Lake Oconee Academy fell just short in its region opener against Washington-Wilkes on Oct. 3.
The game remained competitive until midway through the fourth quarter, when the Titans put themselves at risk.
LOA made a pair of costly mistakes by turning the ball over twice on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter. Washington- Wilkes secured a fumble recovery from KJ Wylie, and Shariq Meadows intercepted a pass from Titan quarterback Jake McDonald, returning it for a touchdown to seal their 26-10 victory.
The Titans grabbed a 3-0 advantage after their first drive, as kicker Leo Inostrosa nailed a 32-yard field goal. Running back CJ Stembridge and Kam Geter had gains, but the offense was stopped and forced to try for three.
The Tigers answered with a quick score, as quarterback Mayson Mingle connected with Wylie for a 32-yard touchdown. They kept the drive alive with a successful fourth-down conversion, setting up the score.
At the end of the first quarter, Washington-Wilkes led 6-3, but extended its lead a few minutes into the second.
Mingle and tailback Dre’vioun Davis kept LOA’s defense on its heels, moving the chains with their feet. The Tigers got down to the Titans’ 6-yard line, and Davis scored his first rushing touchdown on a direct snap.
The next few drives resulted in punts before Washington-Wilkes regained possession with just over a minute left at the LOA 18. The Tigers extended their lead as Davis scored from 17 yards out on the second play.
The Titans got the ball back, and their offense went into overdrive. They reached Washington- Wilkes territory and decided to attempt a long field goal, although Inostrosa’s kick came up just short of the goalposts.
LOA trailed 18-3 at the half, but didn’t give up. The Titans scored on their first drive of the second half.
McDonald connected with receiver Jon Funderburke for a 43-yard gain down inside the Washington-Wilkes 10. Tailback Griffin Stanford then pulled LOA back to within one score as he found the end zone.
The Titans’ defense continued to perform well after halftime adjustments, but the offense struggled to get anything going. The difference was Washington-Wilkes’ defense making plays when needed in the fourth quarter.
LOA defensive end Logan Davis and linebacker Dylan Hiter made several big-time stops against the Tigers. Those two were instrumental in halting the Tigers’ offensive attack, led by Mingle, Davis, and Wylie.
Davis finished the night with a team-high 14 tackles, followed by Hiter, who totaled nine in the loss.
McDonald completed 4 of 13 passes for 102 yards and an interception. He also rushed for 18 yards on six carries.
Stembridge led in rushing with 50 yards on 14 attempts, followed by Stembridge, who totaled 40 yards on nine carries.
LOA moves to 2-5 overall in 0-1 in the region. The Titans will not have a break this week as they are set to host Warren County (3-4, 1-0) on Friday at home. The Screaming Devils recently defeated Greene County 48-7.