in the game on Friday.
GW quarterback Jacob Sharitz completed seven of his eight passes for 112 yards. Robert Yonce caught four of those passes for 75 yards, including a touchdown. Brandon Davis caught two passes, including a TD reception.
Grayson quarterback Bo Pollard was zero for five in passing and four of his passes were intercepted.
The Maroons will play for the Region C championship at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Giles.
The Blue Devils had one of their best drives on the game’s opening possession when they faked a punt and picked up a first down at the GW 46.
But Will Sawyers intercepted a pass on the next play to give George Wythe its first possession.
The Maroons wasted little time as Sharitz connected on a pass good for about 20 yards to the Devil 18-yard line. On the next play, White broke through the defense for an 18-yard TD run. The Maroons lined up to kick the PAT, but an offsides call against GC, persuaded GW to try for two. White waltzed in the end zone to put the Maroons up 8-0 with 8:09 left in the first quarter.
The GW defense then forced a Grayson punt and took over on its own 41. Sharitz connected with Yonce for 20-plus yards into Devil territory.
Sharitz and White then had good runs for another GW first down before the drive was capped off on a 17-yard TD run by White. Again Grimes lined up to kick the PAT, but again Grayson was offsides, so the Maroons went for two points and made it on a pass from Sharitz to a leaping Brandon Davis at the back of the end zone to make it 16-0 with 4:40 left in the first quarter.
Smith then made GW’s second interception of the night on GC’s next play after the kickoff, and the Maroons got back on the scoring train again as Sharitz quickly connected with Yonce, who was streaking down the right sideline for a 30-yard score. This time the Blue Devils allowed Grimes to kick the PAT to make it 23-0 with 4:28 left in the first.
The Blue Devils picked up one first down on their next possession, but the drive was cut short before reaching midfield on a fumble that was recovered by Will Sawyers.
This time it took GW three plays before Smith took a handoff and ran it over from eight yards out. The kick failed, but GW had extended its lead to 29-0 with 0:27 left in the first.
The Blue Devils then got it going with some good runs by Adam Bedsaul (who led the Devils with 79 yards on 11 carries) to put the ball in Maroon territory. GC Pollard then ran it over the goal line from 27 yards out to put Grayson on the board. Bedsaul ran in the two point conversion to make it 29-0 with 9:37 left in the second quarter.
It took the Maroons less than a minute to respond as Davis bounced his way off several GC defenders on his way to a 28-yard TD run. Grimes kicked the PAT to make it 36-8 with 9:01 left in the third.
The Blue Devils then put together their longest drive of the night from their own 36 to near the GW 20 before fumbling the ball away.
Deo Campbell came up with the loose ball as the Maroons started on their own 19. GW quickly escaped its own territory as McCoy had his best run of the night deep to set up another touchdown to make it 43-8.
Sharitz scored GW’s last touchdown on a one-yard plunge midway in the third quarter after Drew Lester recovered another GC fumble.
Jordon Eller stopped another GC possession with an interception.

Grayson County 0 8 00 0 – 8
George Wythe 29 14 7 00 – 50

Scoring:
GW – White 18 run (White run)
GW – White 17 run (Davis pass from Sharitz)
GW – Yonce 30 pass from Sharitz (Grimes kick)
GW – Smith 8 run (kick failed)
GC – Pollard 27 run (Bedsaul run)
GW – Davis 28 run (Grimes kick)
GW – Davis 28 pass from Sharitz (Grimes kick)
GW – Sharitz 1 run (Grimes kick)

Stats GC GW
First downs 13 21
Yards rushing 45-219 36-330
Yards passing 0 112
Passing Att-Comp-Int 0-5-4 7-8-0
Fumbles-lost 4-3 0-0
Punts 1-23 0-0
Penalties 5-37 3-200
(Stats courtesy of Kenny Sayers)
(T – 2:23)