OAKWOOD — West Hall has to be more than ready to start its Region 7-AAA schedule next week after a rough end to its four-game, Class AAAA gauntlet to open the season.
North Oconee manhandled the smaller Spartans 27-7 Friday night at Spartan Field, handing them a second consecutive loss for the first time since the 2013 season.
West Hall put in a lackluster performance last week in a 24-10 loss to North Hall. In the last eight quarters the offense has generated just three points.
However, West Hall coach Tony Lotti said they wanted some learning experiences. Now, taking what they learned over the first month of the season into next week’s Region 7-AAA opener against Dawson County will be the difference in how the rest of the season goes.
“The main things we learned the last two weeks is about preparation,” Lotti said. “If you don’t come ready to play and prepared, you won’t win. I think they saw that. But we scheduled the AAAA schools for a reason.
“Now, we have a week to take what we learned and get ready for the real season. It all starts next week. I’m hoping they respond the way I expect them too.”
From a numbers standpoint, it wasn’t pretty for the Spartans (2-2). They had just 143 total yards -- 31 on the ground -- generated just five first downs, and were just 1-for-10 on third downs for the game on offense. Two pass plays, one in the first half and one in the final minute of the game, accounted for over half of their total yardage.
Of the 87 points scored by the Spartans in their first four games, the defense accounted for 28 points directly on returns for touchdowns and set up 46 more with turnovers and scoring drives of 20-yards or less.
“We tried a few different things this week (on offense) and moved some guys around and for the most part I liked what I saw,” Lotti said. “We’re alright. (North Oconee) is very good football team and they gave us some things that we can learn from.”
Defensively the Spartans gave up 416 yards to the bigger Titans (1-2) and a whopping 250 on the ground. They did produce three more turnovers but could do little with them as the Titans defensive front controlled the line nearly from the start.
“Dawson County is much improved over last year and they spread the ball around like (North Oconee) does and we made a few plays,” Lotti said. “But it comes back to preparation and hopefully we learned that is a big key to winning.”
The first half was a defensive battle until late in the second quarter. Jermaine Browner’s 39-yard kickoff return to start the game for North Oconee was the biggest play of the first 18 minutes. The return would set up a quick Titans drive to the West Hall 16 but the drive stalled with two motion penalties and North Oconee settled for a 43-yard field goal by Simon Clarke for a 3-0 lead with 7:38 left in the first quarter.
Neither team could get much going offensively after that. West Hall was held to minus-6 yards rushing in the first quarter and the Spartans managed just 17 yards rushing in the first half.
The Spartans best offensive play was a screen pass from Jacob Satterfield to Tyquan Statham midway through the the second quarter. Statham split the defense and was already behind the entire Titans defense when the ball slipped out of his hands. He recovered after a 38-yard gain but instead of what looked like a sure touchdown, the Spartans drive stalled and they were forced to punt.
The Titans only big play came on their next possession after another Anthony Lotti punt. Sam Middlebrooks connected with Da’Marco Canty on a slant pass that Canty split the defenders and raced 65 yards for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead with 5:33 left in the half.
West Hall could not get anything going the rest of the half. Satterfield was 4-of-8 passing for 55 yards and Tristen Hester had an interception for the Spartans in the first half.
In the second half North Oconee scored on its first two third quarter possessions, getting a 9-yard touchdown run from Canaan McCloud midway through the period and then a 37-yard pass from Middlebrooks to Khyrie Moore just three minutes later. The Titans closed out the scoring on a 40-yard field goal from Clarke early in the fourth quarter.
SCORING SUMMARY
N. Oconee....3....7....14....3 -- 27
West Hall.....0.....0......7....0 -- 7
First Quarter
NO -- Clarke 43 FG 3-0, 7:38
Second Quarter
NO -- D. Canty 65 pass from Middlebrooks (Clarke kick) 10-0, 5:33
Third Quarter
WH -- Statham 33 fumble return (Lopez kick) 10-7, 10:09
NO -- McCloud 9 run (Clarke kick) 17-7, 6:48
NO -- K. Moore 37 pass from Middlebrooks (Clarke kick) 24-7, 3:24
Fourth Quarter
NO -- Clarke 40 FG 27-7, 9:53
