By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
October 26, 2002
DECATUR Newton County head football coach Jeff Breland will be the first to admit he's no great math whiz, but he has come up with a pretty good formula for success on the gridiron … D + O = Ws.
That's defense plus offense equals wins.
The Cougars improved to 9-0 overall and 5-0 in Division 5-3A with a 35-0 victory over Philadelphia Friday night. The Tornadoes fell to 3-3 and 6-3.
Newton County has yet to yield a point in five league games.
The Cougars held the Tornadoes to just 48 total yards with Tyler Threadgill managing only 21 yards on nine rushes. Thirteen of those yards came when he moved from quarterback to tailback in the second quarter. He was 3-of-9 passing for 20 yards with one interception.
Philadelphia's only scoring threat came in the first quarter after recovering a fumble at the Newton County 36. After nine plays and two Cougar penalties moved the ball to the 8, Threadgill missed on a 27-yard field goal attempt.
The Cougars used long, time-consuming drives to methodically turn the contest into a rout.
Following Threadgill's miss, the Cougars put together a 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive capped by a 1-yard run by Darryl Mapp. Taylor Nichols kicked the first of his five extra points for a 7-0 lead with 11:23 to go in the second quarter. Mapp had eight carries on the drive for 45 yards.
On their next possession, the Cougars took advantage of a 15-yard punt by Threadgill to execute a 13-play, 60-yard scoring march. Colby Amis scored on a 1-yard sneak with 2:34 to go before halftime for a 14-0 lead.
The Cougars removed any suspense when they opened the second half with a 10-play, 58-yard scoring drive after Hastings Westbrook recovered an onside kick at the NCHS 42. David Fielder scored from two yards out for a 21-0 lead with 7:33 remaining in the third period.
Five plays following Fielder's score, free safety Dexter McCune snagged a tipped Threadgill pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown with 6:16 showing in the third quarter. Nichols' PAT made it 28-0.
In their most impressive drive of the night, the Cougars took over nine minutes off the clock as they covered 82 yards in 18 plays.
Fielder capped the journey from a yard out with 6:55 to play. The drive started at the 12 following a 50-yard punt by Threadgill, who averaged 39.8 yards on four punts.
Mapp finished with 146 yards on 25 carries. Fielder gained 56 yards on 12 rushes, while Terrance Patrick had 55 yards on 12 carries.
Newton County plays for the 5-3A championship next Friday at Heidelberg, 8-1.