Westside Takes Down Jefferson County to Earn Home Playoff Game
Players of the Game Hutchinson and Green lead inspired second half performance to power comeback win
Westside clinched the #2 state playoff seed from class 2A’s region 4 with a 14-12 win at home Friday over Jefferson County, a game that was broadcast on MeTV. The Patriots fell behind 6-0 at halftime and 12-7 in the fourth quarter before completing the comeback win. The effort was powered in part by WJBF’s choice for the McDonald’s Defensive Player of the Game, Kaleb Hutchinson, and the winner of the corresponding offensive award, Xzavier Green.
Green rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries, and he scored both of Westside’s touchdowns during the second half comeback after the Patriots only managed to gain 25 total yards during the first half. While Green, one of the states leading rushers with 1,315 yards through nine games, manned the ground attack, backup quarterback Brian Green managed to connect with Hutchinson for 4 completions that accounted for another 58 yards of second half offense.
Hutchinson Did it All
Hutchinson’s fingerprints covered almost every aspect of Westside’s inspiring second half performance.
Here’s a sample of the game altering plays that the 6’0”, 175-pound Coastal Carolina commit made during the comeback:
A tackle for loss on 3rd-and-9 on Jefferson County’s first series of the second half.
Consecutive receptions on the following series that put Westside in the red zone before Green’s first touchdown gave the Pats a 7-6 third quarter lead.
A solo tackle on a 2-point conversion attempt by Jefferson County after the Warriors pulled ahead of Westside 12-7 at the end of the third.
A first down reception on 2nd-and-8, and later a key block on the outside to spring Green for a long run, on Westside’s fourth quarter go-ahead touchdown drive.
An interception with less than 3 minutes remaining to ice the win for the Patriots.
Medcalfe a Factor
Westside also benefited from a great outing by place kicker/punter Sean Medcalfe. Medcalfe nailed both of his extra point attempts to provide the two-point margin of victory. And after Green put the Patriots ahead 14-12 with just under 5 minutes remaining, Medcalfe gave his team an added boost by sailing the ensuing kickoff clear out of the back of the end zone to force Jefferson County to start from their own 20 to attempt a game winning drive that never materialized. Medcalfe’s deep punts also forced Jefferson County to earn things in the first half while Westside’s offense sputtered.
The Warriors Led Twice
Despite possessing the ball for 17 of the first 24 minutes, the Warriors were only able to establish a 6-point advantage by halftime. The Warriors took that lead after a 15 play, 63-yard touchdown drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by Keyshawn Vaughner midway through the second quarter.
Westside’s Line of Distinction
Westside’s defensive line, which features three Border Bowl senior stars, gave up only 69 rushing yards in the first half. And it performed even better after intermission. The Patriots front didn’t bend, much less break during the second half. Jefferson County’s only meaningful drive during that span was powered by a miraculous 60-yard connection between Vaughner and Marques Whigham that allowed Florida International commit Nick Jordan to dive into the end zone from one yard out three plays later and give the Warriors a 12-7 fourth quarter lead.
Besides that sequence, Jefferson County’s rushing attack consistently met an immovable wall of blue fortified by Tim Hill, Charles Dawson and Charles Phillips, a trio that has helped the Patriots stand out by allowing the second least amount of points of all of Georgia’s class 2A teams this season.
Hutto Hit the Ground Running in First Year
First year head coach Lee Hutto will become the first coach to lead the Patriots into a home playoff game since 2001. Hutto talked after the game about the performance of the defensive line, backup quarterback Brian Green, who filled in for the usual starter TJ Price, and the many hats Hutchinson wears for the team.
Up Next
Westside (7-2, 5-1) will travel to Oglethorpe County (3-6, 3-3) next Friday before the playoffs begin in two weeks.
Jefferson County (5-4, 4-2) will host Laney (6-3, 4-2) next Friday. The winner will earn the #3 playoff seed, and the loser will accept the #4 spot.
Putnam County (9-0, 6-0) has already captured the region championship.