Glynn's tough season ends with disappointing loss

By Kevin Price

For GCS Athletics

 

A tough season for Glynn Academy came to a disappointing finish Friday night as the Red Terrors dropped their final game 22-19 to Grovetown at Glynn County Stadium.

 

The Terrors led the Warriors until the 4:43 mark of the final quarter when Grovetown took its first lead of the game on a 39-yard run by freshman running Ashtin Brown that put the visitors on top for the first time.

 

Glynn had just given up the ball on downs at the Grovetown 25-yard line following an incomplete pass on fourth-and-4.

 

The Warriors completed a pass on first down to start their scoring drive and also got 15 more yards to the GA 45-yard line when Glynn was penalized for a face-mask violation on the play.

 

Their second play was a 2-yard run by Brown, which was followed by another 4-yard gain on a rushing play that put the Warriors in a third-and-4 situation at the Glynn 39. The Warriors called on Brown again, and he ran through the middle of the defense to score the go-ahead touchdown for Grovetown with less than five minutes remaining in the game.

 

Glynn would drive from its own 41 to the Grovetown 24 with the clock winding toward the final minute. The Terrors faced a fourth-and-6 when they elected to keep the offense on the field a second straight possession instead of attempting a tying field goal.

 

A pass to the end zone resulted in a jump ball, but Glynn’s receiver couldn’t come down with the catch as the pass fell incomplete, resulting in a second straight turnover on downs for the Terrors.

 

Grovetown ran out the final 1:04 of the contest as Glynn could only stop the clock once with its final timeout.

 

GA head coach Rocky Hidalgo explained not attempting a field goal on either of the team’s final two possessions.

 

“We had a new holder and just didn’t feel comfortable doing it,” he said.

 

The Terrors were without their starting quarterback Max Noonan who is also usually the holder on extra points and field goals. Noonan was injured last week in the first half at South Effingham and didn’t return. He was unable to play Friday night as well.

 

Earlier in the game, the Terrors mishandled a snap on an extra-point try and never got a kick off. Glynn also had a field goal blocked on its first offensive possession of the game.

 

The loss left Glynn with a 3-7 final overall record and a 2-5 record in Region 1-AAAAAA. They will not make the postseason for the first time in 13 seasons under Hidalgo who has been the head coach since the 2014 season.  

 

The Terrors lost their last three region games after defeating rival Brunswick High in the City Championship Game.

 

When asked what he told the players after the game, Hidalgo said the following:

 

“I told them I did a poor job coaching them and the results of the season reflect the performance of the coaching staff.”

 

Grovetown finished the season 3-7 with all three of its wins coming in the region.

 

The teams were tied following a scoreless first quarter Friday night. Glynn grabbed the lead moments into the second period after Amahry Moore blocked a Grovetown punt after its first offensive series.

 

The Terrors started their drive, the second of the gam for them, at the Grovetown 22 after the block. Caiden Robinson would punch a score in from the 2-yard line on fourth-and-goal.

 

Glynn scored the next time it got the ball as well after forcing a second punt by the Warriors. Taking over at their own 42, the Terrors needed only three plays to cover the 58 yards for their second touchdown.

 

Glynn got a 53-yard run for the TD by senior Ja’kori Roman on third-and-5 to go in front 13-0.

 

Grovetown answered the GA touchdown with a quick touchdown of its own, scoring on a 13-yard run by Miles Dauley that came on the heels of a 67-yard pass play by the Warriors.

 

The Terrors tacked on another touchdown before halftime, going 72 yards in nine plays to go up 19-7 at the break. Senior Troy Mangieri did the honors this time, scoring from 12 yards out on third-and-1 as he carried the pile for several yards to get into the end zone.

 

After halftime, the Warriors started the third quarter with a 14-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that took just over seven minutes as they pulled within 19-13 on a 1-yard run by Dauley to cap the drive. They converted a two-point play to make it a 19-15 score with 4:57 to play in the third period.

 

That was the score going into the fourth quarter when the only score was the go-ahead touchdown by the Warriors.