Woodward Academy Wins "Tough One", Defeats Mundy's Mill For Region Title
As the regular season of the Georgia High School Association football season nears, teams all throughout the state found themselves competing for region championships including the Woodward Academy War Eagles as they faced the Mundy’s Mill Tigers on Friday. A win for the War Eagles would crown them outright region champs, however, if Mundy’s Mill could pick up the win, they would force a three way tie for first with one week remaining.
The Tigers came out and set the tone defensively almost immediately sacking Woodward quarterback Jalen Woods on the War Eagles opening drive and then on the same drive, Woods would be intercepted by Mundy’s Mill defensive back Antonio Hardrick. On the ensuing Tigers’ possession, they would end the drive with a field goal to take a 3-0 lead late in the first quarter. The War Eagles would get on the scoreboard with a field goal of their own in the second quarter, tying the game 3-3.
As the second quarter continued, both defenses would hold their own, but the Tigers would get another interception as Hardrick would pick off Woods for a second time, returning the ball to the War Eagles’ one yard line, setting up a first and goal. And on the ensuing possession, Mundy’s Mill’s Trashaun Burnett would score on a rushing touchdown, giving the Tigers a 10-3 lead.
In the third quarter, the Woodward defense would make a big play of their own with the Tigers back up deep in their in their own territory, the War Eagles would sack Mundy’s Mill quarterback, Donovon Morton, in the end zone for a safety and trail 10-5 in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, after a Tigers quarterback change, Woodward would take their first lead of the night after putting together a successful drive that would result in a Myles Graham touchdown run.
The War Eagles would go up 11-10 after the failed extra point attempt and go on to win by the same score, capturing their second consecutive region title. “Well I’m proud of the fact that we’re region champs. You know, this game was a tough one,” Woodward Academy head coach, John Hunt said after the game. Hunt would then credit Mundy’s Mill and the toughness they came into the game with as they were very much alive for the region title.
“Mundy’s Mill is an incredibly improved team from last year. Well coached, Earthwind has done a fantastic job over there and we knew we’d get their best and we got every ounce of it,” Hunt said of the War Eagles’ battle with the Tigers on Friday. “But somehow we kept fighting, making plays and was able to ink out that win,” Hunt said. And while the War Eagles were able to pick up the victory, Hunt made it clear that his team did not have their best performance of the year.
“Obviously we didn’t execute very well,” Hunt said as he once again credited Mundy’s Mill for how they played and admitted that his team’s play in the first half was “embarrassing” with some of the mistakes they made. However, Hunt stated that the way the War Eagles’ defense has been playing was “motivating” and that he and his staff will continue to push to get their offense “up to their level” referring to the play of the Woodward defense, as they prepare for the state championship playoffs.
