While Benedictine dominated Warner Robins from start to finish, there actually was drama at the very end of their football game on Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
The Cadets’ young reserves were on the field trying to preserve a shutout when the Demons, who didn’t get past the 50 until the fourth quarter, took possession at the BC 32 after a flubbed punt attempt.
Warner Robins advanced to the 13 on a facemask penalty as the second half – played with a running clock following Benedictine’s 47-0 halftime advantage – was down to about 1 minute and 15 seconds.
The Demons’ first pass was almost intercepted, the second pass was broken up, and the third-down pass went into the ground before the clock wound to zero. The Cadets on the sideline, who had been rooting on their teammates more intently with each play, celebrated a 61-0 victory.
“I just like the fact that they were cheering for the younger guys,” Benedictine coach Danny Britt said. “The older guys didn’t go sit on the bench. They were up here celebrating the younger guys, the guys who haven’t played as much. That’s what we want them to do and that’s what we should do, cheer for their bros.”
One of those established players, outside linebacker/edge rusher LaDamion Guyton, said the players appreciate that the reserves kept the shutout, which improved BC to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in Region 1-4A with its fourth consecutive victory.
“We all just want to see each other win,” said Guyton, a five-star prospect ranked the No. 1 player in the country for the Class of 2027 and a verbal commit to Texas Tech. “There’s no selfishness on the team. We celebrate with each other and have fun.”
The fun lasted all game for the Cadets, not so much for Warner Robins (3-4, 0-2 region), which allowed a safety on the second play from scrimmage when quarterback Lekevious Bryant was hit in the end zone and a teammate recovered his fumble.
Benedictine kept the momentum with a 54-yard scoring drive, covered mostly when Stanley Smart Jr. ran 33 yards for a touchdown with 9:28 left in the opening quarter. Parker Lewis kicked the first of his eight extra points.
After a defensive stop, the Cadets struck again, even more quickly, as Joshua Washington zigzagged 47 yards through a defense that couldn’t touch him in the open field.
Benedictine grinded out 199 yards on the night, with Washington’s lone carry later being surpassed by a hair for the longest of the night when reserve Cole Henderson scooted 48 yards on his one rushing attempt for a third-quarter score.
Senior quarterback Stephen Cannon played only the first half as junior Omari Burse and sophomore Thomas Brennan saw playing time. Cannon, who has verbally committed to Texas Tech, wasn’t worried about padding his statistics in completing five of seven passes for 117 yards – the last three completions for touchdowns.
“Everyone around me can make a play,” said Cannon, also a strong runner who had four carries for 53 yards. “We don’t have a weakness in our offense. So I think it is just a matter of time until we get going.”
The defense helped set up the next two scores. Senior defensive back Micah Williams, an Appalachian State commit, made a long interception return, which Lewis converted into a 33-yard field goal for 19-0 with about three minutes left in a busy opening quarter.
The Cadets’ Jayden Houston recovered a fumbled handoff – such exchanges and shotgun snaps were issues for the Demons – at the Warner Robins 49. Cannon, after runs of 23 and 14 yards, threw a 4-yard touchdown toss to wide-open tight end Bennett Conaway on a play-action pass for 26-0 with 6:00 left in the second quarter.
Then it was time to strike, maybe past due, for senior Bubba Frazier, a four-star wide receiver prospect who has committed to Notre Dame. The dynamic receiver/running back/returner caught a pass at the left sideline, broke a tackle, and sped 54 yards for a touchdown with 3:49 remaining in the half.
“We were throwing an out route, and that’s just Bubba Frazier being Bubba Frazier going to score off a little out route,” Cannon said.
On the Cadets’ next offensive play, Frazier put his superior speed to good use and sprinted down the left sideline to catch up with Cannon’s bomb for a 42-yard score just 1:31 later for 40-0.
“Bubba Frazier, he can’t be covered,” Cannon said.
Britt allowed that with so many offensive weapons, one would think that the points would come.
“Just keep taking a shot and it’s going to be there, for sure,” Britt said.
The defense added to the lopsided contest when senior cornerback JoJo Sutton picked up a fumbled lateral and raced 26 yards the other way for 47-0 with 1:13 remaining in the first half.
Benedictine closed out the scoring in the third quarter on Henderson’s long run and Burse’s 19-yard connection to Ca’ron Hall, who fought through a blanketing defender to snag the pass in the front left corner of the end zone.
“As much as we scored, (the defense) obviously had a shutout,” Cannon said. “It’s a quarterback’s best friend to have a good defense. They save me a lot of times and they did tonight.”
The BC defense completely stifled a short-handed Warner Robins squad. The Demons used a different quarterback in each half, and they combined for 7 of 19 for 24 yards and one interception. The Demons’ ground game produced 58 yards on 21 carries.
“In reality, (the Demons) have had a lot of injuries, I mean, a lot of starters going down,” Britt said. “So they’re struggling with that a little bit. In reality, that’s it. We knew that coming in. And two, we are rolling right now. We’re playing pretty good.”
It was Benedictine’s homecoming game – common at this time on the high school football schedule – as well as an infrequent coming home for the Cadets. Their previous home contest was Aug. 22, and they play only three this season on a nine-game slate. After a bye week, BC hosts Wayne County on Oct. 17.
Guyton said the Cadets have improved by playing a hard, non-region schedule that “builds tougher skin” to handle adversity.
As for Friday’s rout, Guyton said, “It really started with practice. We’re prepared the right way, and it’s going to show when we come out here on Fridays.”
|
BENEDICTINE 61, WARNER ROBINS 0 |
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| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Total | ||
| WRHS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| BC | 19 | 28 | 14 | 0 | 61 | |
|
First Quarter |
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|
BC—Safety (quarterback fumbled in end zone, Warner Robins recovered) |
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BC—Stanley Smart Jr. 33 run (Parker Lewis kick) |
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BC—Joshua Washington 47 run (Lewis kick) |
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BC—Lewis 33 FG |
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Second Quarter |
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BC—Bennett Conaway 4 pass from Stephen Cannon (Lewis kick) |
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BC—Bubba Frazier 54 pass from Cannon (Lewis kick) |
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BC—Frazier 42 pass from Cannon (Lewis kick) |
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BC—JoJo Sutton 26 fumble return (Lewis kick) |
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Third Quarter |
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BC—Cole Henderson 48 run (Lewis kick) |
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BC—Ca’ron Hall 19 pass from Omari Burse (Lewis kick) |
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Records—Warner Robins 3-4, 0-2 Region 1-4A; Benedictine 4-2, 2-0 region. |
WEEK #8 SCHEDULE
FINAL SCORES
Oct. 2, Thursday
SE Bulloch 55, at Groves 16
ECI 37, Savannah High 0
Ware County 57, New Hampstead 19
Oct. 3
Richmond Hill 24, Camden County 20
Brunswick 60, Bradwell 14
South Effingham 35, Greenbrier 28 (OT)
Benedictine 61, Warner Robins 0
Beach 35, Islands 7
Calvary Day 47, Long County 6
Jenkins 48, Windsor Forest 6
Liberty County 35, Johnson 20
Savannah Christian 42, Savannah Country Day 7
Screven County 19, Bryan County 9
Bethesda 50, Beaufort Academy 0
St. Andrew's 42, Harvest Community School 0
Photos courtesy of LUUBIE SHOTS
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