Facing seemingly long odds even before the game started and increasing odds once the contest began, the Winder-Barrow High School football team showed it has not given up on the 2015 season. Not by any stretch of the imagination.
The Bulldoggs (2-3 overall, 2-2 in Region 8-AAAAA) rallied from a 28-13 second half deficit to not only force overtime but to earn a much-needed win in terms of confidence and the race for the playoffs at W. Clair Harris Stadium against previously undefeated Salem High School.
Brock Landis, who stepped into the starting quarterback role Friday night, scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in overtime. WBHS then kicked the extra point for a 35-28 lead.
Salem (4-1 overall, 3-1 in region) responded immediately, needing just one play to cover the necessary 15 yards per overtime rules. After both teams called a timeout, the Seminoles went for two points but the attempt was blown up from the beginning and never had a chance.
At that point the celebration was on as Bulldogg players, coaches and fans celebrated the win which so easily could have gone the other way.
“We showed a lot of character,” said head coach Heath Webb. “I am so proud of this team. We came in fighting some tough odds and had to keep fighting until the end. It says a lot about this team to overcome so many obstacles and still win against a very good, undefeated opponent.”
The reason for victory was clear for Bulldogg players.
“We just kept fighting,” said senior Joey Junius. “We went out and played like it was our last time. Even when we were down, we still knew anything was possible.”
Trailing 21-13 at halftime, WBHS saw Salem add another score on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 11:07 still remaining in the third quarter.
The offense for both teams then struggled for several consecutive possessions in the second half with both punters receiving plenty of action.
Finally, the Bulldoggs got to within a score on a 4-yard run by Landis, a sophomore, who was named the starting quarterback earlier in the week by the coaches.
Salem continued to struggle offensively and WBHS then put together an impressive 10-play drive which began with 4:53 left and ended on a 15-yard pass to Andre Jackson on fourth down with 2:44 left in regulation.
Turnovers, which have hurt Salem all season, ended a potential game-winning drive with under a minute to play as Mason White intercepted a pass inside Bulldogg territory.
Salem took a 6-0 lead in the first quarter on a 14-yard touchdown pass. The point-after attempt failed. The Seminoles then moved in front 14-0 on a 4-yard touchdown and successful two-point conversion.
After Landis fought in from a yard out with 9:35 left in the first half, the WBHS Bulldoggs were within 14-6.
A 63-yard touchdown run gave Salem a 21-6 lead with just under nine minutes to play in the second quarter. A fake field goal attempt was converted for a touchdown by WBHS on a 7-yard run by Jackson, however, with less than a minute to go before halftime.
“It was a great win,” said Andre Jackson. “I told the team to never give up and we would eventually catch them and end up on top. We definitely needed this one, but now we have to get ready for Flowery Branch. That game will be just as important.”
Landis wasn’t given a great deal of time to ease into the playbook. He threw the football 41 times Friday night, completing 20 for 191 yards, one score and no interceptions.
His favorite target was Cale Horne who caught six passes for 86 yards. Jackson hauled in five receptions for 45 yards and a score while Hughes caught four passes out of the backfield for 24 yards. Casey Thurmond helped contribute to a balanced night receiving with three catches for 21 yards.
Javon Hughes stepped in for an injured CeCe Green and finished with 54 yards on 14 carries.
“We had both of our offensive tackles suffer sprained ankles in the game so that was something else we had to deal with,” Webb said. “The odds just seemed so stacked against us before the game and even once the game began. The players simply never gave up and never stopped believing in their coaches.”
Webb said Landis performed well for his first start at varsity quarterback.
“It’s a tough assignment to go against the best defensive line in the region and to not have the Region Player of the Year behind you in the backfield,” Webb said. “I am so proud of him for competing all night long. He took some hits but he kept bouncing back and never quit.”
Webb said Landis had a “Superman” type performance and continued to make big plays when they were needed.
The 41 pass attempts by Landis was not something planned, but rather something which became necessary.
“It was two-fold in a sense,” Webb said. “It was tough running against Salem’s defensive line and then we got behind. We didn’t intend to throw it that many times going into the game, but it was something we ended up having to do.”
The status of Green for this week’s contest remained up in the air earlier this week.
Webb said he hopes the senior will be able to play, but it is a day-by-day monitoring situation at this point.
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