Gold tops White, 21-16, in Tech Spring Game

ATLANTA — Brady Swilling (Chatsworth, Ga./North Murray) hauled in a 61-yard touchdown catch from Chase Martenson (Dunwoody, Ga./Marist) with 1:32 remaining in the game to lift the Gold team to a 21-16 come-from-behind win over the White team in Georgia Tech football’s annual Spring Game on Friday night at Bobby Dodd Stadium.
                                         
The Gold squad trailed 16-7 going into the fourth quarter but scored twice in the final 5:44 to rally for the victory.
 
The comeback began when redshirt freshman Lucas Johnson (San Diego, Calif./Mount Carmel) led a 15-play, 70-yard drive that he capped with a 23-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman A-back Xavier Gantt (Buford, Ga./Buford) to cut the deficit to 16-14 with 5:44 to go.
 
The Gold defense forced a punt on the ensuing series and on the first play after the change of possession, Martenson found a wide-open Swilling down the left sideline. Swilling, a fifth-year senior B-back, hauled in the pass from the junior quarterback, eluded one would-be tackler and dragged several more into end zone for the go-ahead score.
 
The White made things interesting in the final minute when redshirt freshman Jay Jones (McCalla, Ala./McAdory) drove the squad into Gold territory but his final pass was intercepted in the end zone by junior safety A.J. Gray (Sandersville, Ga./Washington County) as time expired.
 
Martenson completed 2-of-3 attempts to lead all passers with 75 yards while Swilling’s 61 receiving yards were also a game high. Johnson accounted for 128 yards (69 passing, 59 rushing) and two scores (the 23-yard pass to Gantt and a 70-yard run in the first quarter) for the Gold.
 
Jones led the White with 41 passing yards and a game-high 81 rushing yards. Sophomore B-back KirVonte Benson (Marietta, Ga./Marietta) added 57 yards and a touchdown on nine carries.
 
Defensively, junior linebacker Brant Mitchell (Knoxville, Tenn./Webb School) recorded seven tackles, including 2.5 behind the line of scrimmage, and forced a fumble for the Gold. Senior cornerback Lance Austin (Barnesville, Ga./Lamar County) matched Mitchell’s game-high seven stops and senior defensive end Antonio Simmons (Jacksonville, Fla./University Christian School) added six tackles (all solo), three tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble in the win.
 
Junior defensive lineman Tyler Merriweather (Demopolis, Ala./Demopolis) and sophomore linebacker Tyler Cooksey (Suwanee, Ga./Greater Atlanta Christian School) led the White with six tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack apiece.
 
Sophomore place kicker Shawn Davis (McDonough, Ga./Union Grove) booted three field goals for the White (38, 35 and 33 yards).