The Augusta Prep Cavaliers secured their first regional championship in 13 years with a 16-14 comeback win over Westminster of Augusta on Friday night, Oct. 30, at Richards Stadium.
Prep quarterback Carter Chavous scored on a 2-yard run with less than 30 seconds left to tie the game at 14-14, and then the senior signal caller ran in the two-point conversion for the Cavs (3-0, 5-5).
Prep’s Jayden Jackson then sealed the narrow win over the Wildcats with an interception to seal the Cavalier victory.
Prep now must wait to see if the Cavs are in the top eight and make the GIAA 3-A playoffs. The Cavaliers need to jump Lake View Academy to secure a spot in the independent schools’ state playoffs.
Westminster started its offensive night at the Wildcats’ own 20-yard line. This drive quickly stalled out and the ball was punted to Augusta Prep, which started the following drive at the Wildcat 45. This drive also ended in a punt.
Both teams exchanged another pair of punts, and the Cavaliers had the ball as the first quarter came to an end.
The second quarter started off with a bang after a 20-yard reception by Cavaliers’ wide receiver Joshua Ledbetter. That set up the home team 20 yards from the goal line. Despite the big play, the hosts were forced to try for a field goal, which was blocked, though, by Westminster’s Dylan Bui.
Westminster took over at its own 15-yard line. This drive ended in another punt after sacks by Prep defensive ends Kirk Paschell and Immanuel Telfer.
The score was 0-0 at the half, and the Cavaliers were set to receive the second half kick.
Prep began their drive at its own 49-yard line after a failed onside by the visitors. This drive was a three-and-out, and the Cavaliers opted to punt.
Westminster took over on its own 35. Prep wasted no time making a big play, as quarterback Julian Lively’s pass was tipped and intercepted by Ledbetter.
The hosts were set up on their own 34 after the big play, but Prep’s next drive resulted in a Cavaliers’ punt.
Westminster mishandled the punt, and the Cavaliers jumped on it to set up Prep 27 yards from the end zone. The hosts couldn’t do anything with the good field position unfortunately and once again punted the ball away.
Westminster started the next sequence at its own 5-yard line. The drive too came to a quick end, and the third drive in a row ended in a punt.
Neither team had scored as the game entered the final quarter.
Chavous finally got the night’s first score with a 20-yard TD run. Austin Luke added a two-point run to give Prep an 8-0 lead with 7:57 left in the game.
The following Wildcat drive began on the Prep 40. The Wildcats knew they needed to respond if they wanted to win the region, and that they did. After driving all the way to the 5-yard line, running back Mitchell Westmoreland scored their first touchdown of the night. T.J. Daniels made the two-point conversion, forging an 8-8 tie with 2:31 left in the region championship.
Prep began its next drive at its own 20. This drive ended in a punt after a sack by defensive lineman Steven Epperly killed the momentum.
Westminster took over at the Prep 35, looking to score the game-winning touchdown. Lively dropped back and delivered a 30-yard scoring pass to Daniels. After a failed two-point conversion, the Wildcats led 14-8.
AP took over at the Westminster 44 after the kickoff. The next two Cavalier plays would completely define their season.
First, Ledbetter caught a contested throw at the Wildcat 5-yard line. After that, Chavous took a direct snap and ran the ball in for his second touchdown of the night, forcing a 14-14 tie.
Chavous then took in a direct snap for the two-point conversion for the 16-14 lead late.
Westminster tried its best on the following drive, but their region championship hopes ultimately ended Lively’s pass was intercepted by Jackson to seal the home team’s victory.
“I’m an alumnus from Prep,” said Prep coach Phelps Hunnicutt after the game. “Back in 2013 when I was playing was the last time we were able to put a region championship banner up in our gym. Getting our school another was our team’s biggest goal going into this season, and I’m very happy we were able to do that.”
Chavous scored all of Prep’s points on the night and was ecstatic with the win.
“It means the absolute world to me,” he said. “We have battled together for four years together as a unit, and we deserve this. No other team has worked as hard as we did, and I’m so thankful for my coach and the fan base, and ultimately so thankful for this win.”
Despite the unfortunate end to the season, Westminster coach Chris Murphey had nothing but praise for his players.
“I saw tremendous growth from weightlifting and conditioning in May to now,” said Murphey, whose team finished 2-1 in the region and 3-7 overall. “The amount these guys have improved is amazing. I couldn’t be happier with how we’ve been playing football here as of late.”
Prep should learn its fate on Halloween.
Williams Reyes is an Augusta University student.
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