Westover wins first football game of the season

ALBANY — Westover’s defense stepped up big on Thursday and played a key role in a 26–7 victory over Americus-Sumter at Hugh Mills Stadium.

The victory is the Patriots’ first of the season and makes them 1-0 in Region 1-AAAA ‘A’ subregion play.

Westover received the ball to open the game and drove down the field before quarterback Emory McKenzie put them up 7-0 with a 17-yard run.

On the ensuing drive, Americus-Sumter marched down the field, making it to the 26 before the drive stalled. The Panthers failed to convert on fourth-and-18.

The Americus-Sumter offense had no trouble moving the ball in the first half but could not capitalize on good field position.

“It feels great to get the first win,” Westover coach Octavia Jones said. “The guys have worked hard and they deserve to have this feeling. We just want to concentrate on the subregion now. We are 1-0 and will focus on the next opponent.”

Americus-Sumter had drives start at the Westover 42 and 36 thanks to big kickoff returns by Mekall Yancie, but they could not put points on the board.

The teams traded scoreless drives until Westover made the score 10-0 with a 24-yard field goal.

Late in the second quarter, Westover forced a fumble and recovered it at the Panthers’ 36-yard line. They made the score 17-0 after a six-yard run by Qundez Carter.

The Panthers failed to score from the Westover 13-yard line at the end of the first half.

The second half started with Americus-Sumter embarking on a seven-minute drive that ended when Yancie punched it from one-yard out to make the score 17-7.

Westover caught a break in the third quarter when a bad snap by the Panthers rolled out of the back of the end zone forcing a safety.

Things got a little bit heated between the teams with a little more than a minute left in the third quarter. The teams had to be restrained after a play went into the Westover bench and resulted in a scuffle.

With a chance to cut the lead to five, the Panthers decided to go for it on fourth down at the Westover 21. Patriot linebacker Jamie Pettway read the play perfectly, jumped the route and intercepted the ball.

“No doubt that was a big play,” Jones said. “Jamie (Pettway) is a freshman, but he has been playing well all year long. We know he is inexperienced, but he is going to be a good player for us and he made a big-time play.”

Westover capitalized on the turnover when McKenzie scored from 16 yards out to make the score 26-7.