GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Few expected them to be here eight weeks into their second season as a program. But after a physical 14-7 win over Cherokee Bluff on Friday night at Half-Mile High Stadium, East Forsyth finds itself with a chance to play for a possible Region 8-4A title.
However, standing in the Broncos’ (5-1, 3-1 Region 8-4A) way is No. 2 North Oconee (6-0, 4-0 Region 8-4A) next week.
East Forsyth coach Brian Allison said embracing the challenge is their only option.
“We have no choice but to approach that as just another ball game,” Allison said after dodging a huge Gatorade bath moments before. “That one game isn’t going to define us one way or another, so we’re going to go in and prepare our players to be in the best position possible to be successful and go from there.”
Allison also credited the players for wanting to get to this point as quickly as possible.
“I think they’ve bought into what we’re asking them to do; they’re a year older and a year older in the weight room,” Allison said. “It’s been a lot of fun this year so far, for sure.”
The win moved the Broncos into no worse than a tie for second place going into next week's huge showdown in Bogart with the first-place Titans.
The defensive battle that many expected was certainly the case in a scoreless first half. Field position was the key factor, as the Bears’ average start was their own 34 compared with the Broncos, who had to start twice at their own 13.
The only scoring threat was a 38-yard field goal attempt by Bluff’s Xavier Diaz on the half's final play. But the kick sailed wide left as time expired. That play was set up by a Broncos’ pass interference penalty deep in their territory with 6 seconds left.
In the second half, both offenses came to life. Cherokee Bluff held the Broncos on their opening drive and finally got its running game going. Perry Haynes accounted for 32 yards on the ground, and Asher Wilson capped the 78-yard drive connecting with Caleb Cooper for a 5-yard TD pass for a 7-0 lead midway through the third.
East Forsyth answered right back. The Broncos got a key 49-yard pass from Brock Szakacs to Andrew Frank down to the Bears 2, and Will Moffitt capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game with just over one minute left in the third.
The Broncos then rolled the dice on the ensuing kickoff recovering an onside kick at the Bears’ 49. That drive stalled, but after a short Bluff punt, they went back to work on offense.
Szakacs went 4-for-5 for 31 yards, including a 5-yard TD pass to Jack Brumbelow with just 8:20 left for a 14-7 lead.
The East Forsyth defense, which had only allowed 6.5 points/game coming in, made the key play forcing a Max Eubanks fumble at the Bears 36 on their next possession, and the offense ran out the clock to preserve the tough win.
After the Bears scored, the Broncos' defense held them to just one first down on a penalty and just 16 total yards over their final three drives.
“Our defensive kids are just a bunch of kids that work their hind-end off every week,” Allison said. “I think they’re pretty good.”
In the first half, Bluff had the most success against the classification’s top defense. The Bears managed 106 yards, with Wilson going 9-of-14 for 72 yards through the air. But they had just four first downs, one by the big penalty late in the half.
East Forsyth had just 69 total yards, only 14 yards rushing, in the opening half, with Szakacs going 6-of-8 for 55 yards passing. The Broncos got a 16-yard pass from Szakacs to Jackson Norman on their first play but managed just two more first downs the rest of the half. They ran just six plays inside Cherokee Bluff territory.
Szakacs finished 17-of-24 for 172 yards and 1 TD. David Navarrete had 6 catches for 73 yards for East Forsyth. The Broncos, however, managed 45 yards rushing for the game.
Wilson finished 13-of-22 for 89 yards and 1 TD for the Bears. Eubanks had 6 catches for 36 yards. Bluff finished with 97 yards rushing for the game.
The loss for the Bears (2-5, 2-3 Region 8-4A) was their third straight and dropped them all the way down to a tie for sixth with North Hall.
SCORING SUMMARY
Cherokee Bluff................0.....0....7.....0 -- 7
East Forsyth....................0.....0.....7.....7 -- 14
Third Quarter
C -- Cooper 5 pass from Wilson (Diaz kick) 7-0, 6:01
E -- Moffitt 1 run (Droegemueller kick) 7-7, 1:12
Fourth Quarter
E -- Jack Brumbelow 5 pass from Szakacs (Droegemueller kick) 14-7, 8:20
