Jackets topple Temple in first round of playoffs
The Rockmart Yellow Jackets move onto the next round of the Class AA playoffs in a 24-7 win over Temple, and will get to stay at home as they continue on their perfect season.
It wasn’t without one loss after junior quarterback Javin Whatley went out in the second quarter with an injury.
He was replaced temporarily by Juke Boozer, then in the after halftime by Paine Culver who came in after suffering a hip pointer on senior night and got the offense rolling again by the fourth quarter.
“We survived. You could tell that with him going out, it took a lot of our breath,” Head coach Biff Parson said. “We talked about it in the locker room, and when one of leaders goes down, we get to see the true character of our team.”
Rockmart put up two touchdowns early off clock-eating drives on the ground as Patrick Gardner capped off a drive from 2-yards out, then was followed on by Whatley getting in for a 1-yard keeper to put the Jackets up 14-0 heading into the second quarter.
Temple put points on the board in the second quarter to cap a drive for a 3-yard touchdown, though the Jackets defense came up big before halftime twice to keep a lead.
Rockmart’s defense proved pivotal as the offense came up short in the third quarter, holding the Tigers twice out of the end zone on big fourth down plays including a sack of quarterback Scooter Tanner for a 15 yard loss.
“Our backs was against the wall, and our defense played lights out,” Parson said. “Those two big defensive stands — fourth and goal at inches — hats off to those guys for playing hard and finishing the drill.”
With the defense able to keep Temple’s running game stifled and off the scoreboard the rest of the night, it gave the opportunity for Culver to get the offense back to what Rockmart fans are used to seeing: drives that end in scores.
Culver did give up a interception on the night, but he came up big on a third down play deep in Jackets territory to find Mehki Floyd on a 35yard pass play, and a few plays later find Boozer for a 34 yard gain. Penalties put the Jackets in field goal range for Cooper Yanzetich to add three to the scoreboard from 25 yards out, and with one more drive late in the game gave Floyd a chance to score from a yard out. He ended going 2-5 69 yards in passing.
“We really didn’t expect him to play,” Parson said. “He comes in and makes a superman play. What a great job by that kid. He’s a tough warrior, no doubt about that.”
Before Whatley was injured and came out of the game, he went 1-3 45 yards on the night in the first half. Overall, the Jackets put up 413 yards of offense on the night, mostly off of the efforts of Rockmart’s running backs.
Temple’s offense only put up 232 yards of total offense on the night.
Whether Whatley will be back under center to play was still in question as Parson said he would be evaluated over the weekend for a potential knee injury.
With the first round win, the 11-0 Jackets will get to host against Brooks County (7-4) next Friday after the Trojans took a 42-14 win over Washington County to open the playoffs.
“All I know is that we’re at the Rock one more time, and we’ll be ready for it,” Parson said.