What We Saw: Baptist Hill Flies High In Win Over GSF
Just how well did Baptist Hill standouts Harold Gathers and Damon Smith play Friday night? Enough so that most folks will overlook what Green Sea Floyds tailback Colby Thorndyke did. The Trojans’ senior rushed 33 times for 186 yards and…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingJust how well did Baptist Hill standouts Harold Gathers and Damon Smith play Friday night?
Enough so that most folks will overlook what Green Sea Floyds tailback Colby Thorndyke did.
The Trojans’ senior rushed 33 times for 186 yards and five touchdowns in the 50-33 loss. And as impressive as it was on its own standing, it paled in comparison to the Bobcats’ overall performance.
One that started early with Gathers and Smith.
After a fumble on the opening kickoff, Smith (pictured) hauled in the first of what would be 14 receptions for a 6-yard touchdown. He scored another three plays into the second quarter on a fourth-and-goal from the 16. All of 16 seconds of game time later – after another Trojans turnover – Smith hauled in a 39-yard Gathers pass for touchdown No. 3 on the night. Less than three minutes into the third quarter, there was Smith again, snagging another fourth-down touchdown pass, this time from 11 yards out.
Smith ended the second-round playoff victory with those 14 receptions for 157 yards, four touchdowns and a two-point conversion.
Gathers, who missed most of the second quarter and then part of the second half with an ankle injury, finished the game with 288 yards and five touchdown passes. He also ran for 32 yards, mostly on scrambles out of the pocked, not designed runs.
That was true to the Bobcats’ form, even against a team like Green Sea Floyds that attempted to control the clock.
“As long as they’re grinding, we’re passing,” Baptist Hill head coach Marion Brown said. “Our job is to stop them. We can stop their run game. If that’s the only thing they’re doing, we’re passing and running. We can do both. But we prefer passing 1,000 times a game.”
All told, between Gathers and backup quarterback Kevin Townsend, the Bobcats attempted 39 passes against just 16 rushes.
OTHER NOTABLES
Ra’Shaun Murray was everywhere for Baptist Hill. The senior had four receptions for 59 yards and nine carries for 55 yards and a touchdown.
What’s more, he had two huge tackles on fourth-down stops on defense and several more tackles that prevented huge gains.
Townsend, in addition to stepping in and attempting 11 passes (for 50 yards) at quarterback, showed himself to be a dangerous receiver. He caught three passes for 39 yards. Two of the catches were for first downs.
Further proof of the two-way standouts on a roster of just 30 players, Bobcats senior De’John Heyward caught two passes for 25 yards and also made the tide-turning play of the first half. His 53-yard interception return with 5:25 left in the second quarter allowed Baptist Hill to keep its lead for good.