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St. Andrew’s head football coach, Wes Worthington, is concerned with wins and losses this season, but he is also looking at the bigger picture.

Despite his team’s inconsistencies, the second-year head coach believes his team is headed in the right direction, especially since they have already topped last year’s win total and their 2-7 record.

Coming off a 42-0 shutout of Jacksonville’s Harvest Community last week, the Lions (3-5, 0-1) couldn’t control Pinewood Christian’s running game in a 39-12 defeat in the AAA District 2 opener for both teams at Daffin Park Friday night.

Christian (4-4, 1-0) accounted for its entire offense on the ground, led by freshman Sam Wesson, who accounted for 160 of the Patriots’ 293 yards rushing. Wesson also scored on runs of two, four, and eight yards.

“We did some things that we can’t do against a good team,” noted Worthington. “Some nights are not going to go your way, and we’re not just trying to win football games. 

“We’re trying to build champions for life, and sometimes life isn’t going to go your way. You have to keep battling and pushing. We had a lot of guys who were playing hurt, and I’m super proud of that.”

St. Andrews shocked Pinewood Christian on the game’s opening kickoff when they recovered an onside kick. 

However, the Lions went three-and-out, and the Patriots responded with a 10-play, 66-yard drive that culminated with Wesson barreling his way into the end zone on an eight-yard burst that pushed Pinewood ahead 8-0, and they never relinquished their lead.

However, the Lions went three-and-out, and the Patriots responded with a 10-play, 66-yard drive that culminated with Wesson barreling his way into the end zone on an eight-yard burst that pushed Pinewood ahead 8-0, and they never relinquished their lead the rest of the night. 

Pinewood took further control when Maddux Lewis then intercepted Lions’ quarterback Patrick Jackson, helping to set up a six-play, 50-yard drive that gave the Patriots a 16-0 cushion with just 12.3 seconds left in the opening quarter.

But the Lions roared back when Amari Cook took an outside pitch and sprinted 44 yards down the sideline to narrow the gap to 16-6 with 8:44 left before halftime.

St. Andrews stopped a potential scoring drive when they recovered a fumble on their own 22.

Unfortunately, the Lions suffered a key setback when their fourth-down punt was blocked, and the Patriots scored on the next play to take a 23-6 lead.

St. Andrew’s had a chance to change the game’s momentum with a drive in the final three minutes of the first half that ended just short of the goal line. 

Pinewood’s roughing-the-passer penalty gave the Lions a first-and-goal at the Patriots’ six-yard line in the final 30 seconds. On fourth down, Jackson scrambled toward the goal line, but he was tackled at the one-yard line as time ran out. 

On the second-half kickoff, St. Andrew’s failed to pick up the ball, and Pinewood fell on the ball on the Lions’ 22. Three plays later, Wesson found pay dirt on a two-yard plunge that had his team a commanding 31-6 lead.

Jackson hit Cook on a 10-yard scoring strike to close out the Lions’ scoring at 39-12 with 8:53 left in the game. Cook rushed for 93 yards, while Jackson threw for 77 with a touchdown.

Pat (Jackson) was banged up, and he fought through it,” stated Worthington. “I was proud of his effort. Amari is a game-breaker, and teams have taken him away a bit. We moved him around a little bit.”

The Lions’ Darius Chapman was helped off the field with a knee injury in the fourth quarter, and he could possibly return next week. 

With the season winding down, Worthington expects his club to make the most of their opportunities to help build a foundation for the future. The Lions did lose M.J. Scott, considered to be a major playmaker, due to an injury on the first series of the season.

“I’m trying to build a program from middle school to high school,” stressed Worthington. “I want to put St. Andrew’s football on the map. We’ve been known more for basketball prowess than football.

“It takes time and Rome wasn’t built in a day. But I think I’m changing the culture.”

First Quarter

PC- Sam Wasson 13 run (JoJo Tippett run)

PC – Tippett 1 run (Tippett pass from Banks Hearn)

Second Quarter

SA – Amari Cook 44 run (run failed)

PC – Tippett 11 run (Alvin Vicente kick)

Third Quarter

PC – Wasson 2 run (Wasson run)

PC – Wasson 2 run (Tippett run)

Fourth Quarter

SA – Cook 11 pass from Pat Jackson (run failed)

Records—Pinewood Christian 4-4, 1-0 GIAA AAAA/AAA District 2; St. Andrew's School 3-5, 0-1 Region.

FINAL SCORES

Week #9
Calvary Day 42, Islands 6
Valdosta 41, Richmond Hill 0
Effingham 36, Evans 0
Beach 42, Johnson 7
Liberty County 48, Groves 6
Jenkins 37, Southeast Bulloch 28
Long County 49, Windsor Forest 22
Savannah Christian 37, Vidalia 14
Swainsboro 42, Savannah Country Day 14
McIntosh County Academy 7, Bryan County 0
Savannah High 19, Claxton 6
Bethesda Academy 40, Dillion Christian 6
Pinewood Christian 39, St. Andrew’s 12

Photo Credit: justshootsports

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