Harlem Comes From Behind to Defeat Greenbrier
Full story, highlights, post game interviews, stats and pictures
Harlem scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter against Greenbrier to overcome a 25-14 deficit and top the Wolfpack 29-25 Friday. After surrendering 15 points to the Wolfpack in the third quarter during a span in which the Bulldogs only mustered a total of 9 yards from scrimmage, coach Mark Boiter’s squad sprang to life when Patrick Wagner recovered a fumble on the Harlem 43 yard line on the first play of the fourth quarter. The takeaway, one of three in the game for the Bulldogs, ignited a flawless final quarter for the visitors that included a rushing touchdown each for Jacorious Boyd and Jason Williams, and a key interception by defensive lineman Matthew Williams that was sandwiched between the two scores.
“It would have been easy just to say, ‘you know what? We’re out of this game’ and give up another score,” Boiter commented after the game. “But you know, last year, we went 2-8. But we played in so many close games. We lost to Greenbrier by 7, to Richmond by 10. So we’re used to it. We’re used to playing in those close games with this experienced group. And it’s paid off for us these first two weeks.”
The win was the second road victory for the Bulldogs in the season’s first two weeks, and it’s the first win against Greenbrier in program history. The Bulldogs had fallen in the previous 7 meetings between the Columbia County rivals.
Like during last week’s 21-14 win over Aquinas, Harlem’s dynamic rushing duo of Jason Willams and Jacorious Boyd had its way against Greenbrier. Williams carried the ball 20 times for 113 yards and 3 touchdowns Friday after piling up 165 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns (one through the air) in the opener. And Boyd logged 165 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries Friday after a 129 yard and one touchdown outing in the opener.
Williams carried the load on the game deciding 42 yard touchdown drive that began with less than 5 minutes remaining. Immediately following the interception by Matthew Williams that gave Harlem the ball at Greenbrier’s 42 yard line, (Jason) Williams carried it all the way to the Greenbrier 9 when he started around the left end and, reversed direction to the opposite side of the field, broke four tackles and drew a face mask penalty before finally being wrestled down. The run was probably the game’s most pivotal play, and Harlem handed the ball to Williams 4 more times before the 5-7, 175 pound back punched it into the end zone on fourth-and-goal.
Coach Boiter told me after the game that part of the game plan was to try to preserve Williams’s energy as much as possible after last week’s taxing performance in which Williams accounted for 218 total yards en route to earning Player of the Week honors from the Augusta Chronicle. Against Greenbrier, Williams carried it only 9 times in the first half while Boyd toted it 15 times for 117 yards. Entering the final drive, Boyd had run it 25 times, compared to 15 for Williams, who was obviously fresh down the stretch.
“We knew that Cori was going to get a lot of carries. We knew that after the game he had last week, they were going to key on Jason a little bit more tonight,” Boiter explained. “So we wanted to try to keep his legs fresh in the second half. That was a little bit of our game plan going in. And it worked out well for us in the end.”
Greenbrier’s Dominant Third Quarter
When the third quarter ended, Greenbrier appeared in control. The Wolfpack came charging out of halftime to score two touchdowns and a field goal in the period to turn a 14-10 deficit into a 25-14 advantage. Its terrific trio of senior quarterback Brooks Pangle and wideouts Malik Leverett and Davin Driskell peppered the field with exceptional plays during the stretch as Greenbrier’s talented offense stole the show for 12 minutes.
Leverett, a junior, accounted for 232 all purpose yards in the game, and 95 of them came in the third. The junior seemed to be taking over the game. Leverett took the second half kickoff 40 yards to midfield. Three plays later on fourth-and-2, he ran 40 yards for a touchdown that put the Wolfpack ahead 16-14. But after a 15 yard gain on the second play of the next series, Leverett cramped up and his output was noticeably hampered once he eventually returned to the field.
But Leverett’s misfortune didn’t appear to slow the Wolfpack because fellow seniors Pangle and Driskell, a 6-6 athletic receiver, combined on several plays during the team’s remaining third quarter scoring drives that helped Greenbrier seize control. Pangle’s passing touch and Driskell’s size and athleticism proved to be a lethal combination when a jump ball thrown to the end zone drew a defensive pass interference on Greenbrier’s second drive of the quarter. Although Driskell was barely unable to haul in Pangle’s second lob of the drive in the corner of the end zone on second-and-goal, Wilson Donnelly converted a 25 yard field goal, his second of the game, to give the home team a 19-14 advantage. And the most exciting play of the game came on Greenbrier’s next drive when Driskell glided past a Harlem defensive back and caught Pangle’s perfectly dropped in bomb for a 47 yard touchdown completion that put the Wolfpack ahead 25-14.
A Game of Inches
After last year’s almost fairy tale-type junior season in which Pangle, new to Greenbrier’s starting lineup, led the Wolfpack to its best record in 16 years, the expectations have been high for the area’s best passing quarterback. Statewide only four returning quarterbacks tallied more than Pangle's 2,858 yards last season. Pangle completed just 11 of his 24 attempts Friday. But he connected with 5 different receivers and threw for 204 yards and ran for another 43.
Pangle also escaped sack after sack, turning potentially drive halting plays into big gains for Greenbrier's offense either by finding an open receiver down field, or running for positive yardage himself. And the completion, yardage and touchdown tallies - not to mention the final score - could have been materially different.
On Greenbrier’s first drive, Pangle overthrew Leverett by inches on a post route that easily could have been a touchdown. And later in the drive, Driskell left his feet from inbounds in the corner of the end zone only to land just outside the boundaries after catching the ball at the height of his leap. The Wolfpack had to settle for a field goal.
Then during the second drive, Chad Clayborn failed to hold on to Pangle’s dime deep in the Harlem secondary right in front of the goal line, leading to a Greenbrier punt. Next, on the third drive Pangle threw one slightly behind a wide open Leverett who couldn’t adjust his body to make the grab at the goal line. That drive ended when Clayton Jackson fumbled the ball on Harlem’s 6 yard line.
Even the strong third quarter showing by the Greenbrier offense could have been even better if Pangle and Driskell had connected in the corner of the end zone. But Harlem’s big play making defensive back Johnathan Howard broke up the pass, and Greenbrier again walked away with 3 points.
Harlem’s Perseverance
Even before the Bulldogs responded to Greenbrier’s third quarter onslaught with the flawless fourth quarter comeback, Harlem showed the ability to regain lost momentum. The Wolfpack took a 10-7 lead when Clayton reached the end zone on Greenbrier's fourth offensive series of the first half, leaving the Bulldogs and their run dominated attack only 1:44 before intermission. But Ryan Newman completed 2 passes for 48 yards on Harlem’s ensuing 65 yard scoring drive that put the Bulldogs back on top 14-10 heading into intermission. All of Harlem’s passing yards for the game came during that short but crucial series, when the Bulldogs needed them most.
Also, on Harlem’s second offensive series, the Bulldogs marched 71 yards for an 11-play touchdown drive that was sparked by a 31 yard run by Boyd. Boyd’s scamper came one play after Greenbrier’s AJ Trupp (5 tackles, 1 sack) had stuffed Newman deep in the backfield and placed the Bulldogs far behind the chains.
Looking Forward
Next week Harlem (2-0) will return to friendly territory to host Evans (2-0) in its first home game of the season. The Bulldogs will attempt to defeat its county rival for the first time since 2005. The matchup with Evans will be the third in a four game non-region slate for the Bulldogs, who will host Lincoln County September 17 before opening region play on the road against defending (class 3A) region champion Richmond (0-1) September 24 in a game that will be televised on MeTV and WJBF.
A win against Evans (2-0) is something nobody would have predicted before the season began. The Knights return as the (class 6A) region champions, and Evans blitzed Harlem 35-0 in a non-region game last season. But for two weeks Harlem has defied expectations by beating Aquinas for the first time since 2007 and Greenbrier for the first time ever. And because of a pair of backs (Williams and Boyd) who have combined to account for more than 7 touchdowns and greater than 600 total yards from scrimmage during those two wins, finding out if the Bulldogs can make it 3-0 will be one of the most interesting storylines heading into the third Friday of the season.
Like Harlem, Greenbrier will keep things inside of Columbia County next Friday when the Wolfpack host arch rival Lakeside as both teams will attempt to earn their first win after dropping their opener. The game against Lakeside will be the second in a three game non-region home stand against Columbia County teams before the Wolfpack begins its 7-game region schedule, all against teams from outside the area.
Like Harlem, Lakeside features a run heavy attack. Only Lakeside wasn’t nearly as effective moving the ball in their season opening 17-0 home loss to North Augusta (1-1). Greenbrier topped Lakeside 26-0 last season in a game that was televised on MeTV and WJBF. This Friday’s contest will be on TV once again.