Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Undisputed conference champs

The last game of the regular season proved more of a challenge to the Gurdon Go-Devils than many had expected, but when the game was over, the Go-Devils became the undisputed champions of the 7AAA conference, beating every conference opponent.

After the game, Head Coach John Pace said he was not surprised by the teams flat performance in the first half. He said the team always seems to come out flat after a big win the week before. In week nine, the Go-Devils had defeated the Lafayette County Cougars in a game that could have had major implications for the Go-Devils conference standing.

We really didnt play ball until the fourth quarter, Pace said of the game at Horatio.

The teams went to the locker room at halftime tied 6-6. Pace said he had a good talk with his team during the break.

I told them, guys if you want to win a conference championship, youve got to go do it, he said. We played through some adversity. I told them you cant go in there thinking youre going to win.

Pace said this is the first 3A conference championship the team has won. The Go-Devils have picked up several conference championships in the past, but they were in the 2A division.

One player who Pace thought deserved special attention this week was senior Jeff Henry. Two of the teams five touchdowns are credited to Henry, but he picked up more rushing yards than anyone.

Jeff came out and ran that football when no one else would, Pace said.

Going into the state playoffs, the Go-Devils will have a bye week in week one. The team will play at home on Nov. 16. They will play the winner of the Hoxie-England match-up that will take place on Friday, Nov. 4.

Pace said the team has to keep its focus while preparing for the playoffs and has to use the bye week to its advantage. The bye week will help get a few injured players healthy. During the game at Horatio, Bryan Duncan was injured while kicking a field goal, but no penalty was called. Justin Smillie and Henry both have twisted ankles.

In play action at Horatio on Friday, the Go-Devils began slow, recovering the Lions onside kick at the Horatio 49 yard line. The team would only progress three yards before having to punt it away on fourth and seven.

The punt was fair caught at the 10, where the Lions began their first drive. On the first play, the Lions picked up a first down at the 21. After losing two and failing to complete a pass, Horatio punted on fourth and 10.

The Go-Devils began to move the ball on their second possession, but couldnt make it into the endzone. Junior OBryan Bell and Henry worked to move the ball down to the 17 yard line. After Quarterback Zack Duncan was dropped for a loss, the Go-Devils were penalized for motion on the line. The Go-Devils ended up turning the at the ball over on down on fourth and 25.

The Lions moved nowhere but backwards on their next possession. An offensive pass interference call as well as an offsides call pushed them back to second and 30. The team punted on fourth and 23.

The kick didnt get far as it was brought back to the Lions 29 yard line. Bell ran it up the middle to pick up four yards, and then Henry made it to the 12. Henry ran the remaining 12 yards with 55.7 seconds remaining in the first quarter. The extra point attempt was not successful, and the Go-Devils took the lead at 6-0.

Horatio ended the first quarter with a pass from the 17 yard line of the Lions to the Gurdon 45. The Lions ended up fourth and 12. A fake on the punt attempt was not enough for a first down, and the Go-Devils took over at their own 43.

A pass out to Beau McKenzie at the Horatio 32 was complete to set up a first down. The Go-Devils ended up turning the ball over on down, lacking on a footballs length to make the first down.

Horatio punted on its next possession without getting a first down.

On the first play of the Go-Devils next drive, senior Andrew Franklins pass was intercepted by Horatio. Gurdon was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Lions didnt take long to turn the possession into points, tying the game at 6.

On the last possession of the game, the Go-Devils make quick work of getting down the field. As the buzzer sounded, a pass to McKenzie was ruled down at the one yard line. From the sideline just off of the endzone, it appeared as if the ball made it in.

This would not be the only call that the Go-Devils were not happy with during the game.

Horatio began the second half first and 10 at its own 19. With 9:08 remaining in the third quarter, the Lions made a 60 yard pass into the endzone to take the lead. A two point conversion was not successful, and the Lions led 12-6.

On the kick return, Bell ran nearly the entire length of the field for a touchdown, but a holding call on the Go-Devils brought the touchdown back to the 42 yard line. This call was also disputed as there did not appear to be any member of the offense near the spot of the alleged foul.

The Go-Devils held their heads high and continued to press forward. Henry picked up a first down at the 33. Henry and Bell worked together to pick up the next first down at the 15. Bell got the ball to the six yard line, and Franklin carried it into the endzone. Franklin, however, was called down at the one yard line despite having gone a yard deep into the endzone.

On the next play, Mario Brownlee got in with ease, tying the game at 12. The extra point was no good.

Horatio couldnt move the ball on its next possession and turned the ball over on down.

Gurdons offense continued to build steam. After a penalty set the Go-Devils back to second and 25, Henry picked up a first down at the 20. Bell picked up another at the 10.

Henry finally took the ball in from two yards out to bring the Go-Devils back into the lead. Bell picked up the two point conversion, and the Go-Devils were back in the lead 20-12.

After Horatio was forced to punt again, Bell, Franklin, and Henry worked to get the ball back down to the Horatio 38. A holding penalty set the Go-Devils back to the 49 yard line from which Bell ran the ball in for a touchdown without a single flag on the play. Franklin picked up the two point conversion, and the Gurdon fans returned to their feet as the Go-Devils increased their lead to 28-12.

Horatio had begun to move the ball on its next possession, but senior Go-Devil Kareem Martin picked off a pass at the 25 yard line of Gurdon. On two carries, Bell ran to the 24 of Horatio. Franklin made it to the 27, and Duncan kept the ball for a run to the 5 to set up first and goal.

Franklin found the endzone from five yards out for the final touchdown of the game. Henry made it in for the two point conversion, bringing the final score to 36-12.