Coffee defeats Tift County in regular season opener

Published 11:15 am Saturday, August 20, 2022

TIFTON – Tift County will be looking for their first win of the season in its second week on a trip to Dutchtown Aug. 26 after Coffee defeated the Blue Devils in Friday’s opener.

On the strength of special teams play, the Trojans won at Brodie Field, 55-7.

Damion Moate’s 29-yard 3rd quarter touchdown run was the lone score for the Blue Devils, who were within striking distance until a snowball of Coffee scores to start the 3rd.

The Trojans scored once in the opening quarter, a bulldozing 20-yard run at 4:03 by Fred Brown. A penalty after the ball was in the end zone went against Coffee. Assessed on the kick try, the attempt went wide left.

The Trojans’ 6-0 lead held through the quarter, though Tift was able to move early, Carlton Brannon completing a pair of passes, one to Antavio Pierce for a first down.

Two snaps into the 2nd, Brown used his size again to score, this time from 6 yards out. This time, the kick connected and it was 13-0 Coffee at 11:12.

Antwain McDuffie finished off a 10-play drive with an 8-run dart at 3:54.

Tift halted two Coffee drives to end the half. Jonta Strozier pounced on a botched toss sweep at his own 32. Later, Lee Jackson tipped a Maurice Hansley pass to himself, coming down with an interception near midfield.

The 3rd quarter is when it all went wrong and did so in a flash. Billy Simpson returned the opening kickoff back 90 yards down his own sideline.

Soon, the Trojans had Tift pinned deep and refused to let them out. Tyrese Woodgett took a punt back 60 yards. They partially blocked Tift’s punt on the next drive and Jakeem Williams ran for a touchdown soon after. Finally, it was Tyriq Edwards taking back a punt.

A personal foul by Coffee on the last kickoff helped lift the Devils out of their own territory. With the exception of the Trojans’ last touchdown, they controlled the action afterwards.

Moate and Brannon alternated runs. After Moate went 10, Brannon added 21 on the ground. Driving down to Coffee’s 29, Moate broke through the middle. Trojan tacklers got a hand on him, but Moate had a head of steam, reaching paydirt at 1:50.

Antonio Gomez provided the extra point kick and Tift was on the scoreboard.

A trick play, a pass to an eligible lineman, wrapped up Coffee scoring at the start of the 4th period.

Moate, Brannon and Kobe Pierce took turns gaining yards in the 4th.

Anthony Menjivar was there for a last Trojan turnover, emerging from the pile with a defensive fumble recovery later in the period.

Action started more than 30 minutes late Friday because of lightning delays. The storms were more active and longer-lasting to the south, with both Cook and Berrien forced to continue games Saturday that were already underway.

Tift will go to Dutchtown next week, their first ever time playing in Henry County.