HHS Red Devil Articles & Updates
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Tennis Results from 3-9 vs. Taylor County
03/09/10
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Girls:
Hawkinsville - 0
Taylor County - 5
Singles:
1) Amber Bovee 1-8 L
2) Miranda Sampson 2-8 L
3) Chelsey Mitchell 3-8 L
Doiubles:
1) Ivy Brown and Logan Sewell 1-8 L
2) Whitney Elmore and Sumer Sloan 4-8 L
Boys:
Hawkinsville - 3
Taylor County - 2
Singles:
1) Kyle Hollomon 1-8-L
2) Wade Fegley 8-3 W
3) Johnathan Lynch 8-0 W
Doubles:
1) Aaron Black and David Bagget 6-8 L
2) TJ Belcher and Tyler Hollomon 8-5 W
Next up....Turner Co (3/16) at home at 4:00
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HHS Baseball
Team
03/08/10
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Sitting (l to r) Tyrone Smith, Daniel Mayo, Conner Davis, Chance Warnock, Vince
Fisler, Ryan Brannen, Tyler Rainey
2nd Row (l to r) Megan Morrow, Brett Dixon, Regis Pitts, Tyler Keen, Marcus Chaffin, Taylor Garnto,
Earl Dupree, Shannon Murphy
3rd Row (l to r) Coach Stephen McDuffie, Mart McLeod, Casey Biddle, J'vonne Thomas, Dylan Folds,
Coach Cote Jones, Jordan Conner
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Middle School
Baseball Team Wins Devil Diamond Day
03/07/10
Melinda Swick
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The Pulaski County Middle School
Red Devil baseball team hosted the Devil Diamond Day tournament on Saturday, March
6th.
The first game of the day was played between the PCMS Red Devils
and Macon County. This game was called on the run rule after the 3rd inning.
The final score was PCMS 16, Macon County
1.
The second game of the day was played between
Ben Hill Middle School and Irwin County.
This game was called on the run rule after the
4th inning. The final
score was Ben Hill 17, Irwin County 2.
The third game of the day was played between
Macon County and Irwin County.
This game was called on the run rule after the
5th inning. The final
score was Irwin County 16, Macon County 4.
The fourth game of the day – the Championship game – was played
between the PCMS Red Devils and Ben Hill Middle School.
This game proved to be the most exciting game of the
day. By the end of the 2nd inning, BHMS was leading 6
to 0. The Red Devils swapped some players around and made a pitching change in the
3rd inning in an attempt to regain control of the
game. During the bottom of the 3rd inning the Red Devils’
bats came alive.
The team scored 5 runs to bring the score up to
6 to 5. In the
4th inning BHMS scored a run on an error to slightly increase their lead,
now up 7 to 5.
Due to both teams’ great defensive efforts neither team was
able to score in the 5th or 6th innings. Hawkinsville
allowed no runs in the top of the 7th inning. Jacob
Nobles, the first batter in the bottom of the 7th inning for Hawkinsville,
hit a single.
The next batter, Alec Mays, hit a pop fly that was caught to
give the Red Devils their first out of the inning. Dakota Sloan
was the next batter and reached first base on a third strike passed ball. Royce Owens
was the next Red Devil to come to the plate. With a count
of 2 and 2, he hit a long ball double which scored the two base runners and tied the
game. The next batter was Caleb Barnett. While he was
at the plate, Owens stole third base. Barnett then
hit the ball and knocked in the winning RBI. Owens
crossed the plate to score the winning run amidst the ecstatic cheers of the Red Devil
parents and fans.
When asked about his team Coach Will Conner replied, “We are a
very young team.
But we are playing very well. I am starting
only two 8th graders. I am starting
four 7th graders and three 6th graders.”
After this tournament, the PCMS Red Devils have a record of 4 and
1.
The first game played by the PCMS Red Devils was against
Bleckley County on February 23rd and is the only loss the
team has suffered to date.
After that game the Red Devils have been on a roll.
Hawkinsville defeated Macon County on March 1st. The team then
went on to defeat Dooly County on March 4th.
PCMS is scheduled to host Crisp County on March
11th at 4:00 pm.
They will then host Wilcox County on March
15th at 4:00 p.m. The Devils will
then be on the road for two games. The first trip
will see PCMS travel to Montezuma to face Macon County on March
17th at 4:00 p.m. The second trip
will see the team travel to Vienna to face Dooly County on March 22nd at 4:00 p.m.
The PCMS Red Devils play all their home baseball games at the
Hawkinsville-Pulaski County Recreation Department field. Please come out
and show your support for the team.
GO BIG RED!
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Tennis Update
03/04/10
Nathan Thompson
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Telfair boys avenge from a loss earlier this
season and snap the boys'
undefeated streak.
Girls
Hawkinsville - 0
Telfair County -5
Singles:
1) Miranda Sampson 0-6, 0-6 L
2) Amber Bovee 2-6, 1-6 L
3) Chelsey Mitchell 5-7, 5-7 L
Doubles:
1) Ivy Brown and Logan Sewell 2-6, 0-6 L
2) Whitney Elmore and Sumer Sloan 2-6, 1-6 L
Boys:
Hawkinsville -2
Telfair County -3
Singles:
1) Kyle Hollomon 4-6, 6-3, 10-8 W
2) Wade Fegley 4-6, 6-4, 10-7 L
3) Johnathan Lynch 7-6, 7-5 W
Doubles:
1) Aaron Black and David Bagget 6-4, 3-6, 10-4 L
2) TJ Belcher and Tyler Hollomon 3-6, 3-6 L
Next up....Irwin County in Ocilla on 3-4 at
4:00
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Lady Devils Defeated in 2nd Round
02/22/10
Melinda Swick
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On Tuesday, February 9th, the Devils squared off
against the Dodge County Indians for three games. The games against the Turner County Rebels
originally scheduled for Friday, February 12th were rescheduled to
Monday, February 15th due to inclement weather. The Lady Devils returned to Turner County
on Tuesday, February 16th to face the Central - Talbotton Lady Hawks in the first round of the
Region 2A tournament. The Lady Devils traveled to Buena Vista (Marion County) to face the
Turner County Lady Rebels in the second round of the Region 2A tournament on Thursday,
February 18th.
Hawkinsville v. Dodge
County
The first game of the day was played by the Hawkinsville
Junior Varsity Lady Devils and the JV Squaws of Dodge County. The final
score was Hawkinsville 19, Dodge County 42.
The second game of the day was played by the Hawkinsville
Lady Devils and the Squaws. These two
teams kept the score fairly close throughout the entire game. At the end
of the first quarter the Lady Devils were behind 7 to 16. The second
quarter ended with Hawkinsville down a single point, 22 to 23. The score
at the end of the third quarter saw the Lady Devils trailing 29 to 36. The final
score was Hawkinsville 36, Dodge County 46.
The Lady Devils combined to pull down 20 rebounds, 14 of
those being defensive rebounds. Leading
rebounders were Brittany Palode with 6, and Ykeshia Baker and Ashley Gilbert with 4
apiece. The Lady Devils gave 7 assists, led by Kamara Bembry with 3
assists. Hawkinsville had 5 steals. The Lady
Devils blocked 3 shots, led by Brittany Palode with 2. The team
had 11 defensive deflections. Hawkinsville scored no points and allowed 6 points on
turnovers. The Lady Devils had one player in double
figures.
The third game of the day was played by the Hawkinsville Red
Devils and the Dodge County Indians. At the end
of the first quarter the Red Devils were behind 14 to 21. The second
quarter ended with Hawkinsville down 32 to 47. The score
at the end of the third quarter saw the Red Devils trailing 45 to 62. The final
score was Hawkinsville 68, Dodge County 80.
The Red Devils combined to pull down 46 rebounds, 23 of
those being defensive rebounds. Leading
rebounders were Darrien Brown, Jr. with 8, Alex Andrews with 7, and Jarvis Tinsley with
6. The Red Devils gave 9 assists, led by Darrien Brown, Jr. and Cameron
Moses with 3 assists each. Hawkinsville had 9 steals. The team
was led by Alex Andrews with 3 steals. The Red
Devils blocked 3 shots, led by Alex Andrews with 2. The team
had 15 defensive deflections. Hawkinsville scored 4 points and allowed 12 points on
turnovers. The Red Devils had two players in double
figures.
Hawkinsville v. Turner
County
The first game of the evening was contested between the Lady
Devils and the Lady Rebels. The first
quarter ended with the Lady Devils down 5 to 8. Hawkinsville was trailing 8 to 15 at the end of the second
quarter. At the end of the third quarter the Lady Devils were down 9 to
29. The final score was Hawkinsville 14, Turner County
46.
The Lady Devils combined to pull down 24 rebounds, 21 of
those being defensive rebounds. Leading
rebounders were Ashley Gilbert with 5, and Sharinea Coley, Kamara Bembry, and Ykeshia Baker with
4 rebounds apiece. The Lady
Devils gave 1 assist. Hawkinsville had 9 steals. The team
was led by Sharinea Coley with 3 steals. The Lady
Devils blocked 4 shots, led by Ykeshia Baker with 3. The team had 9
defensive deflections. Hawkinsville scored no points and allowed 4 points on
turnovers.
The second game of the evening was contested between the Red
Devils and the Rebels. The first
quarter ended with the Red Devils down 7 to 22. Hawkinsville was trailing 18 to 31 at the end of the second
quarter. At the end of the third quarter the Red Devils were down 26 to
49. The final score was Hawkinsville 33, Turner County
67.
The Red Devils combined to pull down 32 rebounds, 18 of
those being defensive rebounds. Leading
rebounders were Cameron Moses with 7, Alex Andrews with 5, and Jarvis Tinsley and Brandon Adams
with 4 rebounds apiece. The Red
Devils gave 3 assists, led by Cameron Moses with 2 assists. Hawkinsville had 8 steals. The team
was led by Cameron Moses with 5 steals. The Red
Devils blocked 2 shots. The team
had 11 defensive deflections. Hawkinsville scored no points and allowed 15 points on
turnovers. The Red Devils had one player in double
figures.
Hawkinsville Lady Devils v. Central -
Talbotton Lady Hawks
This game was the first game of the first round of the
Region 2A tournament. The Lady
Devils began this game shooting a technical free throw due to an incorrect number in the book
for the Lady Hawks. The first
quarter saw the lead seesaw back and forth between the two teams. At the end
of the first quarter the score was tied at 9 points apiece. The second
quarter saw the score staying close throughout with Hawkinsville leading 23 to 18 at the end of
the period. The third quarter ended with the Lady Devils holding onto a slight lead,
up 33 to 31. The final score was Hawkinsville 47, Central - Talbotton
40.
The Lady Devils combined to pull down 36 rebounds, 23 of
those being defensive rebounds. Leading
rebounders were Ykeshia Baker with 13 rebounds and Sharinea Coley with 9
rebounds. The Lady Devils gave 5 assists, led by Taquonda Brown and Kamara Bembry
with 2 assists each. Hawkinsville had 11 steals. The team
was led by Sharinea Coley with 4 and Taquonda Brown with 3. The Lady
Devils blocked 8 shots, led by Ykeshia Baker with 4. The team
had 6 defensive deflections. Hawkinsville scored 4 points and allowed 4 points on
turnovers. The Lady Devils had 3 players in double
figures.
Hawkinsville Lady Devils v. Turner
County Lady Rebels
The second round of the Region 2A tournament saw the Lady
Devils squaring off against the Turner County Lady Rebels. This game
was the third time these two teams met this season. At the end
of the first quarter the Lady Devils were down 4 to 12. The second
quarter ended with Hawkinsville behind 12 to 20. The third
quarter ended with the Lady Devils trailing 19 to 36. The final
score was Hawkinsville 24, Turner County 51.
The Lady Devils combined to pull down 34 rebounds, 23 of
those being defensive rebounds. Leading
rebounders were Ykeshia Baker with 12, and Ashley Gilbert with 7. The Lady
Devils gave 3 assists, led by Kamara Bembry with 2 assists. Hawkinsville had 6 steals. The Lady
Devils blocked 2 shots. The team
had 5 defensive deflections. Hawkinsville scored no points and allowed 10 points on
turnovers.
GO BIG RED!!!
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Tennis Action
Begins
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1st match of the season.
Girls:
Hawkinsville - 1
Turner County - 4
Singles:
1) Miranda Sampson (3-6, 1-6)
2) Amber Bovee (1-6, 3-6)
3) Chelsey Mitchell (5-7, 4-6)
Doubles:
1) Whitney Elmore and Sumer Sloan (1-6, 2-6)
2) Ivy Brown and Logan Sewell (won from forfeit)
Boys:
Hawkinsville - 5
Turner County - 0
Singles:
1) Kyle Holloman (6-3, 7-5)
2) Wade Fegley (6-2, 6-7, 6-3)
3) Johnathan Lynch (6-1, 6-0)
Doubles:
Aaron Black and TJ Belcher (5-7, 6-1, 6-1)
Tyler Holloman and Sean Bruno (won by forfeit)
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Lady Devil
Invited to Play in Middle Georgia
All-Star Classic Game
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Kamara Bembry, a senior on the
Hawkinsville Lady Devils basketball team, has been invited to play in the Fifth Annual Middle
Georgia All-Star Basketball Classic. This game will be
played on Saturday, March 20th, at 5:00 p.m. at the
WestsideHigh
School gymnasium in Macon. Kamara was selected out of hundreds of potential high school basketball
players in the Middle Georgia Region. The teams will be
divided into East and West depending on the location of the player’s county.
This is quite an honor to add to Kamara’s basketball
resume.
The Middle Georgia All-Star Classic will showcase the best high
school basketball players in the Middle Georgia Region. There will be a
Girls All-Star Game, a Boys All-Star Game, a Girls and Boys 3-Point Shoot-Out, and a Boys Slam
Dunk Contest.
There will also be a College Fair for high school students to
help promote higher education.
Please mark this date on your calendar so that you can attend the
game and show your support for Kamara Bembry.
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2010 Tennis Schedule
02/08/10
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Click on CURRENT SCHEDULES in the left hand
menu
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NEW MEMORIALS PAGE
02/02/2010
Andy Hill
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We are now offering a memorials page. If you would like to
donate money to the HHS Booster Club in memory of a former Red Devil, you may do so on this
page
MEMORIAL PAGE
100% of all monies donated will go to the Red Devil
Booster Club and your contribution will be noted on the page. What a great way to honor our Red
Devils that have passed on
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2009 Highlite DVD Now Available
1/28/10
Andy Hill
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The HHS 2009 Highlite Video is now available. The 26+
minute video contains photos and video highlights of the Red Devils, cheerleaders, and band during
the 2009 football season. The DVD includes video clips from numerous Red Devil games
including Wilcox County in which Don Vickers kicked a school record 42 yard FG, Turner County in
which the Devils had three players rush for in excess of 100 yards for the first time in school
history, and Telfair County in which the Devils set the all time school record for rushing yards in
a game. The DVD includes a section which highlights the Red Devil cheerleaders with photos
from games and state competition. The video concludes with an indepth perspective of the ECI
playoff game - the Red Devils first since 2006. You will see Fabian Forrest run for yardage
and TDs, excellent special teams play, photos from the 1959 State Championship Team reunion, good
defensive play highlights, and photos of the band and much more.
The DVD was compiled with the assistance of Alana Holder, Ray Conner, Hilary Barker, and myself who
contributed both photos and music background. Coach Cam Black made available the live action
video clips used in the DVD.
The DVD is $10.00 and comes complete with a 5x7 color photo of the cheerleaders and the Red Devil
football team. All funds are donated to the Big Red Booster Club to further support all athletics
at Hawkinsville High School.
Please contact HHSReddevils.com or ahill@eldercarepharmacy.org
to get your copy.
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Former Devils Shine in Bowl Games
Current & Former Devils Recognized
12/27/09
Andy Hill
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The annual college football
bowl season is in full swing and former Devil players have seen action. Brandon
Perry and Sacoby Carter helped the
Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders defeat the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in the New Orleans
Bowl played at the Superdome on December 20, 2009.
Brandon had 3 total tackles including one TFL and Sacoby had one assist in the
contest. The Blue Raiders won their 10th game of the
season in the process and finished the season with seven straight wins. The
Blue Raiders ten wins are the most since 1992.
Brandon Perry has completed his career with MTSU while Sacoby Carter returns for his
junior season next year. Robert Hall and
Jim Henry will represent Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl as the Jackets take
on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Hall suffered a season
ending knee injury against the Miami Hurricanes and in currently in rehab trying to prepare
for his senior season next
year.
DeQuan
Bembry intercepted a pass with 40 seconds left to clinch the Marshall Thundering Herd's
win over Ohio University in the Little Ceaser's Bowl played at
the Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan. Bembry also had 4 total tackles including 1 sack during
the game to go along with his game clinching
interception. Bembry returns for his junior season next year and has been a two year
starter at cornerback for the Herd.
Post season honors are
coming in for three Red Devil players. Fabian Forrest was named to the All
Middle Georgia football team as named by the Macon Telegraph
as a third team running back. The team is made up of players from all classifications from
around the Middle Georgia area. Forrest is a junior
running back and has gave over 1000 yards in each of his first three seasons with the Devils.
Kimberly Carr and Jordan
Conner were named Honorable Mention All Middle Georgia in softball.
In a month long contest
sponsored by the Macon Telegraph to name an All Decade Football team, some former Devils were
recognized. Charles Johnson,
currently with the Carolina Panthers, was named by the voters as one of the defensive ends to the
squad. He received 28% of the fan votes. The
Telegraph also named a squad of its own picking and four former Devils were recognized.
Johnson was joined on that team by former offensive lineman
Trey Dunmon and safety LaFallis Anderson and defensive lineman
Brandon Perry. Dunmon finished his career with the Georgia Southern Eagles
after the 2009 season. Anderson holds the school record in
both career and single season interceptions. Anderson helped lead the Devils to the 2003
state championship with 12 interceptions.
Congrats to all the current
and former players!
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Former Red Devil Coaches Peach State to
Finals
12/5/09
Andy Hill
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Former Red Devil great Chad Campbell has his Peach County Trojans in the
Class AAA State Final football championship game this coming weekend. The undefeated Trojans
will face off with the Gainesville Red Elephants. Chad has coached at Peach County for a
number of years and was the Defensive Coordinator on the two back to back state champion Trojan
teams in 2005 and 2006. Then head coach Rance Gillespie left for a position at Georgia
Southern and Chad was hired as the Head Coach. Chad was a two sport star at Hawkinsville and
his accolades include being one of the top homerun hitters in the history of the school and hurling
one of only two recorded no hitters in baseball history for the Red Devils. On the football
field Campbell may be best remembered for a stirring last second comeback win over arch rival
Bleckley County as he hit Darren Durham on a pass play in the waning seconds to snatch a victory
away from the rival Royals in a game I had the pleasure to see. And as nearly all Red Devil
fans know, Chad is the brother of former Red Devil coach Lee Campbell.
Should Chad and the Trojans pull off the state final win, Lee and Chad
would become perhaps the first brother combination to ever win football state championships in the
state of Georgia in the GHSA. I have emailed the Georgia High School Football Daily and
brought this to their attention for verification.
Good luck Chad and the Peach County Trojans!
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Brand New Email Subscription
System
11/28/09
Shelly Berryhill
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In addition to updating our website, we are in the process of updating
our email subscription system. Please sign up (left-below) to receive updates on
schedules, stats, alumni, and everything Red Devil Sports. You may even receive discounts on
Red Devil Merchandise from our sponsors. Don't miss out on any news - sign up
today. You will receive a confirmation email and don't worry - your information
remains private with us!
Even if you were previously on our list, please sign up again. We
have upgraded our software we want to be sure that you never miss a RED DEVIL EMAIL
BLAST!
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Individual Season Football
Stats
11/25/09
Andy Hill
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Click here for a pdf containing the season total football
stas for individual players.
INDIVIDUAL
STATS
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Softball Team Players Make All Region
Competition Cheerleaders Compete In State
11/19/09
Andy Hill
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Coach Donna Peavy has announced that four of the
Lady Red Devil softball players have made First Team All Region. These selections are voted
on by all the coaches in the region which makes it an even more impressive accomplishment. They
are Kimberly Carr-Pitcher, Jordan Conner-Catcher, Summer Sloan-Infield, Samantha
Sheffield-Infield. Also three Lady Devils were named to Second Team All Region. They
were Nika Loving, Erin Sapp, and Allison Coats. Congrats to all of the girls!
The Red Devil Competition Cheerleaders competed last weekend at state and place 12th. I am not
sure exactly how many times the Devil cheerleaders have competed in state but it is safe to say they
are a perennial challenger. They work long and hard hours along with their football cheering
duties and a big thank you and congrats are in order for these fine student athletes.
Hawkinsville finished as the Region Runnerup to Brookstone. Commerce won the state
competition and Brookstone finished 3rd at state. Congratulations to all the girls and
coaches! |
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Devils Gallant Effort Falls
Short
11/16/09
Andy Hill
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I have never been prouder of a Hawkinsville Red Devil football team.
And all of you should be proud as well. While the Devils fell short in the
playoffs, the fight, determination, and never quit attitude of the Devil football team last
night in Twin City certainly should make us all proud to say - We are the Hawkinsville Red
Devils.
Facing off against the 9-1 and 4th ranked ECI Bulldogs in an electric atmosphere, the Devils fell
by a 22-15 score at Rountree Stadium. The Devils fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter and I
am sure many thought, "here we go again." But the team we all saw earlier in the year has
grown up. Showing no panic, the Devils moved down the field and Don Vickers kicked a field
goal to cut the lead to 14-3. The Devils defense stiffened and then forced a Bulldog punt.
Junior Fabian Forrest showed why he is such a dynamic player as he fielded the punt and used
his blocking wisely, sprinted nearly 50 yards for a TD and all of a sudden it was 14-9 and all the
early momentum started to swing the Devils way. Late in the first half the Dawgs drove and were
inside the 10 with a minute to play. On a 4th and 2 the Dawgs decided to gamble. The
interior of the defensive line along with the linebackers stuffed the back almost in his tracks and
the Devils took over and ran out the clock.
The third quarter started with a few exchanges of punts before the Devils got the offense going.
Fabian Forrest broke a tackle and sprinted in for a TD to give the Devils a 15-14 lead.
The Devils would continue to stifle the Bulldog attack until late in the 4th quarter when the
wing-t attack finally gained traction and drove the ball inside the Devils ten yard line.
With under two minutes to play the Dogs scored and after a successful two point conversion
led the Devils 22-15. All seemed lost.
As everyone on the sidelines were screaming - including yours truly - "we just need one big play"
the Devils took the kickoff. After two pass plays got short yardage it was 3rd down with
under a minute to play. Under fierce pressure senior quarterback Aaron Black scrambled to his left
and streaked down the sidelines some 60 yards and the Devils were within striking distance with 15
seconds left on the clock. On first down the Devils tried to go to Alex Andrews, a tall
receiver that will be a force in the coming years, but it was just a little long and incomplete.
With 5 seconds left the Devils had once change left. A similar pattern was picked off
by the Dogs and the game ended. We were THAT close to pulling the upset.
Back to the team. Even down 14-0 early on the sidelines the players were talking to each
about what ECI was doing instead of pouting and "wishing" for something good to happen. I can
honestly say the players played just as hard as they possibly could for the entire 48 minutes.
There is nothing more we as fans can ask for - the Devils gave us everything they had.
The same can be said for the coaches. When the final gun sound many players laid on the
field and simply wept. Hopefully, that gives everyone who wasn't there an idea of the
intensity with which the Devils performed. The Dogs and the Devils have played twice in
recent years and both games have come down to the final possession to determine a winner. This was
a far different team that played in early to mid October for the Devils.
With a number of key underclassmen returning, and now with one game in an electric playoff
atmosphere under thier belts, the returning Devils should now know the taste of the playoffs and
work as hard as they possibly can to return once again in 2010. The Devils tapped on the
playoff door this year and said "may we come in?" With a good offseason and steady
improvement, next November the Devils will "kick the door in and take names".
The senior players can leave with their heads held skyward. They can always remember that it
was their class who led the Devils back into the playoffs for the first time since 2006 and secured
a winning season (6-5 final record) also for the first time since 2006. Devil fans the future
is bright.
The Devils wish to extend a thank-you to the very hospitable ECI fans and wish them the best of
luck in the remainder of the playoffs.
I will have complete team stats including defensive stats within a week or so along with some
statistical highlights. Check back to this site for that.
Next up early next week:
--Lady Red Devil softball players make All Region team
--Competition Cheerleaders compete in state competition
More on those two subjects by mid next week as I will be out of town for
the first part of the week.
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Devils Subdue Turner 28-20
Devils Face ECI In Twin City In Playoffs
Time & Date TBA
11/6/09
Andy Hill
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The Red Devils utilized a potent ground attack
tonight to defeat a pesky Turner County Rebel squad by a score of 28-20 in Ashburn. The
Devils, though not hitting on all cylinders, we able to pull out a key victory on a night that
the Rebels celebrated Senior Night. The Devils took a 12-6 lead into halftime behind the
strong running of Jonathan Wright, J'Vonne Thomas, and Fabian Forrest. In the third quarter
the Devils were able to get a key field goal from Don Vickers to make it a 15-6 game. They
later added a TD to give them what looked like a seemingly comfortable lead at 21-9. But
the Rebels behind quarterback Luke Soliday got back on the the board to make it 21-14 after a two
point conversion on the PAT. The Devils then used a good kickoff return by Fabian Forrest
to get in business at their own 42 yard line. Once again the ground attack was clicking and
the Devils marched right down the field and scored to go up 28-14 midway the 4th quarter.
Perhaps the biggest play of the game occurred next. On the ensuing kickoff the Rebel
return man fumbled the ball at his own 5 yard line and bobbled it around momentarily and then hit
the sidelines and streaked 95 yards to score. The crucial two point attempt failed and the
Devils led 28-20. The Devils drove the field again only to miss a field goal that hit the
cross bar. The Rebels were within striking range with 10 seconds to play but the 4th down
pass fell incomplete.
For the Devils Fabian Forrest, Jonathan Wright, and fullback J'Vonne Thomas all rushed for over 100
yards individually. That is the first time that I personally can remember the Devils having three
running backs gain over 100 yards in a game in school history. Perhaps it has occurred but I am
not aware of it. If anyone has knowledge of such happening please let us know via email. It
seems like every time that the Devils head south on I75 penalties are an issue. Tonight was no
different. The Devils were flagged for at least 16 penalties that were accepted -- there were
others called that were declined by Turner. Many of the penalties were for illegal motion and as
a general rule that shows a lack of concentration on the Devils part. Let's hope Coach Black and
the staff can work on that this week.
With the win, the Devils are ASSURED of a winning season for the first time since 2006. The
Devils are now 6-4 after the regular season. Congratulations on a job well done! We wish to
particularly thank and congratulate the Seniors who have battled through two tough losing seasons but
never lost faith and in 2009 have helped the Devils turn the corner and get them back to the
playoffs.
The Devils will travel to Twin City to take on the ECI Bulldogs of region 3. The Bulldogs are
ranked #4 in various polls and are a big task for the Devils. The Dogs are well coached by Milan
Turner who has led them to a State Championship and a State Runnerup in the last two years
consecutively. Their fans are "loud and proud" and the Devils will need all of our "rabid and
loyal" followers to be in Twin City next Friday night for the first round of the state playoffs.
Check back to this site for information on the game time and other details as soon as they become
available.
Go Big Red!! |
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HHS Competition
Cheerleaders
11/03/09
Hilary Barker
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Front row - (left to right) Lily Folds, Kristine Whittington, Rachel O'Quinn,
Ashley Gilbert, Megan Powell, Amber Bovee, Logan Sewell
Middle row - (left to right) Lisa Criss, Samantha Sheffield, Miranda Sampson, Caroline Daniell,
Shannon Murphy, Candace Meek
Back row (left to right) Christine Anderson, Amber Bowman, Kelli McDaniel, Morgan Castleberry,
Jordan Conner, Chelsey Mitchell, Mellisa McLeod
Region Competition is Saturday, Nov 7 at Columbus State University!
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Devils Set School Rushing
Record
11/01/09
Andy Hill
|
On Friday night the Red Devils broke the school record for yards rushing by a
team in one game with 459 yards. It eclipses the old record of 433 yards set in 1998. The
offensive line of Martavius Jenkins, Evan Anderson, Mart McLeod, T.J. Belcher, Taylor Sapp,
Dylan Folds along with Trevis Lawson and all the backups deserve a huge pat on the back for
their performance. Leading the ground attack for the Devils was Brandon Adams, in his first
career start at tailback, with 19 carries for 212 yards and 2 TDs. Sophomore Jonathan Wright
added 133 yards on 16 carries and 2 TDs. Fullback J'Vonne Thomas enjoyed his best night with 9
carries for 94 yards and 2 TDs. Sam Jackson-West added 2 carries for 24 yards along with 1
TD.
On a related note, senior Tevin Wilcox had his best game as the Devils' return man with 4 punt
returns for 108 yards.
Below are a few photos from the game.
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Devils Clinch Playoff
Slot
10/30/09
Andy Hill
|
The Red Devils clinched a playoff slot for the first time since 2006 with a 47-21
victory over the Telfair County Trojans on Senior Night at Bobby Gentry Stadium. The win also
gives the Devils five wins for the year and ensures at least a break even season after having
losing seasons in 2007 and 2008. A big salute goes out to the Devils and especially the senior
class. They had reached the playoffs as freshmen and now repeat as seniors. That is a nice way to
conclude your high school career. Not many people knew prior to the game but the Devils played
tonight under significant distress. The Devils were forced to play tonight without junior star
running back Fabian Forrest. Compounding matters was the fact that his backup, Jonathan Wright,
spent time in the hospital this week and was discharged on Thursday. Tyler Forrest, a starting
linebacker, missed most of the week with a severe upper respiratory infection. Deion Colson, a
mainstay on the line, also missed tonight's game. As you can see the Devils really had to circle
the wagons as backups and "first timers" were forced into prime time action.
Early in the contest Brandon Adams broke a long run of some 40+ yards on the game's first play. Perhaps
as an indication of the type of first half it was to be, the play was called back for holding. The
Devils then proceeded to have another penalty and eventually be forced into a punting situation. A bad
snap caused a blocked punt and the Trojans were in business. The eventually scored on a 4th and 1 from
the 3 yard line. The PAT was good and it was 7-0 in the first quarter. The Devils moved the ball with
ease on the ground behind the strong running of Brandon Adams, playing tailback for the first time,
fullback J'Vonne Thomas, and Jonathan Wright. However, a 4th and 1 at the Trojan two yard line came up
short and the Devils had to give the ball over on downs. Later in the 2nd quarter the Devils forced a
Trojan punt. Senior Tevin Wilcox fielded the punt and sprinted down the Devil sidelines for a long
return to put the Devils in business. A few plays later the Devils scored on a Jonathan Wright run. The
PAT was good and the Devils were tied 7-7. In the waning moments of the 2nd half the Devils attempted a
field goal only to have it blocked and the half ended 7-7.
To say that was a "lackadaisacal" first half would be an understatement. The players simply did not
have any life or "spunk". I am not sure what was said at halftime, but I would be willing to be it was
stern. It definitely would pay dividends.
The Devils kicked off to the Trojans and the Trojans returned it all the way for a TD. The PAT was good
and the Trojans led 14-7 and more importantly now had a bounce in their step. As anyone knows, if you
give a struggling team some momentum and allow them to gain confidence, they can jump up and bite you.
The Devils were now at a crossroads. The had to step up or the upset was going to start looking very
possible. After the kickoff, the Devils sputtered for 3 yards on their first two downs. On third and 7,
the spark they needed was provided by sophomore Jonathan Wright as he sprinted 30 yards off tackle into
Trojan territory. Two plays later J'Vonne Thomas plowed in from 13 yards out. Old reliable Don Vickers
missed the PAT. Was this a sign of things to come? I mean, Halloween weekend and all, could the Devils
fall to the upset? Brandon Adams took care of that. After forcing a Trojan punt the Devils took over on
their own 47 yard line. Brandon Adams sprinted 52 yards to the 1 yard line and Jonathan Wright ran it
in on the next play to put the Devils up for the first time all evening. Once again, trusty Vickers
missed the PAT. The Devils led 19-14. After the kickoff, the Devils forced a punt and got good field
position at the Trojan 40 yard line. Wright, feeling confident now, ran off tackle for 29 yards to the
11. From there, Thomas once again bulled his way into the end zone for the TD. Vickers righted the ship
with the PAT and the Devils had their first two score lead with 4:31 left in the 3rd quarter. After the
ensuing kickoff, J'Vonne Thomas pounced on a Trojan fumble and the Devils were in business from Trojan
40. On first down, Brandon Adams streaked around end for a 40 yard TD -- the PAT was good by Vickers
and the Devils now suddenly led 33-14. Adams and West tacked on 4th quarter TDs and the Trojans scored
a late TD for the final score of 47-21.
It was the tale of two cities -- or two halves in this case. The Devils scored 40 points in the second
half and that total is the highest in a few years. Hopefully, the Devils learned that you can never
overlook any opponent and must always play hard from the outset. Unofficially, the Devils rushed for
278 yards in the 2nd half. Brandon Adams had 8 carries for 141 yards and 2 TDs in the half. Jonathan
Wright added 6 carries for 76 yards and 1 TD in the second half along with a TD in the first half.
Senior J'Vonne Thomas contributed 4 carries for 38 yards and 2 TDs in the second half. Sam Jackson-West
added 2 carries for 24 yards and a TD in the half.
Congratulations to the Devils for clinching a playoff spot for the first time since 2006! It is on to
Turner County and the Devils have a chance to clinch a winning season for the first time since 2006
with a win over the Rebels in Ashburn. Let's all go and support the Devils in game ten!!
Go Big Red! |
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Devils Fall to
Patriots
10/24/09
Andy Hill
|
The Red Devils fell to the high potent Wilcox
County Patriots last night by a final score of 26-10 and dropped their region record to 2-2 in
the process. The game was a hard fought contest with the Patriots putting it away with a TD
in the fourth quarter. The "CBS Game Changing Play of the Week" came just before halftime.
More on that in a moment.
The Patriots won the toss and elected to receive. They moved quickly down the field after a very
good kickoff return. Marshall completed a 10 yard TD pass to complete the drive. The
ensuing PAT was blocked by Fabian Forrest. The Devils would get on the board next after an
interception of a Marshall pass with a 42yd FG by junior Don Vickers. Vicker's field goal
shattered the Hawkinsville record for longest field goal which was held jointly by Jay Wood (1981 vs.
Bleckley Co.) and his older brother Gregg Vickers (Turner Co. 2008) at 36 yards. The Devils took
a lead in the second quarter on a 4th and 1 quarterback sneak from the 2 yard line to make it a 10-6
game. The Patriots came right back and Marshall found Nate Moorhouse open by "2 inches" in the
end zone for the TD as a Devil defender was just "1/2 second" late on the coverage. The Patriots
led 13-10 with a minute left before intermission. After the kickoff, Forrest sprinted 18 yards on
first down to put the Devils near midfield and with approximately 40 seconds left. The Devils
moved into Patriot territory in the waning seconds. Going against the wind and being just out of
Vickers' range for a FG with under ten seconds to play, the Devils went for the end zone.
And that is when lightening in the form of Nick Marshall struck. He picked off the pass
near the five yard line and sprinted 95 yards on a weaving, cut back type of run to give the Patriots a
20-10 halftime lead. More importantly, it took the wind from the sails of the Devils. It is
one of the oldest cliches in sports but it is worth repeating one more time -- "great players make
great plays in big games". Marshall did that for his team.
The second half saw the two teams battle back and forth with neither able to sustain any long drives
though both had their moments. The Devils got the break they needed in the 3rd quarter.
With the Devils forcing a punt and with punt block being called by the staff, a muffed snap gave the
Devils field position inside the Patriots 30 yard line. However, the Devils could not cash in.
Midway into the 4th quarter Tyrell Miller sprinted 68 yards for a TD and make the final score
26-10.
The Devils defense fought hard against the high octane passing attack of the Patriots. They
forced Marshall out of the pocket many times and in the process forced him into 3 interceptions.
The Devils also recovered a fumble. Unofficially, Marshall finished with just over 100
yards passing on a night that saw him complete 15 of 28 with 2 TD passes. The Devils were led by
guess who -- you got it -- Fabian Forrest with 21 carries for 118 yards -- and as stated earlier these
are all unofficial statistics pending review of tape. Eddie Griggs, Tevin Wilcox, and Tyler
Forrest all had interceptions for the Devil defense. The difference in the game was the speed of
the Patriots and in particular their defense in my opinion. They prevented any really long gains
which forced the Devils to make long drives and we were unable to cash in other than the one TD in the
2nd quarter.
The Devils are still in full control of the destiny. They do not need any help -- other than
their own -- to make the playoff for the first time since 2006. If the Devils win out, they will
have clinched 3rd place in the region behind Twiggs and Wilcox. The table is set and it is time
for the Devils to "grab a chair and sit a spell"!! Last night's loss was tough for the Devils, no
doubt. But the ultimate goal is a return to the state playoff and that should be reason enough
for the Devils to put this behind them and get ready for the Trojans of Telfair County.
See you at Bobby Gentry Stadium next Friday night!
Go Big Red!! |
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Devils Alive In Playoff
Chase
10/20/09
Andy Hill
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The Red Devils remain in the thick of the state playoff chase despite a 39-0
defeat to the Twiggs County Cobras last Friday night. The Cobras have taken firm control on
Region 2 with a victory over the Devils and the Wilcox County Patriots. The Cobras will be
heavily favored in their remaining region games and should take the region championship unless
something really dramatic should happen. The Devils sit tied for second place with a 2-1 record
and have three games remaining. The Devils have very important wins over Irwin County and Dooly
County which would give them the "tiebreaker" over those two if they should all become tied at
some point. The Devils travel to Rochelle this Friday night for a date with the high flying
Patriots. They are led by all state quarterback Nick Marshall who has put up some of the most
impressive numbers for any quarterback in the state over the last two years. His receiving corps
includes a collection of speedsters led by Tay Porter and Lonnie Outlaw, a 6'7" target. The
Patriots have lost twice this year - to Wilkinson County and to Twiggs County. Both of the
Patriot games were on the road and Marshall played very sparingly against Twiggs due to an injury
in pre game warm-ups. It will take a huge effort for the Devils to win at Donnie Clack Stadium
but the Devils have shown that "no quit" attitude at times in their wins. The Devils have come
from behind in three of their four wins - the most recent being the dramatic overtime win versus
the Dooly County Bobcats at "The Grove" in Vienna.
These Devils have shown significant improvement over last year and have improved slightly most
every week this season. Let's let "bygones be bygones" and forget about last week and let's go to
Wilcox County with a renewed "never quit" attitude. The Devils need our support more than ever in these
last three games in their quest to reach the playoffs.
Go Big Red!! |
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Big Win in the Grove
10/10/09
Dwight
Gatlin
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The Hawkinsville Red Devils went into Dooly County’s yard last Friday night
and shocked the ‘Cats 31-24 in overtime. It may not have been the biggest win in Devil lore,
but it sure ranks up near the top somewhere.
Looking sharp in most all phases of the game, the Devils took a 14-12 lead
into the locker room at halftime on a short run by Fabian and an Aaron Black to Fabian 30
yard pass. The home side stands were eerily quiet. The Hawkinsville broadcasting crew
mentioned that the missed extra points by Dooly might prove to be significant….dadgum if that
call wasn’t spot on.
In years past, the Bobcats might have gone into a funk after their first half
performance, but this year’s team came back out for the 2nd half with a vengeance.
In the 3rd quarter, Dooly scored twice, missing two more XPs, to take a 24-14 lead
and the home stands erupted. However, Cam Black’s Devils never flinched….they simply would
not accept defeat and came back to tie the game in the waning moments of the 4th
quarter. With 5:34 left Don Vickers drilled a 23 yard field goal…then at the 2:48 mark
J’Vonne Thomas scored from 3 yards out to make the score 24-23 in favor of Dooly. Nobody, and
I mean NOBODY, even thought about a possible missed XP…young Mr. Automatic Vickers promptly
trotted onto the field and kicked the XP to tie the game as all knew he would.
After losing the OT coin toss, the Devils took the ball first, and on
3rd and 8, Fabian took it into the end zone and “Automatic” kicked the XP. Dooly
got a very questionable penalty against the Devils, after they ran a play, and the ball was
moved inside the 10 for a first down. The Devils hunkered down and on 4th and 1,
Johnathan Wright tackled the ball carrier behind the line for a big loss on an option pitch.
At this juncture bedlam broke loose on the visitor’s side while a bunch of players and
coaches in red and white celebrated on the field. It was a GREAT night to be a Hawkinsville
Red Devil!
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Devils Defeat Irwin to win 1st Region
Game
10/2/09
Andy Hill
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The Hawkinsville Red Devils used a second half surge to defeat the visiting
Irwin County Indians at Bobby Gentry Stadium tonight. Early in the first quarter, both teams
had possessions but were forced to punt. On Irwin's second punt Fabian Forrest called a fair
catch which he made -- but an interference penalty on Irwin gave the Devils good field
possession as the penalty was tacked on to the end of the play. The Devils used the ground game
and came up 4th and 1 near the Indians 30. Fabian got the needed yardage for the first down. A
few plays later Forrest drove in from four yards out behind good blocking to put the Devils on
the board. Don Vickers added the PAT. The Indians responded by going on a long drive. During
the possession the Indians successfully converted three 4th down conversions. A play action
pass for a TD put the Indians on the board. Perhaps, a key play in the game occurred next. On
the ensuing PAT attempt, Fabian Forrest blew in from the edge and blocked the PAT leaving the
Devils up 7-6. The fired up Indians held the Devils and forced a punt. It was then that the
Devils got to see the Indian's wing-T attack work to perfection as senior Kevious Johnson took
a handoff and sprinted some 80 yards "to the house" to give the Indians a 12-7 lead. The
Indians' try for a two point conversion failed as the Devils defensive line stood up and made a
stop just shy of the goal line. The first half ended later with the Indians nursing a 12-7
lead. It would not stand up.
The second half started with the Devils kicking off. Maybe it was a sign of things to come -- but
the Devil defense rose up and stopped the Indians on a quick "3 and out" series. The Devils were
eventually forced to punt. Once again, the Devils defense forced the Indians into a "3 and out" and
forced a punt. The Indians punter had the ball go off the side of his foot and only came up with a
17 yard punt that gave the Devils excellent field position deep inside Indian territory at the 23.
After one TD was called back, Fabian Forrest sprinted in from 12 yards out to give for the score --
Don Vickers PAT put the Devils on top 14-12. Once again, after the kickoff the Devil defense came
up with another -- you guessed it -- "3 and out". On the punt, Forrest got a good return of 27
yards to set the Devils up in Indian territory. From there the Devils went to work. It was four
Fabian Forrest runs mixed in with one roughing the passer penalty and the Devils led 20-12. In this
writer's opinion - the absolute key play in the game was the ensuing PAT. Don Vickers was true
under heavy pressure to give the Devils a 21-12 lead -- key point here is that is a "two score"
lead. The Devil defense never let the Indians get a good drive going and eventually a 4th down
reverse by the Indians was smelled out by the Devils and knocked down for a huge loss by J'Vonne
Thomas and Martavius Jenkins. The Devils got into the victory formation and ended the game.
The game was special for several reasons. First, it was a region game -- and our first region game.
Secondly, anytime a team comes from behind at half to win, you know that the coaches and players
made the necessary halftime adjustments and executed them in the 2nd half. I am not exactly sure
what Defensive CO Will Conner said to his defensive troops at half -- but whatever it was he needs
to say it every week. I don't have first half yardage vs. second half yardage but the Devil defense
definitely played a very good 2nd half against a dangerous Irwin County Indian team, who has
players to go the distance on any play. A "GAME BALL" for sure goes to the entire defensive unit.
Another "GAME BALL" should go to placekicker and punter Don Vickers. He not only nailed the key PAT
to give the Devils a "two score lead" but he got off good punts that were unreturnable under heavy
pressure. With under two minutes to go in the game and with the Devils backed up, he got off a 45
yard punt -- once again against heavy pressure as the Indians went for the block -- and backed the
Indians up. Additionally, the punt had not attempted return.
Anytime you win there are numerous players and units that perform well. I wanted to point out a
couple that don't always garner the most attention -- the defense and the special teams. As is the
"expected norm" Fabian Forrest had a big night rushing with some 160 yards on 30 carries and 3 TDs.
The offensive line and other blockers really blocked well to give Fabian some running room against
what appeared to be an almost "9 man front" at times.
The Devils travel to Vienna to take on the Dooly County Bobcats next week in the Grove.
Be there early -- be loud -- and be proud -- we ARE the Hawkinsville Red Devils.
Go Big Red!
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"Sir Charles" Makes Return Trip to Georgia
Dome
9/23/09
Photos by Alana Holder
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Former Red Devil and UGA Bulldog standout
Charles Johnson made a return trip to the Georgia Dome on Sunday as a member of the Carolina
Panthers.
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Devils Remain Undefeated in Class
A
9/19/09
Dwight Gatlin
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As the Country legend from Bakersfield once said, the Hawkinsville Red Devils
had a “Tiger by the tail can’t you see” in Claxton, Georgia last Friday night. With the
impressive 25-7 win over the black clad Tigers, the Devils approach this week’s open date
and, next week’s game with Irwin County, on a high note---a real high note if they can get
some injured players back on the field against the Indians.
The Devils were utilizing a “bend but don’t break” defense in the first
quarter when, all of a sudden, the “D” did break. Claxton hit an uncovered receiver in the
corner of the end zone for a score on a 4th down play from the Devils’ 24 yard
line. The above mentioned defense held them scoreless for the remainder of the
game.
Junior Don Vickers put the Devils on the board with 32 yard field goal in the
waning moments of the first quarter. With 4:31 left in the half, college prospect J’Vonne
Thomas returned a Tiger fumble for a TD and, after a bad snap on the XP attempt, Aaron Black
hit Brandon Adams with a pass in the end zone for the 2 point conversion. In the third
quarter, at the 9:07 mark, Black connected with Adams again---this time for a 36 yard TD. Don
Vickers split the uprights with the XP kick for an 18-7 Devil lead. Fabian Forrest, the
pin-ball wizard, scored on a 6 yard run with 2:47 left in the contest and the steady Vickers
again kicked the XP.
On the ensuing kick off, the Claxton running back was tackled extremely hard,
went down and could not get up. After a long delay, during which Dr. Gene Jackson and the
hometown EMT folks worked extensively to properly care for the young man, he was transported
to the local hospital. He was later taken to Savannah, and I’m proud to report that the many
prayers rendered worked; i.e. he was not seriously hurt.
Despite a few dropped balls, the Devils’ passing game looked good as did most
every other facet of their game. But the most impressive thing was the old Red Devil “get
after their butt” mind set during the entire game. Congrats to Coach Black , the team and to
a very vocal bunch of fans who made the trip. Ain’t it great to be a Hawkinsville Red
Devil!
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Cross County
Team
9/12/09
Staci Vickers
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Cross Country Team members that received medals at the Bleckley County
Classic on Sept 12th for finishing in the top 25 racers.
They are, from left to right: Staley Smith, HHS, 10th grade; Camaron Moses, HHS, 12th
grade; Levi Carr, PCMS, 8th grade; Kourtney Morrison, PCMS, 8th grade; Sarah Roberson, PCMS, 6th
grade
Kourtney Morrison finished in the top 10 - 8th place.
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Fourth Quarter Dooms
Devils
9/12/09
Andy Hill
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The Hawkinsville Red Devils
played "toe to toe" with the home standing Perry Panthers on Friday for three quarters only to
see a failed 4th down attempt inside the Panther ten yard line fail and then the roof caved
in. The Devils opened the game with a quality drive that stalled inside the Panther 20
yard line. A field goal attempt was just wide to the right for the Devils. The
Panthers later engineered a long drive to take a 7-0 lead that stood until the 4th quarter.
After holding the Devils on their 4th down attempt the Panthers drove 95 yards for
another TD.
The Devils -- though behind by two scores at that point -- were still
in the game. At least until the ensuing kickoff. What followed was one of the
stranger plays I have ever seen. On the kickoff return Jonathan Wright was hit hard by
the Panthers and the ball popped up in the air and the Panthers caught it on the run and raced
it in from 21 yards out for a TD -- so TDs on consecutive plays turned a tight 7-0 game into a
more comfortable 21-0 lead for the Panthers. Late in the game the Panthers intercepted a
screen pass deep inside Devil territory and put up one last TD.
The Devils actually won the statistical battle outgaining the Panthers
in total offense and running more plays from scrimmage. However, as we all know it is
only the scoreboard that counts. For the Devils Fabian Forrest had 34 carries for 156
yards offensively. The Devil defense was led by freshman Tyler Forrest once again as he
registered 10 solo tackles and 2 assists. Wade Fegley added 7 total tackles and La'Darius
McNair and Jonathan Wright added 6 total tackles each.
Turnovers continue to haunt our Red Devils as they fumbled 4 times
losing one and had 2 pass interceptions. If you had to point to one part of the Devils
game that is costing them more than any -- it would have to be turnovers as they are at -9 T/O
ratio for the season.
The positive for the game was overall effort -- it was outstanding.
The Devils fought the Panthers "tooth and nail" for 48 full minutes. That is all
you can ask. We all should have known it was not to be our night when Fabian Forrest made
a jarring tackle on a pass completion by the Panthers and caused a fumble -- only to see it
roll out of bounds and the Panthers retained possession. Coming off a big loss to high
powered Fitzgerald the Devils showed a lot of fight and determination. The younger
players are beginning to feel more comfortable and confident and I believe some "Ws" are in the
Devils future.
Next up are the Claxton Tigers in Claxton next Friday night.
Go Big Red!
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Devils Fall to
Hurricanes
9/6/09
Andy Hill
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The The highly ranked Fitzgerald Purple
Hurricanes came to Hawkinsville on Friday night and showed everyone that they were as good as
advertised. Coach Robby Pruitt's Canes are among the best teams to ever play in Bobby Gentry
Stadium in this writer's opinion. The Devils won the coin toss and elected to defer until the
second half. On the ensuing kickoff Trenton Pruitt, the coach's son and a future Vanderbilt
Commodore, quickly showed that it was to be a long night for the Devils as he returned it 78
yards deep inside Devil territory. Two plays later the Canes scored. The Devils made a good
stop on the PAT attempt after the Canes elected to go for two -- perhaps as good of a stop as
the Devils would make all night. The Devils got a good return from Jonathan Wright but
fumbled it away immediately on first down. The Canes potent rushing attack hit the Devils
quickly with a 40 yard sprint for a TD and for all practical purposes squelched any chances
the Devils may have. The Canes would score two more times in a first quarter that would
seemingly never end. They added three more scores in the second quarter to take a 49-0
halftime lead.
The second half was more of the same as the Canes poured it on. The final score was 62-0. The
Devils did play nearly everyone on the roster and many got their first game experience so all was
not lost.
There is an old saying that goes "if you play this game long enough this will happen to you".
On Friday night "Hurricane Fitzgerald" made "it" happen to the Devils. Where does this leave the
Devils? In all fairness, let's take stock of the Devils to this point. They played a very inspired
scrimmage game versus neighboring Bleckley County and came away with a win in a contest that was
played just like a regular season game. It should be noted that Bleckley County is now 1-1 in Class
AA. The Devils were also victorious in their regular season opener against Jenkins County. So, they
have had two pretty good outings. Friday night was not a step forward but mighty Fitzgerald had an
awful lot to do with that. This type of loss has occurred before and believe it or not if you play
long enough -- it will more than likely happen again. It is time to put it behind them and get
ready for the remainder of the season. The Devils sit a 1-1 on the young campaign to date.
The Devils travel to Perry to take on the Panthers next Friday night. It is time for all of
us fans, students, and other loyal Devil alumni to get behind their team and become the 12th man in
the fans and cheer them on.
See you in Perry next Friday night.
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Devils Win
Opener
08/29/09
Andy Hill
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The Red Devils used a 4th quarter drive and an excellent run by junior
Fabian Forrest to take the lead over the visiting Eagles of Jenkins County. On the ensuing PAT an
alert Earl Dupree scooped up an errant snap and completed a pass to Martavius Jenkins for the two
point conversion to take a 22-14 lead midway thru the final stanza. Every team works on the "fire
drill" during practice every week and Dupree and Martavius proved that hard work does indeed pay
off as they executed the "routine play gone bad" drill to perfection. The Devil defense stepped up
to the plate and stopped the Eagles on their last possession of the game to win. With the clock
winding down the Eagles faced a 4th a 2 from their own 39 yard line and Brandon Adams smelled out
the reverse and stuffed it in the backfield for a loss of two yards. The Devils then got into the
victory formation and ran two plays to end the game.
The Devils had actually raced to a 14-0 lead by midway the 2nd quarter only to see the Eagles catch
fire and score to regain some momentum. The Eagles then picked off a deep pass and returned it deep
into Devil territory. On first down they scored on a good run -- the ensuing PAT tied the game
14-14 at half. The Devils had control most of the 2nd half as the Eagles could only move the ball
to midfield as their deepest penetration. The Devils finally scored as mentioned above and held on
for the win.
For the Devils Fabian Forrest had 27 carries for 181 yards and 2 TDs. J'Vonne Thomas added 61 yards
and 1 TD on 7 carries. Defensively, the Devils were led by freshman Tyler Forrest and Jonathan
Wright who recorded 13 and 9 total tackles respectively. Trevis Lawson added another 6 tackles and
1.5 sacks along with 4 tackles for loss yardage.
The Devils face a supreme test next Friday night in Hawkinsville as they play host to Robby
Pruitt's highly ranked Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes out of Class AA. The Canes defeated Irwin
County 48-0 on Friday night in the annual renewal of their rivalry.
Come out and support the Devils this Friday night at 8pm.
Go Big Red!
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