Down JMA Trojan season ends in playoff loss to TA

Published 11:53 pm Friday, November 8, 2024

CHULA – For the first time since 2017, John Milledge Academy will not be one of the teams playing in the GIAA Class AAA football state championship game.

The No. 7 Trojans (2-9), experiencing a very down year by the program’s standard, saw their season end at the hands of the second-ranked Tiftarea Panthers (10-1) Friday, 35-21.

The playoff matchup was tied 21-all heading into the fourth quarter, but Tiftarea’s presumptive All-State quarterback J.R. Walker did what stars do. He showed up when it counted most and put his team ahead with a 15-yard rushing touchdown with about 11 minutes to play. Seeking an answer, the Trojans drove down the field before a red-zone fumble stifled their drive.

The John Milledge defense gave the team what it needed with a huge stop to force a Panther punt. Taking over at around its own 24, JMA moved the football for one first down before later facing a 4th-and-4. A pass attempt looking for the Trojan tailback over the middle was knocked to the ground for a turnover on downs with five minutes remaining. Walker handed the Trojans a final stab to the heart with under two minutes left in the ballgame.

Faced with a slew of injuries this season, the John Milledge football team was about as healthy as it had been all year coming into Friday’s playoff opener. Asked if his team gave the host Panthers the best punch it had, JMA head coach JT Wall said, “Yes and no. I feel like there were opportunities early to take advantage and get a lead. We started fast and had a chance to go up two scores, but had some miscues that drive. All in all I’m proud of the way the guys rallied the troops for this playoff game. I thought we were poised for a push, but Tiftarea’s the 2-seed for a reason.”

The Trojans scored on their opening drive with freshman athlete Asa Wall, son of the head coach, reaching the end zone early.

Walker provided an answer in fairly quick fashion to knot the contest up at 7-7. The TA QB then found his wide receiver classmate John Jackson for a touchdown pass early in the second, 14-7 for the home team.

There the score stayed until early in the second half when Ryan Murphey picked off a Walker pass to give the Trojans the football in enemy territory. John Milledge marched down to set the younger Wall up for another scoring rush to tie the ballgame 14-14 with still 10 minutes left in the third.

The Panthers rose to the challenge again when Kaiden Richardson crossed the goal line only a couple of minutes after John Milledge’s six. The Trojans were equal to the task one more time as senior quarterback Kolt McMichael hit David Todd on a touchdown throw with the third coming to a close.

Walker put his team back up 28-21 early in the fourth. When the Trojans went to try and match again, the freshman Wall fumbled the football away. The next JMA drive was the turnover on downs, and Walker continued gashing the Trojan defense on his way to his third touchdown on the ground.

“He was their closer, and he took some shots but just kept getting back up all night long,” Wall said of the opposing QB. “That’s one tough dude.”

Speaking of “all night long,” it’s a trio of words Tiftarea players, coaches and fans had become accustomed to hearing on losing playoff trips to Milledgeville in 2019, 2021 and 2023. The 1983 Lionel Richie hit song has been played on John Milledge’s home field following first downs for about the last five seasons.

For the second time this year, the Panthers flipped the script and let Lionel Richie’s words echo throughout the south Georgia night after Friday’s game went final.

For the Trojans, their 2-9 season was the program’s worst record since a winless 2009 campaign. A mix of youth, inexperience and injuries contributed to the down year. Despite all those circumstances, coach Wall was proud of the way his team fought each week.

“I think there was a lot of growth in these young guys,” he said. “You hate it for the seniors who for the most part just couldn’t stay healthy, but I’m proud of the way we competed week in and week out. A lot of times the odds were stacked against us, but the kids just came out and competed.”