Nov. 9, 2009

Spring Garden clobbers Conquerors, 52-34

By Scott Wright

GADSDEN – It was 12 minutes that no one who saw it will ever forget. Spring Garden and the Coosa Christian Conquerors combined for 41 points in the first quarter of a slugfest that the Panthers eventually pulled away to win, 52-34.

The quickly-changing numbers on the scoreboard didn't surprise Spring Garden coach Jason Howard.

“Coming in, I felt like we were both going to have trouble stopping each other,” Howard said. “I felt like we were stronger, and they were faster.”

Coosa Christian's Pace Martin scored on the first play from scrimmage, on a 65-yard pass from Colby Helms. Fifteen seconds into the game, the Conquerors led 7-0. Spring Garden quarterback Tyler Smart tied the score three minutes later on a one-yard run, capping a six-play, 58-yard drive.
Coosa running back A.T. Thomas got going on the Conquerors' next play, hustling down to the Spring Garden 7-yard line. Thomas fumbled the ensuing handoff, the ball bounced into Trey Littlefield's hands and the senior rambled 90 yards for the TD. Jake Scott's second PAT made the score 14-7.

After the kickoff, Thomas took off again, rambling 80 yards to tie the score. But Littlefield, who rushed for 193 yards and three offensive scores, got his second TD of the night with two minutes to play in the first, and the Panthers never trailed again.
As the clock ran to zero in the first quarter, Coosa struck again on Helms' 21-yard pass to Josh Manning. The kick was no good, leaving the score 21-20.
The Panthers' pounding style of offense took over in the second quarter, stretching the led to 28-20 on a 9-yard run by Littlefield. Seconds after he kicked his fourth PAT, Scott intercepted a Coosa pass and returned it 70 yards for another Panther touchdown.

Littlefield scored again from the 1 with 28 seconds remaining to run the score to 42-20 at the half.

“In the second quarter, our senior linemen really pounded on them and Trey became a workhorse,” Howard said. “And we rode that horse.”
In the third quarter, Scott nailed a 32-yard field goal to extend the lead to 45-20 before Thomas hustled in from 38 yards to close the Conquerors to within three scores. Thomas scored again with 4:28 left to close the score to 45-34 after a successful two-point conversion.

Smart's keeper ended the scoring with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter.

Coosa Christian finished the season 9-2. Coach Teddy Helms said he was proud of his team's effort in 2009, and impressed with Littlefield.
“We've had a phenomenal season, and we've got a bunch coming back next year,” Helms said. “As for tonight, I give Spring Garden all the credit in the world. I told Littlefield at midfield after the game that he's a man. We couldn't tackle him.”
The Panthers (6-5) travel to Gaston Friday night, a rematch of last year's second round playoff game. Howard said he looks forward to competing against the Bulldogs, especially since he and coach Swain Morris are friends.

“They are very similar to us,” Howard said. “They're probably going to line up and run right at us, and we're going to do the same thing.”