Varsity Football

OC vs. Riverside – Like Washington-Wilkes, Georgia Military and Whitfield Academy before them, the Oglethorpe County Patriots had little trouble handling the Riverside Military Eagles handing them their fourth loss of the season 31-12. 

Final

        Following the kickoff and with just two minutes ticked off the clock, the Patriots were 2^nd and 5 on Riverside’s 30.  Kenneth Cinereski got the call and scampered 30 yards for OC’s first touchdown of the game.  Griffin Giles’ PAT was good giving OC a 7-0 lead.

        Giles’ kickoff resulted in a touchback and the Eagles started their first series on their own 20. Riverside threw a short pass to the flat which Cinereski read the whole way tackling the receiver for a two yard loss.  Riverside’s second play was an incomplete pass.  On 3^rd and 12 Riverside’s pass was intercepted by cornerback John Mathews (Mathews has intercepted at least one pass in the last three games).  Combined with a 5 yard facemask penalty against the Eagles, OC started their second possession on Riverside’s 34.

Presley on the way to the endzone.

        On this possession Riverside’s defense held OC forcing a 4^th and 4 situation.  However, OC got called for a delay of game making it 4^th and 9 for the first down from about the 29 yard line.  OC QB Kendrick Presley threw his first completion of the game to Trey Martin for an OC first down to the Riverside 3. 

        On first and goal from the three Anthony Thornton moved the ball to the one foot line.  Second and goal to go saw Presley put it across for OC’s second touchdown of the game.  Giles’s PAT was good so with 3:46 left in the first quarter OC was ahead 14-0.

King and Queen

         OC opened the second quarter with the ball on the 42 and second down.  OC got called for movement which backed the ball up 5 yards.  Thornton made up 4 of those yards leaving OC 3^rd and 11.  Presley found Giles open over the middle for a 10 yard gain leaving the Patriots 4^th and 1.  One the next play OC got called for an illegal chop block moving the ball back to the 49 yard line. On 4^th and very long, Presley did his Presley thing, running through the Eagle defense to the end zone.  But it was for nothing because a holding penalty on the Patriots called the back. 

        The second half seemed to be more confused that the first half.  Riverside’s defense was doing a little better; penalties and two self-recovered fumbles stopped OC drives in their tracks.  At one point in the quarter there were three flags on the ground all for the same play.  Two were for illegal chop blocks called on Riverside while one was a un-sportsman like conduct call on the Patriot sidelines.

        Nevertheless, OC put more points on the board on a 60 yard rush by Presley on OC’s next possession (no flag this time) and Giles’ PAT made it 21-0.  OC would put three more points on the board from a 24 yard field goal by Giles thus going into the half time break 24-0.

Coach Bill and Casey Pacheco

        Giles’ touchback gave the ball to the Eagles on their own 20 to open the 3 quarter.  Riverside went 3 and out on their first possession of the second half.  OC after the punt started on our own 42. Tanner Bowman, on third and a few picked up the first down for OC.  OC would fumble the ball two plays later giving Riverside the ball on their 36.   

        Riverside couldn’t do anything much, suffering from self-inflicted penalties and incomplete passes.  Following an Eagles timeout, Riverside’s pass to their wide receiver was intercepted by Jarrett McElheney around the Eagle 35 and returned all the way down to the 11.  But OC couldn’t put any points on the board and gave the ball back to the Eagles at the OC 20 on downs.

        Riverside moved the ball backwards until they fumbled and OC recovered on the 6.  Presley scored and Giles added the PAT which gave OC their 31 points of the game.

        Riverside’s first score of the game came on the ensuing kickoff when their receiver caught Giles’ kickoff at the one yard line and ran it all the way back for a score.  The PAT was blocked and the Eagles had 6 points on the board.  The Eagles would score once more on the last play of the game with a final score of OC 31 – Riverside 12.

Winners

        Also in the fourth quarter, with many substitutes, OC’s Sean Atkinson had a 10 yard rush and a 50 yard rush, both of which were called back because of Patriot penalties. 

        Besides the offensive names already mentioned, some defensive names to remember are Mathews, Casey Pacheco, Cinereski, Zytavious Watkins and McElheney. 

        On the night OC had eight first downs, five of which were in the first quarter.  Presley was 3-4 passing (with no interceptions) and scored two touchdowns.  OC lost one fumble in the third quarter.  They lost and recovered four of their own fumbles and recovered one Riverside fumble. 

        OC faces Union County (3-1 overall, 0-1 region) next week at home in their region opener.  Union County has defeated Fannin Co., Towns Co., and Andrews, NC; their only loss being to Washington-Wilkes 36-0.  This should be a close ballgame between comparable teams. 

        You can see the pictures here:   http://hdgp.photoreflect.com/store/thumbpage.aspx?e=8694167