Sports

By Joey Marchant
Dodge traveled to Macon needing a win against Northeast to keep its region championship hopes alive. Northeast came in with a lot of size, strength and experience. That size and strength would give Dodge fits all night. However, in the end Dodge looked like the more experienced team able to keep its composure and make plays with the game hanging in the balance.
Northeast took the opening kickoff out to the Dodge 35 yard line before Jaylon Jaynes could make the tackle. On third down, Northeast Quarterback Travion Solomon threw the ball directly to Dodge’s Nathan Coley at midfield. Coley took it down the sideline for a touchdown, his second touchdown return in the past two games. Mikhail Carr scored the two point conversion to give Dodge an early 8-0 lead.
Dodge again had trouble containing the kick returner, and Carr had to make the tackle at the Northeast 43 yard line. Northeast would use a series of runs and short passes to get to the Dodge 15 yard line, but the Dodge defense would hold. Elijah Williams dropped the runner for a four yard loss on first down. Timmy Johnson almost picked off a pass on second down. Rico Caines sacked the quarterback on third down. A fourth down pass on a corner route fell incomplete as Keldrick Beck defended. Dodge took over at its own 30 yard line.
Dodge came out with Carr at quarterback. He took the snap and ran right picking up 12 yards. Dodge came back with the same play, but a holding call on the perimeter negated a gain by Carr. Kade Harpe then entered the game at quarterback. Harpe rolled left and hit slot receiver Kevin Sykes, Jr., who ran a short out route picking up 10 yards. A Northeast defender gave Sykes a late shove out of bounds and was flagged for 15 yards moving the ball to the Northeast 43 yard line. The Dodge offensive line struggled to block resulting in Daylon Gordon being dropped twice near the line of scrimmage and Harpe being sacked back at midfield. On fourth down, Dodge ran the fake punt play we have seen often in recent years. Caines crouched behind the Dodge linemen next to Carr. Punter Timmy Johnson faked as if the ball was snapped over his head while Carr actually took the snap moving right and slipped the ball to the still crouched Caines who ran back to the left. Northeast sniffed out the fake and tackled Caines after a short gain.
Northeast took over on downs at its own 48 yard line and again used a series of runs and short passes to reach deep into Dodge territory. A Northeast pass was complete on fourth down, but Coley tackled the receiver immediately short of the first down.
Dodge took over at its own 21 yard line. Harpe passed to Carr for six yards, and Gordon carried for five yards and a first down. Harpe carried for three yards. Then Gordon took a handoff and raced 47 yards before being brought down deep in Northeast territory.
Dodge would eventually turn it over on downs at the Northeast 10 yard line early in the second quarter. Northeast would drive the ball into Dodge territory at the 48 yard line before having to punt. A high snap and pressure from Javon McNeal resulted in a short punt that rolled dead at the Dodge 35 yard line.
Dodge went three plays and out. A wild snap caused Timmy Johnson to have to move to his right to catch the ball, and he had to rush his punt, which only netted 18 yards. Johnson took some contact on the play, but no flag was thrown.
Northeast took over at its own 45 yard line, but went three and out. The Northeast punt rolled out of bounds at the Dodge 35 yard line. Harpe later faked to Gordon and rolled left where he spotted Carr running free down the field. Harpe threw a nice easy pass which Carr cradled and took into the end zone for a 67 yard touchdown. Carr’s defender attempted to jam Carr at the line, but then he let Carr go in favor of another receiver running a shallow route. There was no one within 15 yards of Carr when he caught the football. Mangham added the extra point, and Dodge took what looked at the time like a comfortable 15-0 lead.
Dodge again struggled to cover the kickoff, and Carr and Kane Northcutt had to make the tackle at midfield. Northeast took advantage of the good field position on the legs of Deondre Duehart, the Warner Robins High School transfer, who would gash the Dodge Defense for 137 yards and 3 touchdowns on the night. Duehart scored from six yards out on this drive. The extra point was no good, but Dodge was flagged on the play. Northeast trotted Duehart back out, and he converted the two point play to cut the Dodge lead to 15-8. The half would end that way.
Dodge would get the ball to start the second half, but Northeast would intercept a Harpe pass on the Dodge 45 yard line. Duehart would score on a seven yard run for Northeast. The extra point tied the game at 15-15. Dodge had a game on its hands.
The teams would then trade punts with Dodge getting the better field position on the exchange thanks to a 40 yarder by Timmy Johnson. Timmy has really been a pleasant surprise with his punting this year.
Dodge took over at the Northeast 38 yard line where Harpe hit Timmy Johnson on an out route for a 10 yard gain. Harpe gained 12 yards on a keeper. Later Dodge faced a 3rd down and 20 at the Northeast 27 yard line. Harpe hit Tyrese Johnson on a slant route as Johnson split two defenders for a touchdown. However, Northeast’s Roderick Smith obliterated the snapper and blocked the extra point. Dodge led 21-15. That was an illegal play as you are not allowed to hit the snapper in high school football. No flag was thrown. Smith did everything for Northeast but run the concession stand as he played offense and defense recording 4 tackles including a sack and 2 blocked kicks. He was also named Mr. Northeast High School during homecoming festivities.
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