Timberland Spoils Woodland’s Homecoming With 27-9 Win To Clinch Second Place In region 6-AA

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Dorchester - Woodland (7-3, 3-2) scored on their opening drive, in their home region showdown game with Timberland (7-3, 4-1) on November, 1, but turnovers killed two other scoring opportunities, as the visitors rallied for a 27-9 win, clinching second place in Region 6-AA, behind Phillip Simmons.

After the game, Timberland head coach Greg Wright told the HSSR, “We had bogged down on a drive or two in the first half, with a missed assignment here and there, so at half- time I told the team just to be patient and keep playing hard,” said Coach Wright. “I told the team all week that the focus needed to be on making first downs not touchdowns. If you make enough first downs the touchdowns are going to come.

“We just kept grinding away and eventually we were able to open up things on offense in the second half,” said Coach Wright. “We have two great workhorses up-front in junior Desmond Green (6-5, 340) and senior leader Kaseam Liferidge (6-4, 250). Kaseam is a great senior leader, and he is the hardest working player on our team. Desmond currently has 21 major college offers. Those two guys are great kids and great students and they can really move the pile for us.

“Anytime your defense can create turnovers, while your offense is avoiding turnovers, if gives you a chance to win and this was something we talked about all week getting prepared for this game,” said Coach Wright. “In the games we lost this season it was turnovers that killed us. We led against Philip Simmons in the first half last week, and then turnovers hurt us in the second half.”

Green, who visited the Tennessee versus Kentucky game, this past weekend, told the HSSR, “I am focused on the football season and helping my team win games so I have not had a chance to narrow down my offers to a top 10 list yet,” said Green after the game. “I like playing both ways and I will do whatever the team needs me to do.

Green said his strength as an offensive lineman is “moving guys out of the way of my running backs.” Green, who counts offers from Alabama, Georgia, SC and Clemson among his list so far, said that he is in no hurry to announce a decision. “Getting a good education is also a top priority of mine,” he said. 

Timberland was led on offense by running back Deontae Cleveland who gained 151 yards on 19 carries while Montez Addison added 64 yards on 11 carries and three touchdowns. QB Malyk Goodman completed two passes for 31 yards and he had 9 carries for 36 yards and one rushing TD.

On defense, the Timberland leaders included Ethan Milligan who had six tackles and one forced fumble, while Jakiri Simmons had five tackles, one TFL and one interception. Josh Ham had one blocked PAT, one sack, two TFL, and four total tackles. 

Trailing 9-0, with 23 seconds left in the half, Timberland finally got on the board as Wildcat QB Montez Addison scored on a two-yard run. His touchdown was set-up by a 39-yard pass reception from QB Malyk Goodman two plays earlier. Aiden Berrios added the PAT and Timberland trailed 9-7 at the half.  

Woodland scored on their opening drive of the game, marching 72 yards on six plays. On second down, from their own 28, talented soph QB Jervaze Salley (6-1, 190) connected with his senior WR brother Ja’Keese Salley (6-3, 160) on a 46-yard bomb that gave the Wolverines a first down at the Timberland 26-yard line. Three plays later, the same duo connected on a 25-yard scoring reception at the 9:30 mark of the first period. The PAT weas blocked and Woodland led 6-0 on Homecoming night.

Woodland scored their other three points in the game following a 16 play 61- yard drive that bogged down at the 12-yard line with 1:55 left in the first half. Woodland had to settle on a 27-yard field goal by Gibson Kepley to make it 9-0 and at this point in the game Woodland looked like the better team.

However, Timberland came out in the third quarter with Addison intercepting a pass at the 25-yard line with 9:33 left in the third period. On Timberland’s very first play, Addison scored on a 25-yard rushing touchdown and the failed PAT put Timberland up for good at 13-9.

On their next possession Timberland went 67-yards on 9 plays with Addison scoring on a two-yard run with 3:48 left in the third period. Berrios’ PAT made it 20-9 at this point in the game.

Counting their one play on offense, when they lost possession on an interception on first down, Woodland only had three offensive possessions in the second half. A roughing the punter penalty, after a bad snap that went over the punters head, kept one scoring drive alive for Timberland.

Timberland scored their final touchdown in the game on a 19-play, 9-minute drive, capped off by a 10-yard scoring run by Addison out of the Wildcat with 5:21 left in the game. The PAT made the final score 27-9. On this drive Cleveland had runs of 10, 8, 12, and 9 yards to help his team keep moving the chains.

For the game Timberland was led on offense by Jervase Salley who completed 9-of-23 passed for 118 yards and one TD. He also rushed for 58 yards on seven carries. Sophomore RB Dorian Britt gained 37-yards on four carries and he caught one pass for seven yards. The elder Salley caught four passes for 88 yards and one TD.

After the game Woodland head coach Eddie Ford. shared his post-game feelings with the HSSR, “You just have to be able to overcome adversity in highly competitive region games like this one was,” he said. The kids have got to figure out a way to rally up, and turn things back in our favor, when we have bad things happen.

“We also have to do a better job on defense getting the opponent’s offense off the field,” said Coach Ford. “We really only had two offensive possessions in the second half. We made mistakes that kept their drives alive, and that also limited our opportunities on offense as well. We were just not able to get them off the field tonight.”

Coach Ford was pleased with the offensive play of the Salley brothers and noted that his sophomore quarterback has a very bright future as he is getting more games under his belt. “My hats off to Timberland also,” said Coach Ford. “They have a good team with a lot of good players.”

Coach Ford also praised the play of running back Dorian Britt.

“Every mistake we had in the second half, they made us pay for it,” said Coach Ford. “They just lined up and came right at us in the second half. We just need to spend the next two weeks becoming more fundamentally sound. We have to become a better blocking and tackling football team.”

The AA play-offs will start on November, 15^th.  Timberland will be at home and Woodland will ne on the road.   

Note: Congratulations to Tiniah Rivers who was named 2024 Woodland High Homecoming Queen.