Last Second Field Goal Knocks VHS Out Of Playoffs

Westside placekicker Sean Medcalfe, whose first extra point of the evening had been blocked by Vidalia, got the final laugh of the evening on Friday night in Augusta.

Medcalfe’s 45-yard field goal, which split the uprights with just 3 seconds left on the clock gave Westside their first lead of the night at 23-21, spoiled what would have been one of Georgia’s biggest upsets on opening night of the state playoffs.

The Indians, led by the play of senior QB Bryce Davis, had led the 8-2 Patriots by a 21-0 score.

Vidalia scored first, ending their first drive with a beautiful diving over-theshoulder catch by Jordan Powell of a Davis pass in the corner of the end zone. The play covered 27 yards and gave the Indians a 7-0 lead after Tate McDaniel’s extra point.

Powell made another big play with a leaping interception of a Westside pass in the first half. The Indians scored twice more in the second quarter. The second Indian TD came on another Davis pass.

This time, Davis went deep to Kaleb Bennett, and the Vidalia receiver made another over-the-shoulder catch of a perfectly thrown Davis pass for 53 yards and the night’s second touchdown. Another McDaniel PAT made the score 14-0 with 10:24 still left in the second quarter.

It didn't take Davis and the Indians long to get back on board again. After forcing a Patriot punt, the senior Vidalia QB faded back to pass, found an opening and was suddenly gone 77 yards for his team’s third touchdown.

Tate McDaniel’s third PAT made it 21-0 with 6:38 still left in the first half.

The 8-2 Patriots, who seemed to be in continued from page

shock, started to fight back on their next possession. Their weapon of choice on this night was Kaleb Hutchinson, a Coastal Carolina commit who was a thorn in the side of Indians for most of the night.

Subbing for an injured Xavier Green, the speedy Hutchinson started eating up short and then long chunks of yardage against the Indian defense. With Hutchinson eating up most of the yardge on a drive, the Patriots went to the air for the final six yards of their scoring drive.

Westside QB Brian Green, who’s listed at 6’6” tall and 240 pounds, rolled right and found Cameron Collins on the sideline in the endzone for the TD. Metcalfe’s first PAT of the night was blocked, and the score remained at 21-6 with just 34 seconds left in the half.

Bryce Davis almost ran the kickoff back, catching Metcalfe’s kick inside his own 10 and sprinting all the way to the Patriot 14-yard line before he was tackled.

After a couple of incomplete passes in the end zone, Tate McDaniel came in to attempt the field goal, which drifted just a bit left of the upright to leave the score at halftime 21-6.

The score remained 21-6 until 29 seconds remained in the third quarter. That’s when Green, maybe the biggest high school quarterback in Georgia, followed the right side of his offensive line into the endzone. Metcalfe’s PAT cut the Indian lead to 21-13.

The next Patriot touchdown was courtesy of Hutchinson again, although this time it was on defense. Hutchinson stopped a Vidalia drive when he caught a batted Bryce Davis pass with nothing but green grass in front of him.

The Indians had been threatening to score again; but Hutchinson’s return of over 80 yards pulled his team within a point at 21-20 with 8:36 left in the game. Westside did not go for the 2-point conversion to tie the score. The Indians had a short drive that killed some of the clock; but not enough. Westside was able to cover about 35 yards to the Indian 28 to set up Metcalfe’s winning kick, which just cleared the crossbar to put the Patriots into the next round. For Vidalia, Bryce Davis put together another terrific game, rushing for 170 yards on 24 carries and a TD and completing 11 of his 17 passes for 104 yards and 2 TD’s. Kaleb Hutchinson led Westside with 168 yards rushing on 16 attempts and had the game’s biggest defensive play. Westside will be on the road to play Region 6-AA champion South Atlanta.

Vidalia senior QB Bryce Davis followed good blocking and returned this kickoff from inside his 10 to the Westside 15 late in the first half.Photo by John W. Conner