Savannah Country Day put up an admirable fight against one of the best Class A-Public teams in the state on Friday, September 10 at Saunders Field. But a dominant ground game paced the AJC’s No. 4-ranked team Metter, and the Tigers won going away, 40-10.
Metter (3-0) outscored Country Day 22-0 after halftime and the Tigers rushed for 374 yards.
Junior Metter quarterback Trey Hall scored on a 1-yard QB sneak with a few seconds remaining in the third quarter to give the visitors a 32-10 advantage through three, icing the game for his team.
The Hornets (2-1) leaned heavily on senior quarterback Barry Kleinpeter throughout the evening, but an injury to his No. 1 target before game day made the task even tougher against Metter.
SCD received bad news in the days leading up to the game.
The Prep Sports Report reported that Country Day’s star senior wide receiver had season-ending shoulder surgery on Thursday after an MRI revealed a torn labrum and chipped shoulder bone.
Metter, coached by Rodney Garvin, was ranked No. 3 among Class A Public schools in this week’s consensus ranks, which combine six major polls for Georgia High School Football across the state.
Country Day won on the road at Class A Public No. 8 ECI in Week 2 and entered Friday’s game at No. 12 in the consensus ranks (only ranked by 680 The Fan, No. 7).
Against teams ranked in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top-5, SCD is 3-25 all time. The all-time series between the Hornets and Tigers favors Metter, 25-11.
Three different Tigers scored three first half rushing touchdowns for the visitors. Kaliq Jordan scored from 45, Joshua Kelly 66 and Hall on a 1-yard sneak with 50 seconds remaining before half.
Country Day answered just before the second quarter clock expired, capping a quick drive with a 26-yard field goal by Zack Bueno to enter the locker rooms trailing, 18-10. Michael Grandy’s 13 yard TD run in the second quarter was the SCD answer to 12 straight Metter points at the start.
Metter’s Jayceon Lanier rumbled 49 yards for a touchdown on the Tigers’ second possession of the second half to push the MHS advantage to 25-10 with 6:56 left in the third. MHS did not complete a pass until four minutes left in the third, but it didn’t really need to. The second completion of the evening was for a touchdown, from Hall to Danny Cheley.
In Odom’s absence, senior Alex Wynn stepped up in the SCD aerial attack. Wynn hauled in five catches for 74 yards, but he had just one catch for four yards in the second half.
Kleinpeter rushed 15 times for 51 yards and was 8-of-12 passing for 97 yards.
Country Day was penalized nine times in the contest. Metter played without preseason first-team All State linebacker CJ Donaldson. Donaldson, a junior, was on the sidelines in a jersey and street clothes for the duration of the contest.
The Hornets host Tattnall Square Academy next week at Saunders Field in another non-region contest on their home turf.
MHS — 12 - 6 - 14 - 8 — 40
SCD — 0 - 10 - 0 - 0 — 10
HALFTIME — MHS 18-10.
RECORDS — MHS, 3-0; SCD 2-1.
NEXT — MHS at Portal (Sept. 17); SCD vs. Tattnall Square Academy (Sept. 17).
Follow Travis Jaudon on Twitter/Instagram @JaudonSports. Email him at travisLjaudon@gmail.com.
Optim Orthopedics supports Savannah Country Day School athletics. Dr. Thomas Alexander is the team doctor for Savannah Country Day. Remember, Optim Orthopedics gets you back into the game!
Photo - Karl DeMasi Sports Report
