Starr's Mill avoids OT with game winning TD catch, advances to semifinals
On Friday, the Georgia High School Association football state championship tournament continued with quarterfinals action and in Class 4A, the Central-Carrollton Lions hosted the Starrs Mill Panthers in a game that would come down to the final seconds after a slow start by the Lions. The game would open up with the Panthers scoring on their first possession of the game thanks to a 50 yard touchdown run by running back Dorsey Benefield and with the extra point, Starr’s Mill would take the early 7-0 lead.
As for the Lions, their struggles in the first half were more of a result of not being able to finish off a couple of positive drives as they would miss two field goals that would have put them on the scoreboard and things would seem to only worsen for Central late in the second quarter. Trailing 10-0 and Starr’s Mill threatening to score once again, the Lions would come up with a big fourth and goal stop and take possession at their own one yard line. However, the Panthers’ defense would come up with a big play of their own, coming up with the tackle for loss in the end zone for the safety to take a 12-0 lead.
Following the free kick by the Lions, Starr’s Mill would tack on a field goal just before the half to lead 15-0 at the break. In the third quarter, Central would get a huge offensive spark as their first possession of the half would result in a Jonaz Walton rushing touchdown and despite the failed extra point attempt, the Lions trailed 15-7. Starr’s Mill would answer right back on the ensuing possession as quarterback Logan Inagawa would connect with Anderson Cardoza to push the Panthers’ lead up to 22-7, but Central would score 14 unanswered to make it a one point game as they trailed 22-21 following a rushing touchdown by quarterback JR Harris in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers would respond with Benefield’s second rushing score of the night and would take a 29-21 lead with under five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, but the Lions would not go down without a fight as they would tie the game at 29-29 as Harris lead them down the field and would connect with Marshun Horton for a touchdown, for the second time of the night, and successful two-point conversion run by Walton with 56 seconds remaining in regulation.
However, with more than enough time, the Panthers would take the ensuing possession and eventually find themselves in Central territory, closing in on field goal range. But a penalty would push Starr’s Mill back to the Central 40-yard line with five seconds remaining, yet the Panthers would line up to go for another play. With Inagawa in shotgun formation, the quarter back would take the snap and after dropping back, would climb up into the pocket, launching to the end zone and Panthers’ wide receiver Lincoln Delaere would come down with the game winning touchdown catch to give Starr’s Mill the 35-29 win.
“We’re so happy for these boys, they’re so resilient,” Starr’s Mill head coach, Chad Phillips, said after the game in which he described as a “back and forth” affair. Phillips went on to acknowledge that his team did not look their best late in the game as the Lions were able to tie the game up, however, he praised his players for not giving up and coming up big on the final play of the game. “We were almost content with going into overtime, we really worked on it, but the boys just made a couple of unbelievable plays right there at the end,” Phillips said of the Inagawa game winning touchdown pass to Delaere.
Phillips would also credit Inagawa and Delaere for the work they did over the summer to help prepare them for a moment like Friday night’s game winner, “You wouldn’t believe the time they spend together in the summer, on Sundays, timing routes, throwing and catching. They love the game and it’s good to see kids that really go the extra mile, really accomplish something,” Phillips added.
