Thriving quarterbacks lead Westside, Central into GHSA Region 2-AAA showdown
The 2015 season is turning into a big year for quarterbacks in Bibb County.
Central’s Derrick Evans is on pace for a 2,500-yard season. Howard’s Courvoisier King already has eclipsed his season total from last season and is performing just below a pace that would put him at 2,000 yards for the season. Westside’s Savion Knowlton has just as many passing touchdowns (eight) as Evans and is operating at a 1,400-yard pace. And Southwest freshman Jordan Slocum has shown some promise early in the Patriots’ season.
Two of those quarterbacks, Evans and Knowlton, meet Friday at Henderson Stadium in a game that will give the GHSA Region 2-AAA race some early definition.
“It really started this summer with how hard we worked to prepare for this season,” Evans said. “We knew this year would be a big year for us, the fourth season with Coach (Jesse) Hicks. “Our coaches prepared us to live for these moments right here, to start off a good season.”
Evans already has one meeting with a high-flying Bibb County quarterback under his belt. Central (2-1) came up a point short against King and Howard, but Evans threw for 295 yards and three touchdowns in that contest.
The senior has done just about everything right so far this season. He has 747 yards in three games, and he has yet to throw an interception. He has done so while opening up to more targets, all while maintaining a running game that has Antonio Sanders Jr. on pace for an 1,100-yard season.
“I’m really not surprised with what he’s doing, because he’s always been such an unselfish person,” Hicks said. “He distributes the ball to a lot of people. One time I was on him about (keying) Ivory (Childers), and now we had six, seven people touch the ball last week in different phases of our offense.”
Knowlton, meanwhile, has shown some growth in his first year as Westside’s starter. He has helped the Seminoles post a 3-0 start, rolling to wins over Rutland and Harris County before squeezing out a 27-24 win over West Laurens, a team that was ranked fifth in GHSA Class AAAA at the time.
The junior threw for 161 yards and three touchdowns against West Laurens. He did so after some early adversity as a first-quarter pass he threw while trying to escape a sack went for a 68-yard interception return for a touchdown.
“The West Laurens game was a tough game,” Knowlton said. “It came down to a nail-biter at the end.”
Said Hicks, “The question was who would play quarterback for them. It seems like the young man has come on and done a good job for them. I think he’s one of those type of kids that, once he gets in, he’ll grow, and he’ll get better. He seems to be a good athlete, throws the ball well.”
The success both teams are enjoying, both under center and in general, has raised the interest in what likely will be one of the most important games in Region 2-AAA this season.
A year ago, both Peach County and Westside steamrolled through their region opponents into their head-to-head showdown near the end of the season. By the time they met, the teams had the top two spots in the region locked up.
A win by Central on Friday would set up a much different playoff picture, even with the bulk of the regular season yet to be played.
“Central has one of the best teams that they’ve had in a long time,” Westside head coach Spoon Risper said. “Coach Hicks has done a tremendous job of turning that program around. His kids believe in him and what he’s preaching to them.”
This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 4:54 PM with the headline "Thriving quarterbacks lead Westside, Central into GHSA Region 2-AAA showdown ."