Westside High School Football won its fifth consecutive game after defeating Aquinas 21-16 in a region matchup on Friday, Sept. 20.
Aquinas has won the matchup against Westside the last two seasons, but this game was different for both teams as it was a region game. Aquinas moved to the Region 4-AAA to start 2024.
“It is huge because it is region game,” said Westside head coach Lee Hutto. “We are 3-0 in the region, and that is the most important thing. That is a really good football team, and Coach Leonard and his staff does an amazing job. I wish we would have played better, but we won the football game, and that is encouraging knowing we haven’t played our best game yet.”
Neither team scored in the first quarter as both offenses were halted.
The Fightin’ Irish were the first to get in the endzone after a long run by Christian Kates, followed by Kates catching a 20-yard pass from quarterback Jim Franklin for a touchdown. Kicker Grant Miller converted the extra point for Aquinas, making the score 7-0 with 8:05 remaining in the first half.
A few plays later, Westside’s Jarius Ogden broke off for a 42-yard touchdown run to tie the game 7-7.
The Patriots fumbled the football on their next possession, but the Irish would not take advantage and missed the go-ahead field goal.
A few plays later, Star Westside running back Jeanarion Kamga scored on a 58-yard rushing touchdown to give the Patriots a 14-7 lead.
Hutto praised Kamga after Friday night’s game.
“He is our guy, and he has been our guy for three years now. He is not just a good football player, he is a phenomenal young man,” Hutto said. “Our kids believe in him and just knows that’s our guy and when it comes time, we are going to put it in his hands.”
With 13 seconds remaining in the first half, Franklin connected with Aquinas wide receiver Jack Rhodes for a 22-yard touchdown. Grant Miller failed to convert the extra point and the Patriots led 14-13 after two quarters.
After no points were scored in the third quarter, a bad snap gave Aquinas the ball inside Westside’s 10-yard line. A penalty would keep Aquinas from scoring a touchdown, but kicker Grant Miller gave them the 16-14 lead after converting the short field goal.
Westside scored the final touchdown of the game with 2:21 remaining on a 83-yard dump off pass to Jahvon Williams to give the Patriots the 21-16 lead. The Patriot defense held off the Aquinas offense and Westside walked away with the 21-16 victory.
“I am so excited for our kids, they did a phenomenal job and play hard even when we got down with less than three minutes left, we just kept fighting,” said Hutto.
Westside will have a bye week next week before hosting Howard (3-2) on Friday, Oct. 4. Aquinas (2-2) will travel to play Howard next Friday, Sept. 27.
Sportswriter Christopher Rickerson, an Augusta University graduate, has covered area sports for Augusta University, The Augusta Press and Augusta Good News. Subscribe to the Augusta Good News newsletter here.
