Carver-Columbus 21 LaGrange 3

By Michael Buchanan

Saturday, September 18, 2010

http://voiceoflg.blogspot.com

The #1 team in AA showed why they have that distinction Friday night in front of a national audience. But the Grangers showed everyone that even though they were undersized as a team and undertalented in a couple places, they will come to play 48 full minutes.
 
The Grangers' opening drive went three and out and Carver started at their 17 yard line. 83 yards and ten plays later, Isaiah Crowell walked in from two yards out. The PAT failed and it was 6-0 Tigers early. LaGrange would answer with a ten play drive of their own. Starting at their own 16, the Grangers' drive would stall at the Tiger 11. A 28 yard field goal by E-Smith was true and LaGrange did what no other team had been able to do against carver...score. 6-3 Carver. The Tigers had another ten play drive from their 20 but it would stall at the Granger 18. With no decent field goal kicking game they went for it and came up short. LaGrange would go three and out, however, and an uncharacteristic bad punt gave Carver a short field at the Granger 43. Five plays later, Crowell would fight his way into the end zone. The two point conversion was good and Carver took a 14-3 lead into halftime.

Carver opened the second half at their own 20 again and got as far as the Granger nine yard line. They opted to go for it and did not convert. LaGrange would only go six plays before Braxton Smith would be intercepted. Carver had another short field starting at the Granger 30 and would capitalize. A 13 yard run by Crowell on the Tigers third play found pay dirt and Carver extended their lead 21-3 and that is how the game would end.

 Two of Carver's three touchdowns came on drives started in Granger territory. Carver is good enough of a team. Helping their offense by giving them less than 80 yards is a critical mistake. The Grangers did not hang their head and give up, though. They kept playing hard and kept fighting through every whistle. Now that this very tough pre-region schedule is done, the Grangers now focus on Region 6-AAA opponents the rest of the regular season. Next week we travel to Kinnett Stadium as LaGrange faces Shaw next Thursday night.

Finally I want to mention the crowd that came to see this game. Even though it was broadcast on two radio stations, WCJM LaGrange and WOKS Columbus, it was also televised on ESPN2. A few schools seem to think radio hurts the gate. But Friday night the visiting side was about 90% full and the home side was a hair short of 120% full. I thought I saw a butterfly try to find a seat and give up. Kudos to the fans from both LaGrange and Columbus for coming out to see two good teams. Even though the next game is on a Thursday, hopefully we will see a good crowd travel down I-185 and cheer on the Men in Blue!