Adairsville's running game overpowers Coahulla Creek to win Region 6-AAA crown
The Adairsville Tigers secured home field advantage for at least two rounds of the GHSA Class 3A state playoffs and won their first region title since 2001 Friday night with a 48-33 home win over Coahulla Creek.
The Tigers did the bulk of the damage with offensive line dominance and a rushing attack that amassed 514 yards on the ground — including six rushing touchdowns.
The two teams went scoreless through most of the first quarter before Adairsville put together a scoring drive late in the period. A 79-yard drive took five plays with Chris Roper finishing the possession with a 35-yard touchdown run. Cooper Souders tacked on the PAT and the Tigers led 7-0 with 0:14 remaining in the quarter.
Coahulla Creek used their possession passing game to march down the field early in the second quarter. The Colts drove to the Adairsville red zone but settled for a 26-yard Logan Fowler field goal. The eight-play, 65-yard drive made the score 7-3 with 7:47 left in the first half.
The Tigers answered quickly. Key runs by Ethan Blome and Roper helped Adairsville drive to the Colts’ 11-yard line. That is where quarterback Jonathan Gough connected with Tre Winters for an 11-yard touchdown pass to build a 14-3 lead with 6:15 to go in the half. Souders’ second PAT kick finished a 70-yard drive that took six plays.
Adairsville then surprised the Colts with an onside kick. Arthur Leffler dribbled the kickoff straight down the middle of the field and picked it up himself with little resistance. The play caught Coahulla Creek off guard and set up the Tigers for another quick score.
Ethan Blome scored five plays later on a 15-yard touchdown run that gave Adairsville a 21-3 lead with 4:42 to go in the second quarter.
The Colts didn’t fade, however, scoring on their ensuing possession. Quarterback Kace Kinnamon hooked up with receiver Tyson King on a 10-yard pass play to finish a 42-yard drive. Fowler’s PAT kick made the score 21-10 with 1:43 remaining in the half.
Adairsville fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half and it set up Coahulla Creek for a quick score.
The Colts cashed in the turnover four plays later with a 3-yard touchdown run by Payton Gordon. Suddenly, Coahulla Creek had cut the Tigers’ lead to 21-17 less than two minutes into the third quarter.
Almost as quickly, Adairsville responded. The Tigers needed only four plays to drive 58 yards to extend their lead. Most of the yardage came on a 41-yard touchdown scamper by Gough and Adairsville led 28-17 with 9:10 to go in the third after Souders’ fourth PAT kick.
On the Colts’ next possession, they utilized their short passing game and the legs of their quarterback Kinnamon to get deep into the Adairsville red zone. Penalties and the Tigers’ defense stiffened, however, and forced Coahulla Creek to settle for a second 26-yard field goal by Fowler with 5:53 to go in the third period. The Colts’ 12-play possession made it a one-score game at 28-20.
The Adairsville rushing attack continued its dominance on the ensuing possession.
Ethan Blome finished off a six-play, 72-yard drive with a 35-yard scoring sprint just over a minute later. The PAT kick failed when it hit the left upright but Adairsville held a 34-20 lead with 4:22 left in the third quarter.
Kinnamon and the Colts marched back down the field to once again make it a one-score game. Coahulla Creek’s 63-yard, eight-play scoring drive culminated with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Kinnamon to Manny Dominguez with 0:59 remaining in the third quarter. That narrowed the Tigers’ lead to 34-27.
The back-and-forth battle continued with Adairsville driving their next possession 73-yards on seven plays. This time it was Roper scoring on a 24-yard sweep to build a 41-27 Tigers’ lead.
After stopping the Colts on their next possession, Adairsville finally created some separation on the scoreboard with another scoring drive.
Gough capped off a 60-yard, eight-play drive for the Tigers with a 7-yard run to give Adairsville a more comfortable 48-27 lead with 3:48 left in the game.
Coahulla Creek managed to score one more time. A 68-yard drive that took seven plays was completed with a nine-yard touchdown run by Payton Gordon. A two-point possession pass attempt failed to leave the Adairsville lead 48-33 with 2:00 to go.
An onside kick attempt by Coahulla Creek failed and the Tigers were able to run out the clock for a 15-point victory and the Region 6-AAA championship.
Kinnamon finished the night 28-for-46 passing for 253 yards and two touchdowns, but the Tigers’ defense kept the Colts’ rushing game checked with only 92 rushing yards. Most of those yards came on scramble plays by Kinnamon who finished with 57 yards on nine attempts. Gordon added 35 yards on 12 carries.
Blome led the Adairsville rushing attack with 211 yards on 21 carries with two touchdowns. He was followed by Roper with 161 yards on 12 attempts and two scores. Gough added 106 yards on 11 carries with a pair of touchdowns and the Tigers’ quarterback also finished 6-for-7 passing for 70 yards and another score.
The loss drops Coahulla Creek to 7-3 on the season and 5-1 in Region 6-AAA. The Colts will be the No. 3-seed from the region and will play at Sandy Creek next Saturday in the first round of the Class AAA state playoffs.
Adairsville (9-1, 7-0) completes an unbeaten region slate to win its first region championship since 2001. The Tigers will now host the Region 5-AAA No. 4-seed Douglass-Atlanta Astros (3-7) next Saturday, Nov. 12 in the opening round.
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