Eagles shut down Warriors

The Coosa Eagles played host to the Gordon Central Warriors on Friday night in the final regular season game for both teams. Getting a win against a solid Coosa team was always going to be difficult for Gordon Central, but their path to victory was made that much steeper as they were without star running backs Branson Towe and Gauge Giddens. The playoff-bound Eagles dominated this game via a strong defensive effort and a solid running game 44-0.

The star of the night was running back Jaylen Hodge of Coosa (7-3, 5-2). Hodge rushed for 138 yards on 18 carries for an average of 7.6 yards a touch and scored four touchdowns. Tight end Sean Brown had a quiet night for the Eagles, but he made the most of his one opportunity in the passing game on the first drive of the game. Coosa quarterback Logan Pledger hit Brown in stride, and he sprinted into Warrior territory for a 56-yard play. Coosa scored moments later as Griffin Goss plunged over the goal line from a yard out.

On the first drive of the game by Gordon Central (2-8, 2-5), the visitors made the first of many big mistakes, as, on fourth down, the Warriors’ long snapper sent a ball sailing over the punter’s head into their own end zone and out of bounds for a safety.

Coosa’s offense added two more scores in the opening quarter, one Jaylen Hodge runs downfield Friday during the Eagles’ win against Gordon Central. a 7-yard scoring run by Hodge on the next drive and the other a 27-yard rushing touchdown by Hodge.

The Eagles’ offense was not done changing the scoreboard in the first half, as Hodge added two more rushing touchdowns in the second period of 20 yards and 1 yard.

That made the score 37-0 in favor of the home side at the half.

The second half saw both teams make a bunch of substitutions, as Frank Crowe, for the Calhoun Times

the game result was not in doubt. However, before Coosa did this, Pledger added a score through the air as he connected with Tavares Herrington in the back of the end zone for a 15-yard score to put the Eagles up 44-0.

Although the Warriors’ season is over, they showed improvement and earned two monumental wins in head coach Cory Nix’s first season. The program looks to be headed in the right direction as they move into the offseason.

For Coosa, the Eagles will open the Class AA Playoffs next Friday as they visit the No. 2 seed from Region 8-AA.