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i Reporter
-| g December 7, 2016
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The best
coverage
for Monroe
County sports
Dogs get swept up in ‘Purple Hurricane’
Cartersville defense holds MP to 17 total yards in second half of 38-17 loss
of 20.
Two plays later, fac
ing an improbable 3rd-
and-26 from the Purple
Hurricanes’ 43-yard-
line, Speir fired a post
pattern bomb to Roger
Akins, streaking from
the left side of the field
up the middle. Akins
beat several members
of the Cartersville sec
ondary over the top,
squeezing the ball and
crossing the goal line
for a 43-yard score.
Dawson Daniel’s extra
point put MP in front
7-0 with 5:55 left in the
first quarter.
Alex Rivera’s ensu
ing kickoff was fielded
by Cartersville’s Trase
Fezzia at his own
12-yard-]ine. Fezzia
ran just five yards
before he was hit by
an MP player, forcing
a fumble recovered by
MP’s Tre Slaton at the
Cartersville 17-yard-
line.
Two plays later, MP
running back Zach
Harvey ran down
the left sideline for a
15-yard gain to the
four-yard-line, setting
up lst-and-goal. Three
plays later, Harvey fell
headfirst across the
Mary Persons senior Malik Herring, who verbally committed to UGA on Thursday, steamrolls a would-be tackier on this
long reception during the second quarter of MP’s 38-17 season-ending playoff loss at Cartersville. (Photo/Will Davis)
BY RICHARD DUMAS
forsyth@inyi7icr.net
The Mary Persons
Bulldogs got off to a dream
start: on Friday and led the
state’s top-ranked squad by
14 points in the first quar
ter of MPs road semifinal
contest at Cartersville.
However, reality quickly
set in, and the Bulldogs
were outscored 38-3 over
the game’s final three
quarters of a 38-17 loss.
Cartersville’s superstar
junior quarterback Trevor
Lawrence passed for 257
yards and four touchdowns
on 16 of 23 completions
en route to the Purple
Hurricanes’ blowout win.
With the game still
close at halftime with
Cartersville clinging to
a 21-17 lead, the Purple
Hurricanes’ vaunted
defense dominated the sec
ond half. Cartersville held
MPs offense to just two
first downs and 17 total
yards in four second-half
possessions.
Undefeated Cartersville,
14-0, will next face
Thomson, 14-0, in the
Georgia Dome at 4:30 p.m.
on Saturday in the AAAA
state championship contest.
The Purple Hurricanes
are seeking their second
straight AAAA state cham
pionship while the Bulldogs
of Thomson, who defeated
Jefferson 27-6 in the semi
finals, are looking for their
first state title since 2002.
Meanwhile, MP wrapped
up its impressive season
with an 11-3 record and a
second consecutive Region
2-AAAA championship.
The Bulldogs reached the
program’s first state semifi
nal in 18 years and 10th in
program history.
MPs defense set the tone
for the Bulldogs’ outstand
ing start, by forcing an
immediate Cartersville
three-and-out on the
Purple Hurricanes’ open
ing possession. After a
Cartersville punt, MP got
the ball in excellent field
position at its own 49-yard-
line.
The Bulldogs’ ensuing
drive lasted nearly five
minutes of game time,
encompassing 51 yards on
9 plays. MPs drive nearly
stalled when Dogs’ quar
terback Caleb Speir was
sacked by Cartersville’s
Avery Showell, causing a
fumble that was eventually
recovered by MP for a loss
goal line after getting
hit in mid air during a dive
attempt for a one-yard
touchdown. James Davis’
extra point gave MP a sur
prising early 14-0 advan
tage with 3:19 left in the
first quarter.
On Cartersville’s first
play from scrimmage on
its next, drive, the Bulldogs
got yet another gift, from
the Purple Hurricanes.
Tailback Trey Creamer
fumbled a handoff from
Lawrence, and the loose
ball was immediately
recovered by MPs Tre
Howard at the Cartersville
33-yard-]ine. Unfortunately
for the Bulldogs, MP was
unable to capitalize as
sophomore running back
Quen Wilson gave the ball
right back to Cartersville
on a fumble just two plays
later.
With new life at its own
24-yard-]ine, the Purple
Hurricanes’s offense, which
had -3 total yards at that
point, went to work chip
ping away at MP’s lead.
Cartersville crossed mid-
field on the final play of the
first quarter. Then, on the
opening play of the second
quarter, Lawrence con
nected with Showell, who
broke a tackle in the open
field, on a crossing route
for 38 yards down to MPs
11-yard-line. Two plays
later, Lawrence rolled right
and found a wide-open E.J.
Turner in the back right
comer of the end zone for
an 8-yard touchdown to cut
MP’s lead in half. Jonathan
Cruz’s extra point made
the score 14-7 with 11:01
left in the second quarter.
MP had a golden oppor
tunity to tack on another
touchdown on its next
series after Speir con
nected with tight end
Malik Herring on a 43-yard
gain down to the Purple
Hurricanes’ eight-yard-
line. Herring stiff-armed
one Cartersville defender
before dragging another
one who clung to the back
of Herring’s jersey before
bringing him to the ground.
However, MP’s offense
stalled near the end zone.
Harvey ran for three yards
on first down. Then, Speir
threw an unsuccessful
shovel pass completion to
Tre Howard before Jatori
Sims was stuffed on third
down on a counter play
that had proven success
ful earlier in the drive.
Facing 4th-and-goal from
the Cartersville four-yard-
line, MP head coach Brian
Nelson elected to send out
the field goal unit. Rivera
drilled a 21-yarder straight
through the uprights with
7:19 left in the second quar
ter to put MP back in front
by double digits at 17-7.
But it didn’t take long
for Cartersville to respond.
On the third play of the
Purple Hurricanes’ ensuing
drive, Creamer took a draw
handoff from Lawrence
and found a hole on the
right side. With his blazing
speed, the Minnesota com
mit exploded untouched
past a handful of MP
defenders for a 54-yard
touchdown with 6:12 left in
the second quarter. Cruz’s
extra point narrowed MPs
edge to just three points at
17-14.
After an MP three-
and-out highlighted by
another Showell sack of
Speir, Cartersville got
outstanding field position
at its own 47-yard-line
with 4:44 left in the first
half. Three plays later,
Creamer appeared to put
Cartersville in front with
a 15-yard score, but the
touchdown was called
back due to offensive
holding. Moments later,
with Cartersville facing
3rd-and-13 at the MP
18-yard-]ine, Lawrence,
the top rated recruit in the
nation in the Class of 2018,
made perhaps his most
dazzling play of the night.
Lawrence rolled right but
was thwarted by the MP
see BULLDOGS page 2B
TT
rr^iro(Si?5iHEi\w/EEK
Senior safety
Dalon Edge • No. 14
had 6 tackles, 5 solo, in a
38-17 loss to Cartersville
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MP Winter Sports Home Calendar
Wednesday, Dec. 7:
Thursday, Dec. 8: 6 p.m. — 9th Grade Boys Basketball (vs. Stratford)
Friday, Dec. 9: 4:15 p.m. — JV Boys Basketball (vs. Howard); 6 p.m. — Varsity Girls
Basketball (vs. Howard); 7:30 p.m. — Varsity Boys Basketball (vs. Howard)
Saturday, Dec. 10: 4:15 p.m. — JV Boys Basketball (vs. Lamar County); 6 p.m. —
Varsity Girls Basketball (vs. Lamar County); 7:30 p.m. — Varsity Boys Basketball (vs.
Lamar County)
Sunday, Dec. 11:
Monday, Dec. 12:
Tuesday, Dec. 13: 5 p.m. — C-Team Girls Basketball (vs. Gray Station); 6 p.m. — C-
Team Boys Basketball (vs. Gray Station)
WINTER TIRE
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