CARROLLTON, Ga. — Gainesville has been turning heads all season. On Friday, the Red Elephants were hoping to make an even bigger statement.
However, Class 6A No. 1-ranked Carrollton denied the Red Elephants a chance to claim their first victory over a top-ranked team since 2011, pulling away in the second quarter for an eventual 45-16 victory at Grisham Stadium on Friday night.
The experienced Trojans (5-0) behind USC quarterback commit Julian Lewis took advantage of every miscue by Gainesville (3-1), and Red Elephants coach Josh Niblett said it was a pretty simple explanation.
“We got outclassed tonight,” he said as he was walking off the field. “We didn't execute. We let our emotions get the best of us in some situations. I let my emotions get the best of me in situations a couple of times. So it's on me and on nobody else.
“But I'm gonna get it fixed, I promise you that.”
The Trojans weren’t perfect, tossing an interception and having a punt blocked for a touchdown. But they picked off a Gainesville pass, forced a fumble, and made a tremendous goal-line stand in the third quarter when the Red Elephants looked like they were ready to get back in the game.
As most expected, it was a physical battle right from the opening kickoff. Three offsetting penalties for personal fouls were called in the first six minutes.
But Carrollton did take the opening kickoff all the way to the Gainesville 13 before Lewis was picked off by Elijah Watson in the end zone to thwart the Trojans.
The Gainesville offense managed just two first downs in the early going but got prime field condition at the Carrollton 39 following a short punt. But on the next play, sophomore quarterback Kharim Hughley was sacked and fumbled, with the Trojans’ Christian Kelley recovering at the Gainesville 31.
After a penalty pushed it back to the Red Elephants 46, Lewis went to work. He completed passes to Ryan Mosley (7 yards), Peyton Zachery (21 yards), and then got a 17-yard strike to Kiyun Cofer to the Red Elephants 2. Two plays later Kimauri Farmer scored to give Carrollton a 7-0 lead just 50 seconds into the second quarter.
Big Red appeared to have struck right back when Jeremiah Ware serpentined his way for an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. But it was called back for holding, and their ensuing drive stalled at the Trojans 45.
However, Hughley engineered Gainesville’s best drive of the half on their next possession.
He completed five passes to go with a Taz Smith run and a Carmelo Byrd run to get the Trojans 16. But it stalled again, and Francisco Johnson booted a 33-yard field goal to get within 7-3.
But the Trojans answered right back as AJ McNeil broke through the Gainesville wall for a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to push their lead to 14-3 with just over 3 minutes left.
Carrollton was not satisfied with just that. They forced a Gainesville punt after just one first down and got the ball at midfield after a short punt. The Trojans needed just 43 seconds and five plays, capped by a 32-yard touchdown pass from Lewis to Mosley with 54 seconds left in the half for a 21-3 lead.
It was somewhat of a misleading 24 minutes for the Red Elephants. They ran more plays (30-26) than Carrollton but the Trojans finished with more yards (184-150). They held the ball for 12:46 to just 11:14 for Carrollton.
Lewis and Farmer were the difference. Lewis was 10-of-13 for 130 yards and 1 TD passing, while Farmer pounded out 57 yards on just 9 carries (6.3 yards/carry average) to give them some balance.
Hughley was 7-of-13 for just 73 yards passing. Byrd had 50 yards rushing in the opening half, but the Red Elephants were just 3-of-7 on third down.
Gainesville took the second-half kickoff and drove it down to the Trojans 3. But the Carrollton defense stuffed the Red Elephants on three straight plays inside the 3 for a huge goal-line stand.
But the Gainesville defense forced a quick three-and-out and the special teams gave them a spark they needed. Roman Best blocked the ensuing punt and Taz Smith caught the tumbling ball at the 11 and ran it in for a touchdown to cut the lead to 21-10.
But the Trojans answered right back again as Lewis guided them on a 66-yard drive in eight plays, capped by a 30-yard scoring pass to Mosley to push the lead back to 28-10 with 1:44 left in the third quarter.
After stopping Big Red again, Carrollton broke it open, getting a 75-yard touchdown run by Farmer right through the middle of the Gainesville defense.
Big Red finally got some magic early in the fourth quarter when Hughley connected with Smith for an 80-yard bomb to cut the lead to 42-16.
Carlos Hernandez added a 47-yard field goal with just over 4 minutes left for the final score for the Trojans.
Niblett said they will use this as they get ready to enter their all-important Region 7-5A schedule next week when they play host to Lanier in the new-and-improved City Park Stadium.
“We just gotta grow together as a team. We just gotta get closer as a team,” he said. “When you're winning, certain things that don't rear their head. When you get in tough situations, different things rear their head. That's what we’ve got to get fixed.
“And I've got to do a good job as a head coach to make sure we're where we need to be to give us an opportunity to win.”
NOTES: Gainesville ran 60 plays to just 48 for Carrollton, but the Trojans had 379 total yards (184 passing, 195 rushing) to 335 for the Red Elephants. ... Lewis, who came into the game as 79% passer for his career, finished 15-of-19 (78.9%) for 184 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT. ... Farmer had 15 carries for 152 yards for the Trojans. ... Mosley pulled hauled in 6 catches for 117 yards and both TD passes from Lewis. ... Byrd ran 21 times for 72 yards while Hughley was 10-of-23 for 199 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT for the Red Elephants. ... Smith had 3 catches for 108 yards and 1 TD receiving.
