Trojans scalp Indians, finish second in 7-AAA

GAINESVILLE -- There was one question floating around The Brickyard Friday night: Would the North Hall end the night as region champions?

The Trojans faced Lumpkin County at home knowing that a Flowery Branch win over Gainesville would put North Hall in front of the 7-AAA standings.

As the clocked ticked down, that question became apparent when Gainesville’s 49-17 win over the Falcons was announced. The Trojans, however, had no reason to hang their heads, finishing the regular season with a 40-13 win over the Indians and with the second playoff seed from 7-AAA. The victory also represented North Hall’s 22nd straight 7A-AAA win for a program that had already clinched the subregion title coming into the night.

The Trojans will play host to Region 6-AAA third-place team Ringgold next Friday in the first round of the Class AAA tournament.

“There were skeptical people at the beginning of the season who thought we would only go 5-5,” said North Hall coach Bob Christmas. “But here we are, subregion champs. And, we host the first game of the playoffs. There is no place better to play than at home in the Brickyard with Trojan fans.”

North Hall dominated on the ground Friday night at The Brickyard, rushing the ball 61 times for 342 yards, while passing for an additional 60 yards. Peyton Wilhoite led all Trojan runners with 21 carries for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jordan Chaffin added 118 yards on 14 carries with 2 touchdowns.

The Trojan defense held the Indians to 186 yards of total offense. Linebacker/running back Lance Chuvala paced Lumpkin County on both sides of the ball, rushing 8 times for 75 yards and leading the Indians in tackles.

North Hall started strong, taking a 20-0 lead and then responded to a Lumpkin County surge in the third quarter to pull out the win.

“My players have a lot of heart and passion,” Christmas said. “I feel very good about our season and I feel even better about our chances in the play-offs. We’ll watch the films this week, take care of some penalties and turnovers that occurred tonight, and we’ll be ready to take any team we play next week.”

Lumpkin County won the coin toss but that was about all that favored the Indians in the first half. North Hall (8-2, 6-0 Region 7A-AAA) opened the game with a nine-play drive, covering 69 yards. Jordan Chaffin sprinted in from the 12 yard line for the first score of the evening. After a missed PAT, the Trojans led 6-0.

On Lumpkin’s (4-6, 1-5) first play from scrimmage, Trojan Peyton Wilhoite recovered a fumble at the Indian’s 37-yard line. The following play, Trojan quarterback Nathan Jones faked a hand-off up the middle, rolled to his right, and found Ben Booth for a touchdown pass. The two-point conversion was missed, bringing the Trojan lead, 12-0.

The Lumpkin County defense settled down and was able to slow down the North Hall offense. But the Indian Offense could not move the ball against the tough Trojan defense lead by defensive linemen Stephen Flanagan and Daniel Blitch and linebackers Wilhoite and Nick Puckett.

North Hall then mounted the final scoring drive of the half, covering 69 yards in 13 plays. With five minutes left in the first half, Jones plunged in from the 1-yard line for a Trojan touchdown. Jones then connected with receiver Dylan Mann for the 2-point conversion, ending the half with a 20-0 lead.

But Lumpkin came out inspired in the second half, starting with Kaylen Temples’ 85-yard touchdown return on the opening play of the third quarter. The Indians missed the PAT but pulled within 20-6.

North Hall then aided the Lumpkin resurgence, fumbling the ball away on its first possession of the half for Lumpkin’s David Webber to recover at the Trojan’s 13-yard line. Three plays later, Michael Flanagan scored on a 5-yard run, cutting the North Hall lead to 20-13.

“[Lumpkin County] coach [Tommy] Jones does an excellent job with his team. We had some mental letdowns tonight, and they capitalized on them,” Christmas said.

But the Trojans responded like champions, churning out a 13-play, 78-yard drive, taking seven minutes off the clock., including a fourth down and nine conversion, at the Lumpkin County 11. Wilhoite swept around right end for nine yards, picking up the first down to keep the drive alive. Two plays later, the senior powered in from the 2. Lumpkin blocked the PAT, but North Hall extended their lead at 26-13.

Jones’ play in the secondary was key for the North Hall defense throughout, intercepting two Lumpkin County passes. He returned his second pick 30 yards for a touchdown at the end of the third quarter. Following a 2 point pass from Jones to Booth, North Hall extended its lead 34-13.

The final score of the night came on a thrilling 62-yard run by Chaffin, sealing North Hall’s sub region victory with a 40-13 win over the Indians.

-- By Robin Parr