Once again, Coffee faces huge game with Valdosta
DOUGLAS — Like it has so many times in the past, a great deal of how well things end for the Coffee High Trojans hangs on a showdown with the Valdosta Wildcats.
After dispatching the Warner Robins Demons 41-38 in an overtime thriller, the Trojans turn their attention to a fast, athletic Wildcats team that would love nothing more than put an end to Coffee’s two-game winning streak over the storied program.
To extend the winning streak to three games, the Trojans will have to draw upon the education they gained in the dramatic come-from-behind-win this past Friday. “We learned a lot about ourselves against Warner Robins. We learned we can handle adversity. Our kids never got down,” said head coach Jerry Odom.
Monday, Odom said his team played well on both sides of the ball, though had a little trouble with consistency on defense. “We’d play well for four plays and then mess up,” said the coach.
The second half was difficult to watch. Coffee had a two-touchdown lead at half time, and slowly, play by play, the lead unraveled until the Demons found themselves sitting pretty with a 35-28 lead with less than two minutes to go. “We couldn’t get off the field on third down,” said Odom.
Warner Robins was six of nine on third down conversions, and converted three fourth downs.
But when the chips were down, the offense stepped up to the plate and pulled together as a unit. “On that last drive, the line provided solid protection. The receivers ran good routes and caught the ball. And Burke made the throws,” said Odom.
Quarterback Burke Batten had the weight of the world on his shoulders during the game-tying drive. He did exactly what Odom has asked him to do: Make good decisions and not try to do too much. “I simply want him to drive the bus,” said Odom.
And that’s exactly what Batten did. He had a little help from Demario Bennett, who caught a long pass to get the Trojans in position to go for the end zone, and Akeem Wesley, whose hands were true on Batten’s pass that tied the game.
After Warner Robins held the Trojan nation breathless on a 44-yard field goal attempt that sailed wide left, the two teams squared off in overtime.
That’s when Batten and his offense finished the game with a two-play drive that ended with an eight-yard Dermaine Gaskins touchdown.
The offense has scored 107 points over three games, and amassed nearly 1,000 yards of total offense during that stretch. And the unit has done so with a balanced attack that is equally at home in the air as on the ground. For example, against Tift, rushing accounted for about two-thirds of Coffee’s offense.
Warner Robins keyed on the ground game, and stacked the box to stop the Trojans’ talented corps of running backs. So Odom spread out the offense and Batten took to the air, throwing for 273 yards and three touchdowns. “I like balance. Balance is hard to defend,” said Odom.
The Wildcats have that to look forward to Friday night. While Coffee has been clicking on all cylinders for the last three weeks, Valdosta has also been playing well.
Both the Trojans and the Wildcats have identical records, and have lost their one region game to the same opponent: Lowndes. Should the Vikings win out, which most pundits expect, Friday’s game could decide the number two seed in the region (and earn the winner a first-round home playoff game).
“They’re well coached, and have a lot of speed on defense. They’ve got a four-year starter at quarterback in Michael Turner. He’s a good athlete,” said Odom.
Odom expects to see a good mix of play action, counters and sweeps, with a few trick plays thrown in. “They’re a very strong team, and Coach Tomberlin has done a good job with the program,” said Odom.
The game will be played at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Valdosta at 8 p.m.
