RWA quarterback Matt Taylor scrambles out of the pocket. (Photo/Missy Taylor)
LAKE CITY – The Richard Winn Academy Eagles were out for a healthy dose of revenge Friday night as they wanted to avenge last season’s 66-6 loss to the Carolina Academy Bobcats. This season’s contest started out looking pretty even as the two teams stayed within a touchdown of each other. But in the third quarter, the Eagles gave up some big plays and the game got away from them. Ultimately, Richard Winn fell to Carolina Academy, 44-21.
The Bobcats got control of the scoreboard in the first quarter, getting a touchdown with 6:44 on the clock. The RWA defense stopped any thought of an extra point or 2-point conversion and the score was 6-0.
The Eagles answered moments later when Matt Taylor hit John Coleman with a 20-yard touchdown pass. The point after was no good, but the Eagles tied the game at 6 as the quarter came to a close.
On their next possession, the Bobcats rolled down the field for the touchdown from the Eagle 17 and then completed the 2-point conversion to make the score 14-6 with 11:05 on the clock.
In the final minutes of the first half, the Eagles put more points on the scoreboard as back-to-back passes from Taylor to Austin Knox set up position for a Coleman run to the end zone from the 4-yard line. Mitchell Gibbons added the point after and the score was 14-13 with 2:45 left in the half.
The Bobcats didn’t let that score go unanswered on their homecoming night, tacking on another TD and another 2-point conversion. When the clock said there was 0:20 seconds left to play in the first half, the score was 22-13, ‘Cats.
The Eagles started out strong in the second half, driving from their own 35-yard line to the Bobcat 4 in a nine-play drive that saw Knox pound into the end zone for the score with 8:06 on the clock. Taylor called his own number for the 2-point conversion to cut the Carolina lead to 22-21. This would be the last score of the night for the Eagles as their chances for revenge slowly started to slip away.
The Bobcats fired back an answer to that final Richard Winn TD on their next series, driving from their own 25 to the RWA 41, where a 41-yard touchdown pass from the quarterback and a 2-point conversion put the Bobcats on top 30-21 with 4:53 left in the third quarter.
The next score for the Bobcats came in the beginning of the final quarter of play as a Gibbons pass by was intercepted by the Bobcats, giving Carolina Academy the ball at the RWA 49. The Bobcats quickly took advantage of this and added another 6 points to the score, but the Eagle defense stopped the 2-point conversion. The score was 36-21 with 11:42 left on the clock.
This week, the Eagles return home to host the Andrew Jackson Academy Confederates. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
RWA – 6-7-8-0 – 21
CA – 6-16-8-14 – 44
RWA CA
First Downs 13 18
Rushes/Yards 41-173 41-260
Passing Yards 117 130
C-A-I 7-12-1 5-10-0
Fumbles/Lost 0-0 0-0
RUSHING: RWA – John Coleman 17-72, Matt Taylor 9-35, Austin Knox 14-63, Nic Stillwell 1-3.
RECEIVING: RWA – Austin Knox 4-67, Mitchell Gibbons 1-9, John Coleman 2-33, Webb Yongue 2-8.
PASSING: RWA – Matt Taylor 5-9, 109 yards, TD; Austin Knox 2-2, 8 yards; Mitchell Gibbons 0-1, INT.
