Forest nips Newton County in thriller
By By Marty Stamper / staff writer
Oct. 2, 2004
FOREST The Newton County Cougars did a lot of things well in their Division 5-3A showdown with Forest Friday night, but still came up on the short end of a 14-10 thriller at L.O. Atkins Field.
The Cougars forced Forest to abandon its previously-highly successful passing game in the second half as the Bearcats did not officially attempt a pass after halftime.
Newton County finished with 267 total yards to Forest's 204. The Cougars ran 62 offensive plays to just 38 for the Bearcats.
But for all the good the Cougars did, the Bearcats still put together a four-play scoring drive when they absolutely had to have it.
Starting at the Forest 22, the Bearcats covered the 78 yards entirely on the ground. After 5 and 17-yard runs by Brad Ellis, Jason Qualls picked up 13 yards to the NCHS 47. Ellis went the distance on the next play, heading up the middle and cutting left on his jaunt to the end zone. Grey LaPrade's extra point gave the Bearcats a 14-10 lead with 4:44 left in the game.
Ellis had seven carries for 104 yards in the fourth quarter after getting 22 yards on four carries in the first three periods.
But Newton County didn't roll over. The Cougars put together a nine-play drive that covered 64 yards and saw them knocking on Forest's door. However, under pressure, quarterback Colby Amis' pitch hit Duke Hudnall's hands and then the turf where the Bearcats recovered with 43 seconds left and ran out the clock.
Newton County had taken a 10-7 lead on a 38-yard field goal from Tommy Strange on the Cougars' first possession of the second half. Hudnall, who had missed all but four offensive plays in the first half with a leg injury, had eight carries on the drive for 24 yards to set up Strange's kick.
The Cougar defense was especially stingy during the second and third quarters as it held Forest to minus-2 yards in the second period and minus-16 in the third quarter.
Forest started hot. After recovering a short kickoff at its 44, it took eight plays to cover 56 yards with Qualls scoring from a yard out with 8:44 left in the opening period. LaPrade added the PAT.
Keith Brown was 3-for-5 on the drive for 49 yards. He finished 7-of-13 for 85 yards with one interception.
Newton County answered with a 12-play, 40-yard drive to pull even at 7-7 with two minutes left in the first half. Amis scored on a 1-yard sneak with Austin Scoggins adding the extra point.
On the drive, Fred Lyons had five carries for 32 yards and Amis had a 13-yard keeper to the 1. The drive was set up by a 37-yard Forest punt after Guy Holden and Brandon Goff combined to sack Brown for a 10-yard loss to the 3 on third down.
Forest threatened early in the fourth quarter, but on a play similar to the final one run by the Cougars, Brown was pressured by J.D. Skinner and his stray pitchout was recovered by Newton County at the Cougar 14.
That threat was set up when Hudnall was stopped short of a first down on fourth-and-1 at the Forest 45.
Forest improved to 6-0 overall and 2-0 in 5-3A. Newton County dropped to 2-3 and 1-1.
