The chances were there for the Grenada High School Chargers throughout last Friday’s Class 6A, Region 1 contest with Germantown High School. In the end, the offense was once again the story as they managed just two field goals and a safety and dropped a 13-8 decision to the Mavericks.
With the win, Germantown improves to 4-4 overall and 2-2 inside the region. Grenada falls to 5-3 overall and 1-3 in region play. In all three losses, the Chargers offense could not produce a touchdown.
“We are still struggling offensively to put things together – making some of the same mistakes with some of the same personnel,” Coach Ashley Kuhn said, “It’s either we are not blocking, turning over, dropping the football or we don’t throw the football. It’s a combination of everything. The bottom line is if you don’t score, you can’t win. We are four games into the region schedule and making some of the same mistakes.”
The positive note from the contest was the play of the Chargers’ defensive unit. They held the Germantown offense to a total of 170 rushing yards and 31 passing yards.
“I thought we played really well defensively,” Kuhn said. “We stopped them most of the night – their two scores came off miscues.”
Germantown took the opening kickoff and drove from their 21-yard run to the Grenada 33, where they lost the ball on downs at the GHS 31.
The Chargers put together a drive from the defensive stand that would end in a field goal. Facing a fourth-and-four at the Grenada 37. Kuhn rolled the dice on the punt with a Jacob Chavis hooking up with Trey Parker on a 28-yard pass from punt formation. Grenada would get as deep as the Germantown 20 before settling for a 38-yard field goal from Chavis to make it 3-0 with 1:01 left in the opening period.
After exchanging possessions, the Chargers pinned the Mavericks at their 10-yard line. On second-and-12, tackle Sontera Coleman tackle Germantown quarterback Jackson Hood in the end zone for a safety to give Grenada a 5-0 lead with nine minutes left before halftime.
The Chargers missed a scoring opportunity following the free kick from Germantown. Despite a bad snap, Grenada used a 20-yard run from Moss to get the ball to the Mavericks 48. Grenada got as deep as the Germantown before Moss gave the ball back on a fumble at the Mavs 25.
Germantown took advantage of the turnover to take the lead. It took the Mavericks just five plays to score. Georgia commit Branson Robinson had a 16-yard run that had a face mask penalty tagged to the end of it. He capped the drive with a 35-yard run. The extra point made it 7-5 with 4:13 left in the half.
Grenada would score the final points of the opening half driving 50 yards in eight plays. The big play was a 35-yard run from Moss. The drive stalled and Chavis kicked a 46-yard field that climbed just over the crossbar to make it 8-7 Grenada with 21 seconds in the first half.
Second Half Delay
The Chargers opened the second half unable to get a first down and punted back to Germantown, which drove from their 41-yard to the GHS 10 for a first-and-goal. That’s when the game was put under a 45-minute weather delay. When the game resumed, the Chargers would stop the Mavericks on downs at the Grenada 33.
“Another difference in the game was their ability to throw the football just to mix it up,” Kuhn said. “We just struggle to throw the football.”
Following the stop, the Chargers were able to move the football to the Germantown 48. Facing third-and-eight, a low snap out of the shotgun was recovered by quarterback DruDarius Barnes forcing a punt.
The Mavericks took advantage of a short field following the punt getting the football at the Grenada 43. Ten plays later, Robinson scored on a three-yard run. The two-point conversion failed leaving the score at 13-8 with 7:42 left.
Grenada would get the ball twice more in the contest. The first series was three plays and a punt. In the second series, the Chargers moved from their 25-yard line picking up a first down. The drive ended when Barnes was sacked on fourth down and Germantown ran out the clock.
Statistically, Moss led Grenada with 130 yards on 25 carries. The rest of the team rushed 10 times for a minus 46 yards giving the Chargers 84 yards rushing to go with 30 yards passing for a total of 114 yards.
Robinson led all rushers with 135 yards on 25 carries and two touchdowns. The Mustangs finished with a total of 201 yards.
Defensively, Parker was the leading tackler with 16 total stops. Jalon Townes finished the night with 11 total tackles. Jekerious Williams had seven tackles.
Grenada returns to action Friday night hosting Clinton in the annual Pink Out Game at Charger Stadium. The Arrows are coming off a 23-6 win over Oxford at home.
“They are the most athletic team we have played thus far this season,” Kuhn concluded. “Defensively, they play chaotic and bring pressure on most every play.”
Junior football player Dmarin Burns who suffers from Stage 3 nasphregal carcinoma will be honored.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
