Goal-line stand seals Wildcat victory, secures playoff spot

Half a yard was all the distance between Central-Phenix City and the goal line, but half a yard proved the margin by which the Enterprise Wildcats earned a playoff spot on Senior Night.

Central tore down the field on its final drive and went 79 1/2 yards before the Wildcats secured a 17-14 victory on a punishing, fourth-and-goal hit by Keonte White and the swarming EHS defense.

The Red Devils had a first-and-goal situation at the EHS 8, but a hold backed them up to the 15.

They reached the 1 and tried to convert on fourth down, but White and the Wildcats clogged the middle and turned them away.

"We told our (players) on the sideline once they got down there inside the 5 they were going to have to play their guts out for two more more plays," EHS coach David Faulkner said. "We thought they would kick the field goal on fourth down, but they played their guts out for three more plays. (They) just did a fantastic job."

White led the Wildcat defense with 12 total tackles, one for loss. Enterprise gave up 308 total yards, but stood firm with the season on the line.

The win was EHS' third in as many weeks after a 2-4 start to the year, and Central’s lone defeat in Class 7A, Region 2 play.

First Quarter

The Wildcat offense struggled for much of the game, but scored on its second possession after both teams traded punts to begin the game.

Tavis Anderson sprinted 52 yards to the end zone on the second play of the drive, and Hunter Nickolson’s extra point put Enterprise up 7-0 with 6:43 left in the opening frame.

Anderson had 11 carries for 68 yards and the score to lead the Cats' ground game, and Faulkner said the touchdown carry sparked the Wildcats.

"That's a big play, because I think that's about the only play we broke the line of scrimmage on for the next three quarters," he said. "It was tremendous. I think it gave us a lot of confidence, and kind of got our (players) going. I'm proud of what all of those guys did. It proved to be the difference in the ball game."

Central answered quickly, however.

The Red Devils traveled 80 yards in six plays, and tied the game 7-7 on a 47-yard touchdown run with 5:12 left in the first quarter.

The score was knotted 7-7 when the second frame began.

Second Quarter

The teams traded punts until EHS quarterback John Michael Griffin’s deep pass down the sideline was intercepted at the Central 8 late in the half.

Griffin finished 4-of-13 through the air for 35 yards and the interception. Daijon Flowers caught two passes for 34 yards.

The Red Devils ran out the clock after the interception, and the teams were tied 7-7 at the break.

Third Quarter

Central scored on a 63-yard drive to start the third quarter.

Most of the yardage was gained on the ground, but the Red Devils sound the end zone on an 11-yard pass to take a 14-7 lead with 8:47 left in the frame.

Central then forced a punt, but fumbled on the return and Myles Thomas pounced on the football for the Wildcats.

They couldn’t turn the turnover into points, though, and were stopped on a fourth-down attempt.

The third quarter ended while Central still had a 14-7 advantage.

Fourth Quarter

The tide turned on the first play of the final frame.

Marcus Jones grabbed a Central pass and returned it 39 yards to the Red Devil 1-yard line.

Cincere Flowers crossed the goal line two plays later from the 2, and the game was tied 14-14 with 11:18 to play after the extra point.

EHS had 108 total yards.

The Enterprise defense forced a punt, and the special teams unit created a turnover.

The Wildcats recovered another Central fumble, and took possession on the Red Devils’ 34-yard line.

Enterprise reached the 10, but the drive stalled there.

Nickolson sent what proved to be the game-winning 27-yard field goal through the uprights, and the Wildcats led 17-14 with 3:19 to play.

"He's a very talented kicker, and he's made a lot of kicks for us in the past," Faulkner said of Nickolson. "Hopefully, this will get him back in his groove."

Central’s final drive was engineered by way of the ground game. The Red Devils broke runs of 13,  18, 19 and 17 yards to get to first and goal before the Wildcat defense took charge.

"You can't be a championship-level football team without great defense," Faulkner said. "(Last Friday) you saw two really good defenses. (Central) might be as good as anybody we've played on defense. Our (players)…I can't say anything but the truth. They got down there, got in a bad situation and found a way to overcome it."

During the three-game winning streak which earned it a playoff spot, Enterprise beat two fourth-ranked teams and a solid Smiths Station.

The wins have followed a challenge from Faulkner and the coaching staff, but the Cats still have unfinished business.

"We can't stop right there," he said. "We've got to try to build on it and continue to get better. After the Lee loss we asked our (players), 'Just come back out and fight your guts out until the end.' They've responded to that the last three weeks."

The Wildcats will face Opelika at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 on the road in their final regular-season game.

"We've still got to do some improving," Faulkner said. "We're not good enough to win a championship right now, but…like we told our (players) if you can make it a game of toughness we're going to out-tough you. They did that (last Friday), and I'm so proud of all of them."