September 12, 2014
The Mount Pisgah varsity football team outlasted Eagles Landing Christian by a score of 28-21 on Friday night. After recovering an onside kick the Chargers had the ball on the Patriots 15 yard line with 23 seconds remaining, but a key tackle by sophomore Chase Gailey ended the game as Eagles Landing could not get off another play.
Eagles Landing opened the scoring when Jordan Scott reached the end zone on a 29-yard run to take an early 6-0 lead. After the teams traded punts, the Patriots scored when senior quarterback Aaron Winchester found senior Ben Miller on a bubble screen. Miller raced 78-yards down the left sideline for a touchdown.
The Patriots got the ball right back and scored again on another Winchester pass, this time to junior Jacob Greene on a crossing route for a 27-yard touchdown. After Scott scored again for the Chargers on a 49-yard run, Winchester put Pisgah back in control with a scramble that resulted in a five yard touchdown run with one minute remaining in the first half. The Patriots led 21-13 at half.
On Eagles Landing's third possession of the second half Cameron Stewart raced 64-yards down the right sideline, but junior Chase Clark made a touchdown saving tackle at the Patriots ten yard line and the Chargers were not able to score on the possession.
In the fourth quarter the Patriots extended their lead with a 34-yard touchdown run by Winchester. Up 28-13 and with the clock winding down, the game seemed in hand, but a Clark punt was blocked, setting up Eagles Landing with a first and goal at the four, which Nick Dawson punched in one play later. After a successful two-point conversion the Pisgah lead was trimmed to 28-21.
With under a minute and a half remaining in the game Eagles Landing was still not done as they recovered the onside kick at the Patriots 44 yard line. After four successful running plays, the Chargers had the ball with a first down at the Patriot 15. After a timeout, Chase Gailey stuffed Scott on a run, and the Chargers could not get a play off before time expired.
Winchester finished the night 10-of-16 for 181 yards and two touchdowns. The Georgia State commitment also led the Patriots with 111 rushing yards on 16 carries and two more touchdowns. Miller compiled 185 total yards, including 111 yards receiving and a touchdown. Defensively for the Patriots, senior Blake Smith led the Patriots with 11 total tackles. Junior J.R. Cendoya contributed eight tackles, senior John O'Connor had seven tackles, and senior Shingi Chigwere added seven tackles and a blocked punt.
After a bye week next week, the Patriots return to the field, traveling to Christian Heritage on September 26th.
Mount Pisgah Sports Reporter: Stuart Hughes
Mount Pisgah Sports Photographer: Colby Darr
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