Scoreboard: Warner Robins snuffs out hopes of revenge game, beats Jones County 43-28
The Warner Robins Demons continued their hot streak and snuffed out hopes of a revenge game for Jones County on Friday night, beating the Greyhounds 43-28 at McConnell-Talbert Stadium.
The win secured a region championship for Warner Robins, the first under head coach Shane Sams in his inaugural season. Sams, soaked with Gatorade, commended his team after the game.
“It feels good. These kids and these coaches have done a tremendous job, you know, coming together, and we’re really proud of them,” Sams said.
Led by quarterback Judd Anderson, who transferred from Jones County to Warner Robins midseason, the Demons took control of what was a fiery game early with an onside kick on the opening kickoff. A score a few plays later set the tone, and Warner Robins never looked back.
“We knew that they kinda had some momentum, thought they were overconfident coming into this game, they really thought they had it, so I knew I had to come in and steal the momentum right from the get-go and come off the bat fired up,” Sams said.
Unsportsmanlike penalties played a big role in the contest, much to the chagrin of fans on both sides. Anderson’s mid-season transfer fired up the crowd and players, which made the already important region title game even more physical.
“We just told our kids we wanted to be aggressive,” Sams said. “We knew they were a little undisciplined and a little out of control at times, so we knew if we just played our game and went fast, we’d have some good things come our way.”
Anderson finished 22 of 37 passing with 250 yards and two touchdowns against his former team thanks to his wide receivers Isiah Canion and Cam Flowers both making impressive plays throughout the game.
The Greyhounds had explosive plays of their own, including an 80-yard touchdown grab by receiver Zion Ragins in the first quarter that got them on the board, but the Demons proved to be too much once the second half rolled around.
The win is the fourth straight for Warner Robins and snaps a stretch of five consecutive victories for Jones County. The region title guarantees the Demons home field advantage in at least the first round of the playoffs this year.
“Yeah that’s huge, it’s important,” Sams said. “When you come to this stadium and play here, there’s no doubt it’s important. We’re glad to have that.”
A fierce atmosphere
The atmosphere stayed intense throughout the first half. Warner Robins ran an onside kick on the opening kickoff and got the ball back before scoring the first touchdown, then nearly recovered the next kickoff as well before a penalty gave Jones County the ball.
Another Demons strike led to a 14-0 lead early in the first quarter, but an 80-yard touchdown grab by Zion Ragins put the Greyhounds right back in it.
Several unsportsmanlike conduct penalties clouded the second quarter, getting the already intense crowds even more into the game. A few crucial stops and consistent drives gave Warner Robins a 30-14 lead at the half.
After an intense first half, it looked as if Jones County could still make noise in the second half, but Warner Robins added two unanswered scores in the third quarter. After some garbage time points, the Demons came away with a 43-28 win.
Other scores
- Mary Persons 15, Upson-Lee 0
- Spalding 31, Perry 22
- Bleckley County 21, Swainsboro 20
- FPD 29, Tattnall 26
- Westside 26, Baldwin 22
- Houston County 26, Tift County 14
- Northside 29, Veterans 0
- Howard 35, West Laurens 21
- Peach County 46, Pike County 10
- Northeast 49, Jordan 0
- Rutland 41, Kendrick 14
- Spencer 43, Central 0
- Wilkinson County 14, Hancock Central 6
- John Milledge 49, Mount de Sales 17
- Southwest 52, ACE 51 (2OT)
Scores will be added as they become available.
This story was originally published October 27, 2023 at 11:38 PM.