Mt Gilead – The Maroon Devils saw their season come to an end this past Friday. West Montgomery, the number one ranked team in the state polls, downed Swain in a game, that can be termed as one that will leave you shaking your head. West broke open a tight game in the third quarter, outscoring Swain 28-7, on their way to a 70-42 win. Before you ask, no it was not a basketball score, the final really was 70-42 (a new school record for combined points in a playoff game), and yes, before you ask, it really was a close game.
Consider the facts. West Montgomery, 13-0 on the season, gave up 38 points, in 70 to 38 win the first game of the season. Then in week two they gave up 18, in a 35-18 win over West Stanly. Since that week, the Warriors had not surrendered more than 7 points in any of their regular season or playoff wins. Actually the Warriors gave up exactly 46 points in their next 10 games, combined.
At the half last friday the score was tied 28 to 28. In the end the Maroon Devils finished with 42 points, for the game, just 5 points shy of outscoring West’s previous 10 opponents combined. But in the end, it was another night of being hurt by a tremendous running back, as the Maroon Devils surrendered another 300 night rushing performance.
West’s Jo Leake rushed for 383 yards on 17 carries. Leake finished by averaging 22 yards every time he touched the ball. He scored an amazing 8 touchdowns running the football, and pretty much single handedly broke the Devils back in the third quarter when he scored 4 touchdowns.
For the first half the two teams exchanged touchdowns, leading to a 28-28 tie at the half. Leake scored on a 64 yard run on the first play of the third quarter to put West up 35-28. Once again the Devils found a way to answer though, as Brodie Bowman, capped a 9 play 50 yard drive, with a 13 yard touchdown pass to Brier Younce.
West scored on their next possession, needing only 3 plays, when Leake raced 47 yards. The touchdown put West up for good midway through the third quarter.
Swain could not manage touchdowns on their next two drives, but West converted both. Again on Leake runs, to build up a 56-35 lead to end the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter Leake scored his final touchdown on a one yard plunge to push the score to 63-35.
Swain answered on their next drive, scoring in just two plays, as Brodie Bowman hit Seth Parker in stride for a 56 yard touchdown pass. The score cut the West lead to 63-42.
With 5 minutes to go in the game West added their final score. Quarterback Jackson Dozier hit Jake Allen on a 20 yard touchdown pass to cap a 6 play 58 yard drive.
The Maroon Devils got outstanding nights from senior running backs Chris Miller and Dylan Smith. Miller finished with 150 yards on 18 carries and two touchdown runs, including one 65 yard touchdown run. Smith finished with 96 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown run. Smith also broke a 50 yard run, as well as hauled in a 51 yard pass from Bowman. Bowman tossed two touchdown passes, one on a 13 yard slant pattern to Brier Younce, and the other a 56 yard bomb down the Swain sideline to Seth Parker.
In the end the Maroon Devils just did not have the fire power or speed to beat a very good West Montgomery team, but in true Maroon Devil Maroon Strong fashion they battled, played as hard as they could and gave the number one team in the state their closest and toughest game of the season. A fitting end to the Maroon Devils season.