OAKWOOD — White County rolled into Spartan Field on Friday with only one thing in mind: keeping its playoff hopes alive.
The Warriors did just that, defeating West Hall 48-34.
Senior running back and linebacker Michael Mintz led the charge for White County, racking up five of his teams’ seven touchdowns.
Mintz opened the game’s scoring with a one-yard run that put his team in front 7-0 with 6:50 remaining in the opening quarter, and, buoyed by the performance, Warriors (2-5, 1-2 Region 7-4A) never trailed. Mintz racked up three rushing touchdowns and two receptions for 29 yards and a touchdown and scooped up a fumble and ran it back 45 yards for another score.
The Warriors led the game 27-7 at half, but the Spartans made it a two-possession game three separate times in the second half. West Hall scored a total of 27 points in the second half but was never able to overcome a 20-point halftime deficit.
White County sophomore quarterback J. Ben Haynes put up an excellent first half, completing 8 passes on 13 attempts for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
After halftime, Haynes threw two interceptions -- one of which was picked off and returned 55 yards for a touchdown by West Hall cornerback Jeremiah Prather -- and did not complete another pass on five attempts. Although Haynes struggled throwing the ball in the second half he still helped a Warriors ground attack that struggled early.
Haynes ran for 96 yards on nine carries, including four rushes of 10-plus yards.
Warriors’ senior running back Jay Lepkoske stunted the West Hall comeback, banging in a touchdown run from eight yards to put White County ahead 34-14 with 1:31 left in the third quarter. Lepkoske finished the game with 65 yards rushing on 13 carries and one touchdown.
The Spartans (2-6, 1-3 7-4A) had a tough time getting their own run game going against a swarming Warrior defense, but quarterback Clayton Jenkins spread the ball around, completing 23-of-37 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns.
All three of Jenkins’ touchdowns were caught by senior wide receiver Devon Williams, who finished with seven receptions for 136 yards and three scores, including a 75-yard bomb down the sideline that resulted in the longest play of the game for either side. Sophomore kicker and wide receiver Rodrigo Lopez also hauled in seven of Jenkins’ passes for 69 yards.
West Hall will sit through a bye week before hosting Flowery Branch in another tough 7-4A game on Oct. 26.
White County, meanwhile, will try to get its second region win in a row when it plays Denmark on the road next week.
SCORING SUMMARY
WHITE COUNTY....7....20......7....14 -- 48
WEST HALL...........7......0....13....14 – 34
First Quarter
WCHS -- Mintz 1 run (Clark kick) 7-0, 6:50
Second Quarter
WHHS -- Williams 13 pass from Jenkins (Lopez kick) 7-7, 11:51
WCHS -- Versluis 37 pass from Haynes (kick failed) 13-7, 8:58
WCHS -- Mintz 18 pass from Haynes (Clark kick) 20-7, 4:12
WCHS -- Mintz 45 fumble return (Clark kick) 27-7, 0:11
Third Quarter
WHHS -- Prather 55 interception return (Lopez kick) 27-14, 10:37
WCHS -- Lepkoske 8 run (Clark kick) 34-14, 1:31
WHHS -- Williams 75 pass from Jenkins (kick failed) 34-20, 1:12
Foruth Quarter
WCHS -- Mintz 1 run (Clark kick) 41-20, 11:54
WHHS -- Thompson 3 run (Lopez kick) 41-27, 6:51
WCHS -- Mintz 8 run (Clark kick) 48-27, 4:14
WHHS -- Williams 8 pass from Jenkins (Lopez kick) 48-34, 1:46
