Augusta`s Early Start Fails to Bring Home the Win
Keith Murphy
Sunday August 4, 2002
The Knights responded to the quick early score with a defensive effort that was smothering. A first-half goal-line stand coupled with a blocked extra point that Denario Smalls returned for a two-point score set the tone for the evening and left Augusta in a 10-point hole at the half. Augusta would never get any closer as the Knights won a hard-fought battle 57 to 41 to advance to the next round of the playoffs.
Macon head coach Kevin Porter says that his goal was a simple one. “Our goal, tonight, was to come out and try to keep them in front of us. To force them to make plays and not give them any cheap ones. We gave them a cheap one at the beginning of the game and I think that woke us up. The battle of attrition will eventually get them if you keep forcing them to do things that they don’t want to do and good things will happen for you. What happened for us was that our pass rush started coming and once that happens it changes the game. We got them out of their rhythm and if you can do that to a team you’ve got a good shot to win football games.”
Macon’s defense sacked Gauntt four times on the night and dominated the Augusta line. Stallions head coach Mike Hold said Macon won the battle in the trenches. “We knew what they were going to do every time they lined up. They knew what we were going to do every time we lined up. I think the key was controlling the line of scrimmage and they did a damn good job of it tonight. We weren’t able to get to Rayborn as much as we needed to. If you give that guy time, he’s going to put the ball where it needs to be. He’s a top-notch quarterback. We got outplayed by a good football team. They’re good. They’re hard to stop. I thought we played our hearts out but they got us in an uncomfortable situation where we had to try to make bigger plays than we wanted to and when you do that all of the sudden you’re looking at fourth and long.”
Macon’s Offensive and Defensive Line Coach, Webbie Burnett explained that the familiarity between the two teams led to the focus on defense. “We know Augusta so well and they know us so well that we did have to put more emphasis on defense. We had a great goal-line stand and we knew what they were coming with. We did a good job. My hat’s off to Augusta. They had a great season.”
Macon FB/LB Byron Douzart says that the Knights’ focus on defense started two weeks ago. “It goes back to last week’s game preparation for Tennessee Valley when we said we had to step it up on defense and we went ahead and did that. We took pride in it. We tried to hold them as long as we could on the goal line. It just comes down to who wants it more.”
WR/DB Gabe Amey said that the difference tonight was the team’s level of intensity. “We just picked up the intensity. The credit goes to the defense, the DBs, Denario [Smalls], Elton [Davis] and all those guys and up front, they rushed the passer well. They all played with intensity tonight. This week’s practice we showed a lot of focus and we executed well.”
Knights’ offensive coordinator, Tres Sullivan, says the defense was nothing short of “awesome. In the last couple of weeks I think they’ve gotten the understanding that if they get one stop then we are going to roll. The defense got that one big stop in the first half and we continued to score.”
On the offensive side of the ball, the Knights were deliberate and efficient. Grinding out the yards while eating up the clock. Macon quarterback John Rayborn was 21 of 29 for 271 yards and six touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown. Rayborn was named the game’s MVP but he pointed the play of the defense as the key to winning. “It was awesome. We got stopped that one time and our defense turned around and stopped them and kept the momentum in our hands. They had a tremendous game.”
With the win, Macon goes to 14-3 and the Knights will face the Florida Firecats next. Porter says that the work for the next round has already begun. “We called around and got film from both team’s (Florida and Tallahassee) last three games. So we’re trying to be ready to play when the time comes. Florida’s got a very good football team. They’ve got a great defense and a lot of guys that can make plays so we’re going to have to be ready to play next week.”
The loss ends another strong season for Augusta at 13-4. Macon stays at home to host the 10-7 Firecats Saturday in the second round.
Dr. Murphy has nearly 20 years of media experience ranging from radio to the Internet. He has served as webmaster for two AF2 teams and the football team at Fort Valley State University. He is a professor at FVSU and directs www.bunniwerks.org, a non-profit rabbit rescue organization. He has been commissioned as a Kentucky Colonel. Murphy is also serving as a first party editor of af2 stories for ArenaFfan. For more information about Dr. Murphy see: www.keithmurphy.info
