By Justin Jarrett
LowcoSports.com
The opportunities for Battery Creek to secure its first win under new coach Ed Susi were abundant Friday night, but the visiting Ridgeland Jaguars were resourceful and relentless.
Wenson Smith scored his second rushing touchdown to cap off a 95-yard night, and Jaquise Johnson scooped up a Smith fumble to scramble in for the 2-point conversion that proved to be the difference in a 33-31 overtime win.
Chase Olsen and Juju Gordon hooked up for a pair of touchdown passes, including one in the third quarter to tie it at 25, just minutes after Ridgeland broke ahead when Maurice Brown picked off an Olsen pass that slipped just beyond his leaping receiver’s hands and criss-crossed the field for a 96-yard touchdown and a 25-19 lead.
The Dolphins had more chances to take control, consistently driving into scoring position before the Jags’ defense buckled down and came up with a big play, including two more drive-halting interceptions. Johnson took one of those picks back to midfield to give Ridgeland a chance to win it in regulation, but Creek’s defense clinched down and forced overtime with each team getting a set of downs from the 10.
The Jags wasted little time, as Wenson Smith bounced around the right side and his receivers sealed the edge to give him a path to the end zone. Ridgeland went back to Smith for the all-important conversion try, and the Dolphins stuffed him and popped the ball loose, but it bounced right into Johnson’s arms and he pivoted and won the race to the pylon to make it 33-25.
Ridgeland seemingly had forced a fourth-and-long and a last-ditch effort for the Dolphins, but a contentious roughing the passer call gave them a new set of downs, and they punched it in on the ground.
But Creek still needed the two-point conversion to force another extra period, and the Jags were not in the mood, winning the battle in the trenches and collapsing the pocket to bring an epic game to a close.
Next
Battery Creer (0-2) at Calhoun Co. (2-0) on Sept. 1
