Panthers Refocus For Playoffs

By Jeff Moeller Special Contributor SAVANNAH - Bethesda Academy linebacker Troy Graham is enjoying the ride. A senior who transferred from Jenkins played his role prominently with a sack and eight tackles in the Blazers’ dominant 47-10 victory over Trinity Collegiate in a SCISA Class AAA quarterfinal playoff win on Nov. 6. Graham was well aware of the landscape surrounding the team after last year’s state championship. The Blazers (9-1) will be back home Friday night when they host Hilton Head Christian Academy (8-3) in a semifinal matchup. “We understand where we are right now,” said Graham. “This team lost a lot of talent from last year, but there has been a lot of growth throughout the season. We love every minute of it.” It was nearly a carbon copy of the Blazers’ 44-10 region championship victory over First Baptist in which they had a 14-7 lead at halftime. This time around, the Blazers also walked into their locker room at halftime with a 14-10 advantage, but that soon ballooned. It was a night where Bethesda’s defensive intensity matched their offensive explosion. Three plays into the second half, Bethesda had a 22-10 advantage when junior quarterback Jordan Turner broke free on a 25-yard touchdown sprint, and Jeffery Armstrong followed with a two-point conversion. Senior cornerback Mell Flowers then followed with an interception on Trinity Collegiate’s first play after the kickoff. Flowers’ pick quickly wiped any second half momentum for Trinity Collegiate (3-6), who managed just 55 yards of offense in the second half. Titans’ quarterback Isaiah Gee , who threw for 156 yards and a touchdown in the first half, had four yards passing and two interceptions in the second half. Trinity Collegiate head coach Shawn Fagan understood his team drew a tough assignment despite a decent start. “We did some good things in the first half,” said Fagan. “Isaiah did a good job in moving the ball down the field, but we weren’t able to get our running game going. “They are a very talented and disciplined football team. They marched it right down the field to start the second half, and that set us back. They also made some key defensive plays. We just couldn’t get it going.” Flowers’ interception proved to be a second-half difference maker, as the Blazers responded with 24 unanswered points down the stretch. “I saw it coming all the way,” said Flowers. “We had a slow first half, but we knew we had to finish strong and not be arrogant. We came out with great intensity. “We have great chemistry together, and we are ready to go on to states.” Junior corner Shawn Williams quickly ended Trinity Collegiate’s next drive when he swiped the ball away from Trinity receiver Andre Jackson Jr. and raced down to the four-yard line. On the next play, Armstrong, who ran for 88 yards, scooted around the end for his second score and gave the Blazers a 34-10 advantage. Turner would cap off the game with a 15-yard touchdown strike to MJ Scott , and a 10-yard flip to Zhyri Witcher . He finished the game completing nine of 11 passes for 124 yards and rushed for 102 yards with a pair of touchdowns. The junior quarterback was confident that his team would work out some kinks in the first half, but he and his teammates eventually found their mark. “We didn’t play our best game in the first half, but we struck back and did what we did,” said Turner. “The coach gave us a great halftime speech by telling us to keep our heads up, and we knew we would be good.” It was just a matter of staying the course. “We build on momentum, and we all trust each other,” added Turner. “We feed off each other.” Turner credited his offensive line for his rushing performance as well as the overall team’s showing. “The line created a lot of holes for us to hit the holes,” stated Turner. “Their defense was trying to cover the pass, so we took advantage.” Head coach Antwain Turner wasn’t concerned about his team’s slow start. “I expect a playoff atmosphere,” said Turner. “We have been accustomed to starting fast and finishing strong. Going into the second half, we made some adjustments. At halftime, I didn't yell, I didn’t scream. I just told them that we have 24 minutes, and let’s do what we set out to do. The Blazers shut down Trinity lead back Robert Mack , who had six yards at halftime and notched most of his 39 yards against the Blazers’ second- and third team players. “He’s slippery, but we had 11 hats to the football,” added Turner. “If he gets by one guy, there’s another guy coming. We have embraced that in practice. The head coach was impressed with his son running the ball. “He’s a weapon,” beamed the elder Turner. “At any time, he can break out. We got some key blocks for him. When the running game is going well, he is able to find the passing zones. The whole game then slows down for him.” Turner also saw plenty of positives from his defense. “Our defense is very physical," noted Turner. “We can let our presence be known by how hard we’re hitting and how fast we are getting to the ball. “Sometimes, our speed can be deceptive. Our defense can create opportunities for our offense.”  Turner doesn’t expect many surprises from Hilton Head Christian Academy , who the Blazers defeated 30-6 Oct. 9 and have been a staple on their schedule. HHCA is coming off a 51-21 victory over Florence Christian , and they are led by quarterback Kres Langhals , who has thrown for over 2,000 yards and ran for more than 700. “Their quarterback is a weapon, and they will try to throw the ball deep,” stated Turner. “They will try to attack us in various ways. They surprised me the first time because they controlled the clock. “I think they will try to be who they are, and they are a five-wide entity. We have to be ready to stop them again.”