Missed opportunities sink Warner Robins against Thomas County Central
Missed opportunities and timely mistakes hurt Warner Robins at the most inopportune of moments as the Demons fell 33-22 to Thomas County Central on Friday night at McConnell-Talbert Stadium in the GHSA Region 1-5A opener for both programs.
The Demons (1-6, 0-1 Region 1-5A) seemingly moved the ball at the will against the Yellow Jackets in the first half, only to stall inside the Thomas County Central 10. Warner Robins settled for a trio of field goals early in the game, leaving points on the board that proved costly.
Thomas County Central (5-2, 1-0) turned a pair of Warner Robins turnovers into 13 points and took a 19-15 advantage to halftime, despite gaining just three total first downs in the game’s opening two quarters.
Three who mattered
Kelias Williams: The Thomas County Central quarterback, who is usually known for his prowess rushing the football, proved effective passing against the Demons. He finished 8-of-13 through the air for 172 yards and a touchdown.
Jarius Burnett: The only Demons player to find the end zone, Burnett carried 19 times for 96 yards and a pair of scores.
Eli Mashburn: Warner Robins’ junior place-kicker was perfect. He connected on all three of his field goal attempts and both extra points.
Turning point
After a blocked punt gave Warner Robins a first-and-goal that it cashed in one play later for a 15-7 advantage, the Demons failed to convert a two-point try and then lost the momentum entirely on the next play from scrimmage when Tyrice Cloud broke loose for 68 yards. The Yellow Jackets scored 26 unanswered points after going three-and-out on three of their first four possessions.
They said it
Warner Robins head coach Mike Chastain on his team’s troubles in the red zone: “We’ve got to be able to put the ball in the end zone when we get down there close, and that’s just part of being able to do everything in the offense. You can’t be one-dimensional.”
Chastain on his team’s ability to force Thomas County Central to throw: “That was our goal. We were going to try and make them throw the ball. That’s not what they want to do, but they did it and hats off to them.”
Chastain on his team’s success moving the football early: “We’ve got some big offensive linemen that came out and pounded the ball a little bit, some good running backs, and they do a good job. They did a great job blocking; we just have to find all parts of the offense right now.”
What’s next?
Warner Robins travels to Harris County on Friday in a crucial region contest.
This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 10:41 PM with the headline "Missed opportunities sink Warner Robins against Thomas County Central."