AISA THURSDAY: Valiant Cross shocks Macon East
Valiant Cross back Antavious Jackson runs for daylight against the Macon East defense in Thursday’s matchup at Faulkner University. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
It was the kind of play that could set the tone for a season.
Valiant Cross Academy was facing fourth and 15 at the Macon East Academy 30-yard line when Antavious Jackson lobbed a pass to the corner of the end zone. Senior receiver Corey Brown, who had caught just about everything else that went up in the air on Thursday evening, shielded the Knight defenders and hauled in the pass for a touchdown and the lead.
The play gave Valiant Cross a one-point lead, one they would lose and then regain later in an 18-17 win over Macon East at Faulkner University’s John Mark Stallings Field on Thursday night.
“Momentum switched to us on that play,” said former NFL receiver and Valiant Cross coach Fred Brock. “That’s what it’s all about as a receiver. You’ve got to make those big plays when your name is called. I expect that from Corey. I’m happy for him but at the end of the day I expect those kinds of plays from guys like that because he’s done it all spring, all summer at practice.
“But it was a really big play. I saw the catch and it was a remarkable catch. For him to adjust to the ball in mid-air like that? Not too many players can make those plays, especially at this level.”
Last year’s Knights defeated Valiant’s first-year varsity program, 28-0, and had that type of advantage in the first half on Thursday but couldn’t put away their opponent. The first possession by Valiant Cross ended with a safety and Macon East struck again quickly with a slant-in from Dalton Nickles to Tyler Daniels that covered 54 yards for an 8-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
But the next five possessions by the Knights ended with three turnovers, including one by Nickles as he was crossing the goal line, resulting in a touchback for Valiant Cross.
“Our offensive line played well in the second half,” Macon East coach Glynn Lott said. “We didn’t play very well in the first half. When you get it down there three times and can’t score…
“In the second half, we picked up the blitz and once we did, you’re in the secondary and they’re in man coverage. That’s what the game plan was to start with, we just didn’t pick it up in the first half.”
Instead, the Knights gathered in the end zone at halftime, holding a tenuous 8-0 lead and wondering how they had squandered so many opportunities. At the other end of the field, Valiant Cross players had a different feeling.
“Our coaches told us, even though we’re down, we’re down because we shot ourselves in the foot,” Brown said. “We’ve giving them the game, we’re spotting them all the points. So we came together. It was all about executing at that point.”
Macon East took the opening possession of the third quarter the length of the field, but after making a first down at the Valiant Cross 5, the Knights had to settle for a Nickles’ field goal and an 11-0 lead.
Valiant Cross finally started clicking late in the third quarter as Jackson found Brown for a 23-yard touchdown pass that trimmed the deficit to 11-6. On the next possession, Brown’s acrobatic catch on fourth and 15 gave Valiant Cross a 12-11 lead.
“I’m very confident in my skill level,” Brown admitted. “So I went to the huddle and I told him to give me a slant route because I didn’t realize how far back we were. I thought it was like fourth and two. So (Brock) gave me a slant-go and said, ‘Just sell it, it’s what we’ve been working on all week at practice.’ Sell the slant, get upfield and look the ball in.”
The momentum had clearly shifted. Macon East used a 27-yard kickoff return by Sanders Manning and a personal foul penalty to ignite a five-play, 39-yard drive that was capped by Nickles’ 8-yard touchdown run and a 17-12 lead, but Valiant Cross countered with a nine-play, 61-yard drive to go back in front.
Jackson’s 3-yard run with 6:18 gave Valiant Cross an 18-17 lead. Macon East would have two last possessions, but the first ended on downs after reaching the Valiant 23 and the second ran out of time as Nickles’ throw for Manning in the end zone was intercepted on the game’s final play.
“You always want to start off on the right foot,” Brock said. “For the program itself, being our first senior class, it’s special. It means a lot to my brother and I, for one, to the kids and to the parents. We’ve got a great bunch of kids, a great staff and they’re doing a great job. I think it showed tonight, the way the kids finished the game off.
Valiant Cross (1-0) overcame fumbles on three consecutive possessions in the first half and a staggering 20 penalties for 148 yards with the running of Wendell Powell, who had 105 yards on 17 carries, and Jackson, who completed 10 of 17 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns while running for another.
Then there was Brown, who had two interceptions on defense, forced a fumble, guarded the Knights’ best receiver (Daniels) and had eight receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
“He has a really high football IQ,” Brock said. “He’s been here since year one, which makes it special. I expect it of him because I know he can make those kinds of plays. He’s that kind of kid. He’s been waiting for this kind of night. He had a really good summer, a really good spring. Man, he made some plays for us tonight.”
Valiant Cross has a week off before traveling to Phenix City to open region play at Glenwood. Macon East (1-1) travels to Southwest (Ga.) next week.