Post-game thoughts: Conquest in Cordele
As I wait for my Ham N’ Cheese Omelet from the Waffle House in Cordele, I will share with you some late-night diner chat about tonight’s game.
When I went onto the field to interview Dougherty, I felt like I was in the presence of a playoff team. This is a team with a good core of senior leaders: Rico Watts, Felton Walls, Qwontez Mallory who are not going to let their senior season fade away quietly. This is a group that has an identity. They don’t do anything special on offense, they move the ball with simple lead plays. And now this is a team with a signature win.
I think a lot of people questioned how Dougherty would do against an opponent outside of Albany, outside of the motivation of city bragging rights. Tonight they answered those critics. They went into the Cougar Den and beat the undefeated Cougars at their own game. They capitalized off the Cougars mistakes — scoring a touchdown on a blocked FG and another thanks to a fumble recovery on a kickoff. Their defense held on despite a drive deep into their territory in the fourth quarter.
And now they are in the playoff race. They are in the thick of it. If they win out, they are in no questions asked. If they go 1-1 in their next two, it sets up a possible three-way tie between Crisp County and Worth County (assuming Crisp loses to Cairo and Peach). Since each of those 3 have beaten each other, it would enact the second tiebreaker of points allowed against teams in playoff position. So points allowed against Cairo, Peach Co., Worth Co. and Crisp for Dougherty. Those points add up to 112 so far with a contest against Peach County awaiting.
For Crisp County, who is yet to play powerhouses Cairo and Peach yet, that number adds up to 49 points. For Worth Co., that adds up to 98 points (without knowing what happened to them at Peach tonight — I’ll update this as soon as I find out).
October 26th, 2008 at October 26, 2008 9:20 am
It was said the playoff goes by who won the most region games in which dougherty and Worth both have other region wins. Crisp did not play another team in the AAA which would cause them the bid. The point system sounds like the BCS, but I’m not sure. Lets hope I’ am right.