Lovejoy 21, North Gwinnett 6
By S. Thomas Coleman
For the AJC
Lovejoy’s offense – powered by five bullies on the offensive line, left handed gun-slinging quarterback Alejandro Bennefield, a bevy of filthy-good receivers, and Georgia Tech-bound running back Travis Custis – usually gets the headlines.
But Friday night against North Gwinnett, the Wildcats put their defense on display. The unit stifled North Gwinnett’s potent offense, holding the Bulldogs without a touchdown en route to 21-6 win in one Class AAAAAA quarterfinal, at Twelve Oaks Stadium in Lovejoy.
In fact, Lovejoy’s defense outscored North Gwinnett’s offense, which had been averaging nearly 40 points per game. And the defensive touchdown put the game away, for all intents and purposes.
Midway thorough the third quarter with Lovejoy up 7-3, North Gwinnett’s defense, which played valiantly in its own right, forced a Lovejoy punt. The Bulldogs took over on their 26-yard line. But four plays into the drive, North Gwinnett quarterback Michael Haynes, who was hampered by a leg injury and harassed by the Lovejoy front seven all night, was sacked by defensive end Veion Robinson. Robinson stripped Haynes and Wildcat safety Tyrell Brown scooped it up and rambled 40 yards for a touchdown that put Lovejoy ahead 14-3.
North Gwinnet managed another field goal on its next possession to narrow the score to 14-6 midway through the fourth quarter. But Lovejoy’s offense broke loose on the ensuing possession, driving 78 yards in just six plays, most of it coming on a roughing-the-passer penalty and a 43-yard pass from Bennefield to Jumichael Ramos, which moved the ball to the Bulldog 1-yard line. Custis, who finished with 126 yards on 31 carries, crashed in from there for the final points of the night.
Bennefield completed 13-of-22 passes for 128 yards, while the Wildcat defense held the Bulldogs to just 129 yards of total offense.
Lovejoy scored the only points it would really need on its second possession of the game, after the defense forced a three-and-out and a short North Gwinnett punt. The Wildcats mixed the run and the pass and drove 32 yards to the Bulldog’s 8 yard line, midway through the first quarter.
But just went it appeared that the North Gwinnett defense had done its job and forced a 25-yard field goal attempt on fourth-and-three, the Bulldogs lined up in the neutral zone and the resulting penalty gave the Wildcats a first-and-goal at the 4.
Custis wasted no time getting in the end zone, as he took a handoff on the next play from scrimmage, bounced outside to his left and muscled his way across the goal line to give Lovejoy a 7-0 lead after Jaime Nunez made good on the point-after kick.
North Gwinnett 0 3 0 3 6
Lovejoy 7 0 7 7 21
L – Travis Custis 4 run (Jaime Nunez kick)
NG – Michael D’Angola 32 fg
L – Tyrell Brown 40 fumble return (Nunez kick)
NG – D’Angola 37 fg
L – Custis 1 run (Nunez kick)
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65 comments Add your comment
warhawk
December 1st, 2012
7:33 pm
Lovejoy = Thugs
Lovejoythug life
December 1st, 2012
8:32 pm
Lovejoy players will only enjoy the love they will revive from cell mates within 5 years after they “gradiate” (in thug Ebonics). The referees were absolutely terrible, bad calls, poor attention to the clock,etc. I recall a lovejoy player throwing the ball down in disgust, without an unsportsmanlike call. Flipping off the crowd and blatant disrespect for the game of football. I admit that NG was outplayed but they were winners in the class department. Love joys “antics” will catch up with them and cause them to loose any chance of winning state. Mark my words.
chief
December 1st, 2012
11:10 pm
After all the negative comments about LHS, I am a parent who had two childred to graduate from LHS
chief
December 1st, 2012
11:20 pm
I am upset about some of the negative comments about LHS and CLYCO. As a parent who had 2 children to gradate fr LHS, for someone to bring up racist remarks against LHS. Look at Colquist HS,to have ALL WHITE’s on the home team side and the HOME TEAM BLACK’S to side on the visitor side of the field. Come on this is 2012
sportsnut
December 2nd, 2012
10:02 am
To All == ” We had great effort tonight. We just weren’t good enough. Lovejoy has all the ingredients and if they get a kicking game, they could have it all going on ” These are the sentiments of Coach Bob Sphire of North Gwinnett, in an interview with the local paper.
sportsnut
December 2nd, 2012
10:30 am
The coach did not do his homework. Lovejoy has a kicking game also. They chose to kick that way to prevent returns. Strategy, ever heard of it ?
LHS08
December 2nd, 2012
7:16 pm
As a former student of Lovejoy , it sad to see how people trash this school and trash this county . For those worried about Clayton County’s academics, they were the only county in Ga to have high test scores therefore earning them to the ability to leave school early . Note what I said ONLY COUNTY IN GEORGIA!!! Think and research before to speak. Many of you sound bitter and unable to get over the fact that Lovejoy is winning. GET OVER IT ! At 11:00pm Friday night , Lovejoy will do the something they do after every game , PRAY and Move on with their lives. Stop judging a place you will never visit out side of you team plaing here, stop judging kids that you do not know and move on with your life . People are so busy judging that they forget to look at themselves. Judge yourself before you judge others. Rather what #40 did was right or wrong , it’s over. Move on! Talk about the game itself not individual players and the players parents . Not everyone in Clayton County is Classless just like every on the north side of town has class. You judgemental people have showed your true colors. Just Sad.
#40' s cousin
December 2nd, 2012
7:43 pm
I am the cousin of # 40 and i attended most of his games for the last two years …I know how the media can paint a piture of people to be something their not ….and i can speak for my couisn and say he is a GREAT KID! with ALOT of morals…and if you know him on a pearsonal level you all ready know that. so to all the HATERS …(ITS FOOTBALL FOR GOD SAKE!) get over it …because we have! SHIP HERE WE COME ! GO WILDCATS!
sportsnut
December 2nd, 2012
8:27 pm
How did Travis get cut on upper arm on 2nd run of game ? At 3;35 mark of 1st quarter, piling on by NG, no flag. At 1;06 1st. quarter, #14 helmet to helmet hit, no flag. At .20 of 1st quarter, # 15 spearing, no call.#rd quarter, 4;56, first mention of trash talking by announcers, attributed to both teams. 2;23, unsportsmanlike penalty, Ng instigated, 154 yards. Announcers claim to “see” trash talk from Lovejoy. “SEE” trash talk from the press box ? Hit on Lovejoy sideline on pass play by NG, announcers, one says in, the other says out. 1:20 of 3rd, push off by NG reciever in end zone, no call. When NG coach told reason for unsportsmanlike penalty and told it was his player, “HE never talked like that before”. (;20 of 4th, Ng DL hit Alejandro while on ground, # 95, no call. %;35 of 4th, # 75 of NG holding and false start on same play, Lovejoy gets offside penalty. 3:02 of the 4th., # 14 hiut Travis on sideline after the fumble. Travis was already down, no call.
I watched again since I was there and did not see it on TV. Bunch of cry babies.
sportsnut
December 2nd, 2012
8:40 pm
Some errors in my typing. Line 5, 15 yards .
Line 11, 5:35 of 4th.
Line 13 # 14 hit
Line 3, 3 rd quarter, 4:56
sorry
LovejoyPlayer
December 2nd, 2012
10:20 pm
Glad to see so many people showing interest in us. We’ve really come a long way in my four years here, but we’ve still got 2 wins to go before our ultimate goal has been reached. I’m glad you all think that we’re thugs, hoodlums, and gangsters with no home training. We’ll use those “kind words” as fuel. Say what you want about our school, our county, our coaches, or our morals, but one things for sure……none of that talk is gonna stop us….We live to prove people wrong….North Cobb be ready….these “thugs” from Lovejoy are gonna show how to win in STYLE…..GATA
LJHS Supawoman
December 3rd, 2012
12:27 am
Sorry for the delay in responding, but I had to wash the bad taste that was left in my mouth from all these pitaful posts. First, let me say the most important thing concerning everyone. This “disrespectful, thuggish behavior” that everyone is talking about is NOT taught be the school or coaches. Let’s look at the base issue. These young men don’t play for the school until they are about 14-15. What we get is what they were told and how they were raised. Don’t blame us for the ‘learned behaviors’ they already had. Now several of you are being presumptive and idiotic if you think that the coaches encourage this type of behavior. Many of the coaches on staff have either played in HS, college, or professionally. Others have served this country in the military…they have discipline. Now about this trash talking, are ya’ll mad because ya’ll don’t have the ability to trash talk, or ya’ll trash talk through your helmets during that game, but when we do it, we sign seal and deliver it with every play and add gravy on top. Don’t hate…anticipate. Trash talking didn’t begin with us and it won’t end with us.
I have to say that I am really disappointed with the writer of this article. Not only do I belong to the Wildcat family, but I’m also a teacher. Do people realize how much money school systems invest in programs and resources to deter bullying? Yet we have a grown up, an apparent educated person, metaphorically speaking and calling our children bullies. Seriously?! You call us champions so we act like it and everyone is happy. Call us bullies and now people have problems with us. Make up your minds. You’re concerned with 15-18 years old act on a football field? Well, I’m concerned about these young men being in a society of hypocrites!
So with all that being said, if you wanna teach your boys, coaches, and parents to point fingers….make sure you teach their fingers to make U turns!!!!!
To my Wildcat babies…..you keep doing what you do. Put your stamp in their passport book so they see what country they entered and what country they left!!!! G.A.T.A
Pjboy24
December 3rd, 2012
3:23 am
Lovejoy is a Great Team! If they learn from their mistakes they’ll get even better. so leave these kids alone. They were play’n a huge game for their program… I’m sure it was very emotional. Best of Luck to All of the Remaining Teams. =)
S. Thomas Coleman
December 3rd, 2012
9:26 am
I covered the game and let me say this, while I did not see the “finger” that everyone says was displayed by the Lovejoy player, there was trash talking going on by players on both sides.
In many games I’ve covered, when that sort of thing starts to take place, the referee will go to both sidelines and talk to both coaches and tell them to tell their players to “cool it,” or there will be reprecussions and consequences. For whatever reason, the ref did not do that Friday night.
Personally, to me, trash talking is part of sports, especially football. It is a physical, violent and emotional sport. Trash talk should be the least of anyone’s worries while on the field. However, if you as the official believe that the trash talk will lead to late hits and cheap shots, then you have to step in and nip it in the bud. Again, this officiating crew chose not to do that.
Bottom line, there was trash talk by both teams and it was a hard fought game between talented kids and two great coaching staffs. Bob Sphire is one of the best there is and will eventually win a championship at North Gwinnett. Al Hughes has done an AMAZING job bringing the Lovejoy program back. Congratulations to both teams and good luck to both teams in the future!
S. Thomas Coleman
DawgFan
December 3rd, 2012
1:37 pm
A few points on the NG / Lovejoy game:
1) As I’ve been saying all year long, Lovejoy is very talented, well coached, and could win state.
2) 95% of the Lovejoy fans, players, coaches and people we met before, during, and after the game were respectful, humble, and hospitable. We felt welcome and we saw the pride of the Lovejoy community. Please do not to refer to these players or this community as “thugs”. None of the NG people I know would say that.
3) There were a few bad apples who are spoiling Lovejoy’s image for the rest of the community. Some of the Lovejoy players flashed gang signs at our players before, during and after the game. Several of NG’s defensive players were cut and bleeding during the game. We have pictures. We don’t know whether it was intentional or incidental, just saying it happened and it’s never happened before. Not only did #40 shoot the bird while running downfield on the TD, but near the end of the game he was cussing and running down our players. The refs heard it and did NOTHING.
4) Lovejoy was playing with great passion and energy. They crossed the line a few times which can happen in football games, but the officials did NOTHING. This only encouraged bad behavior until things got out of control. Two times late, our QB was hit VERY late, once in the backfield, and once out of bounds. The officials did NOTHING. Several times, Lovejoy D players smothered and hovered over our players, and again, the refs did NOTHING. This does not make the Lovejoy players thugs. It does make the officials utterly INEPT, INCOMPETENT, and UNDESERVING of ever officiating in another playoff game in the state of Georgia.
5) One example of how bad the Line Judge was on the North side – he refused to throw a flag when a Lovejoy linebacker was a yard offsides following one of our players in motion. Late in the game, there was an obvious holding call right in front of him, and refused to throw the flag. The back judge from 20 yards away had to throw the flag because the foul was so blatent. This went on all game.
6) Haynes was playing with a broken leg. If he was healthy, it would have been a better contest. Not saying we win, but we would have been better for sure. He was sacked more times in the Lovejoy game than in the rest of the season combined. That is mostly due to Lovejoy’s exceptional pass rush and outstanding coverage downfield, and partiallly due to Haynes’ injury and inability to escape like he has all season. Great job by Lovejoy for keeping our offense under control.
7) Even though Lovejoy’s offense did not put up a bunch of points in this game, they moved the ball on nearly every drive, running clock and flipping the field. Our offense had bad field position most of the game. This further helped the LJ defense as it kept them off the field and enabled them to play more aggressively.
Coach Sphire’s comments regarding the LJ kicking game were in reference to the two deep snaps that went over the punter’s head. He meant no disrespect, only pointed that those mistakes will cost you this deep in the playoffs.
9) Kudos to North Gwinnett, you acheived so much this year that few thought you would. Lovejoy is a very, very good football team. If Lovejoy and Norcross make it to the finals, those are the only two teams that beat you, and you could have beaten either of them with a little more of old lady luck.
10) Lovejoy, you have much to be proud of. You have great players, great coaches, great fans, and a strong community. However, you are in the spotlight now. You are on TV. People are watching and paying attention. The shadow tactics of the few will be brought to the limelight and will reflect badly on your entire team and community. AND YOU DON”T DESERVE THAT. You can beat anybody without that nonsense. Get it under control and you will have the respect around the state that you deserve. Good luck, we hope to see you and Norcross in the finals.