The Cass Colonels concluded their Cinderella playoff run with a 30-0 road loss to the Coffee Trojans on Friday.
Excitement surged for Cass at the start of the game. Although the Colonels couldn’t score on their initial possession, they made a crucial stop on the ensuing drive, forcing Coffee to turn the ball over on downs at the one-yard line.
This pivotal play, while significant for Cass, unfortunately, placed their offense in a challenging position within their own end zone. Such a scenario is undesirable for any football team, as it carries the risk of conceding a safety. Regrettably, Coffee capitalized on this opportunity, tackling Cass inside their own end zone to take an early 2-0 lead in the first quarter.
Following the safety, Coffee quickly capitalized, scoring a 32-yard passing touchdown to lead 9-0. Despite Cass mounting a solid drive and entering Coffee territory, disaster struck with an interception, returned about 80 yards to Cass’ 9-yard line.
As the first quarter concluded, Coffee maintained their 9-0 lead. After the significant interception, Coffee added a short rushing touchdown early in the second quarter, extending their lead to 16-0.
The remainder of the first half showcased a defensive battle, with neither team adding more points. Coffee held onto their 16-0 lead going into halftime.
In the second half, Coffee adopted a clock management strategy, minimizing action in the third quarter as both teams traded punts. However, the Trojans scored again towards the end of the quarter, securing a 23-0 lead with a two-yard rushing touchdown.
Coffee continued their scoring momentum in the third quarter, driving down the field for a 13-yard rushing touchdown, establishing a 30-0 lead with less than a minute remaining.
The fourth quarter saw Coffee employing a running clock, successfully draining time while preventing Cass from reaching the endzone. Coffee secured a 30-0 victory at home and is now poised to face Cartersville on the road next Friday, vying for a spot in the 5A Region 7 state championship.
Despite the disappointment of this loss, Cass had an exceptional season, finishing 7-6 and causing upsets in the playoffs. It’s not the ending they wanted, but the Colonels playoff run was exciting.