FOOTBALL: Johnson County stays on tear, wipes out Wilco for eighth win

WRIGHTSVILLE – Friday night’s win over the Wilkinson County Warriors kept Johnson County undefeated, and in control of its region. 

The Trojans, in fact, extended their win streak in league play to 21 games with the 40-7 home victory. 

Head coach Don Norton said he was pleased to be 3-0 in the region. He thinks Wilkinson County was well-coached and is glad that his team got off to a good start in the game.

“We had the right attitude coming out,” Norton said. “You could feel it with the guys that it was just different.”

On the game’s opening drive, the Warriors drove 61 yards in 16 plays. They got as close as the 11-yard line, before giving up the ball on the Trojans 24.

On the next play, Tayshawn Norris ran 76 yards for a touchdown with 5:14. Will Peeples had the PAT and the Trojans led 7-0.

After holding the Warriors to four plays, JoCo had 7-play, 40-yard drive that took 4:02 off the clock. With 11:51 left in the half Jeremiah Scott scored a 10-yard touchdown. Peeples kicked the point-after, and the Trojans led 14-0. 

The Warriors had an 11-play, 41-yard drive that got them to the Johnson County 9-yard line. But the Trojan defense held strong again for a turnover on downs.

A 7-play, 91-yard drive yielded another touchdown. A Nathan Turberville to Daezon Devero pass made up 61 of those yards. Scott scored the 11-yard touchdown. Peeples’ kick made it 21-0 with 3:28.

In the second half, Cory King caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Turberville at 4:20 in the third. Peeples kicked to put the Trojans up 28-0. 

Jacaden Webb scored on an 8-yard run just inside the fourth quarter. The kick failed but the Trojans led 34-0. Kelsey Waters had a 13-yard touchdown with 5:55 to play. 

The Warriors had an 11-play, 62-yard drive late in the game. Quenterrion Sanford scored on a 1-yard run with 11 seconds to play. After a kick by Diego Reynoso-Gonzalez, the final was 40-7.

Norris led the Johnson County rushing attack with six carries for 133 yards. Kelsey Waters had 10 for 78.

Peeples praised the junior varsity for their play late in the game, and thought the defense played really well.

“They were lights-out all night,” he said. 

Dewayne Ambrams led JoCo’s tackling with five and one assist. Taylin Norris, Ziion Wesley and Kelsey Waters all had four.

King, a senior, has been part of two teams that went undefeated in the regular season. He hopes for two more wins to do that for a third time. 

“It’s pretty nice going into your senior year,” he said. “It’s a lot like my ninth-grade year.”

Wesley, also a senior, believes the defense played so well because they listened to their defensive coordinator Devin Cannon. He believes championships are won by doing things right. 

“You just keep up the good work and keep up the good team effort, and we’ll get there sooner or later,” Wesley said. 

The Trojans (8-0 overall) will be off next week before facing Georgia Military College Prep School at Herschel Walker Field on Oct. 24.