FOOTBALL: Johnson County takes down Butler, moves to 4-0 as Norton notches 150th career win

WRIGHTSVILLE – The Johnson County Trojans found their fourth win Friday as they bested the Butler Bulldogs, 41-8. 

JoCo had 370 yards total offense, and held Butler to 92. 

The Trojans benefitted from five turnovers.

Daezon Devero caught and returned an interception 11 yards. On the next play Jeremiah Taylor ran 30 yards for a touchdown. With Will Peeples’ kick the score was 7-0 with 10:08 to go in the first quarter.

Johnson County head coach Don Norton said some things worked, and some things didn’t, but he was pleased to see passing work.

“We’ve been working hard on our passing game,” he said. “I’m glad we got to do it.”

Nathan “Billy” Turberville threw to Tayshawn Norris for a 36-yard touchdown with 9:06 in the half. Peeples added a point to make the score 14-0. 

Jaelen Daniels recovered a fumble on the first play after the following kickoff. 

Turberville and Norris had a 36-yard pass for a touchdown with 8:29 in the half. The kick failed.

Cory King stopped the next Butler drive with an interception. Turberville and Jacaden Webb both rushed during the following six-play, 57-yard drive. Turberville threw to Devero for the 16-yard touchdown. Peeples kicked the lead to 27-0 with 5:33 in the half.

Turberville was 4-for-6 passing with 92 yards and three touchdowns.

“Billy’s a really good football player, and he sees it and makes some checks and threw it to the right guys at the right time,” Norton said. “He did some things that I don’t know people can see, but we’re really happy for him.”

King ran for a 23-yard touchdown, and Peeples’ PAT with 3:06 left in the half made it 34-0.

There was a running clock in the second half. 

Going into the fourth, the Trojans had a three-play scoring drive on which Kelsey Waters rushed for eight, one and then two yards for a touchdown. Preston Kilpatrick kicked to make the score 41-0. 

Butler’s Travis Blount scored with 6:44 in the game and had the two-point conversion to make the score 41-8. 

Norris had three interceptions for 72 yards.

King rushed seven times for 82 yards. Jeremiah Taylor had 10 carries for 61. 

Ziion Wesley led the tackling for the Trojans with five and two assists. King had three.

Next week, the Trojans (4-0 overall) will travel to meet Treutlen (2-1).

‘My dream job, at my dream place’…

Friday’s win held special significance for Norton, who became 150-84 in his 22 seasons as the Trojans’ head coach. 

After the game, Norton received an award from Johnson County Schools superintendent Chris Watkins. Assistant coach Willie Taylor also presented him with the game ball. 

Taylor, who appreciates him both as a head coach and for coaching his sons, said that though a lot of people see the culture and system he’s created in 19 years with the program, many don’t know and appreciate everything Norton has done for the community. 

“He’s a great coach, a great man and I wouldn’t have it no other way,” Taylor said. “I wouldn’t want to coach with nobody else.”

Norton came to Johnson County in 1998 after coaching with his successful father-in-law Butch Brooks at Washington-Wilkes. 

He began as an assistant coach under Bill Bonds. His first head coaching job came in Treutlen, where he worked for three years before returning to Johnson County as an assistant in 2003. 

After Bonds experienced health issues and retired, Norton became head coach in 2007. 

He is 143-61 at Johnson County, and has won four region championships.

Bonds, the next winningest in program history, was 91-43 in 11 seasons. 

Norton has never experienced a losing season. Before him, the longest such streak of winning seasons going back to 1964 is three.

Norton is married to Lara Brooks Norton, who he met at Georgia Southern. They have two children: Kayelin, a pharmacist, and Brooks, a dental student; both are graduates of Johnson County High. 

Daezon Devero, a sophomore, says things a lot of players have to say.

“I’m very proud of Coach Norton,” he said. “Without him, I don’t know what I’ll be. He pushes me to get to the next level and get to where I am now. I love Coach Norton. I’d do anything for the man.”

Norton is the longest-tenured head coach, in any sport, in Trojan history. He credits his longevity with “the community sticking with him through good times and bad.” Norton feels fortunate. 

“We’ve been very blessed, and God has blessed us here,” he said. “Other opportunities came, we chose to stay and made this home.”

He also thanks Coach Brooks, Coach Bonds and the late Coach Shawn Linder as well as his assistants, players and school administrators.

Norton, now one of 33 active Georgia coaches with 150 wins. appreciates his situation. 

“I believe that this is my dream job, at my dream place,” he said. “I think that it is important for people to understand my appreciation and love for Johnson County.”