Air Joyner: Dougherty’s Micah Joyner throws five TDs; Trojans down Spencer 42-19

ALBANY — The Dougherty Trojans don’t have Air Jordans.

They’ve got Air Joyner.

But here’s what should concern everybody else on Dougherty’s schedule:

Air Joyner has an awful lot of weapons.

Sophomore quarterback Micah Joyner threw five touchdown passes Friday night in a 42-19 victory over Spencer at Hugh Mills Stadium. But he didn’t spend the evening throwing to one favorite target.

David Burgess caught two touchdown passes.

Alonzo Hammond caught two more.

Detavious Poole caught another.

Jherel Gibson kept popping open for big gains.

And when Dougherty wasn’t throwing it, those same playmakers were creating havoc on special teams.

Pick your poison.

That’s the dilemma Spencer faced Friday night, and it didn’t take long to become apparent.

Not long at all.

The Greenwave received the opening kickoff and fumbled on their first play from scrimmage, giving Dougherty possession at the Spencer 25.

One running play went nowhere.

Then the Trojans started throwing.

Joyner found Burgess for 13 yards and came right back to the senior for a 12-yard touchdown.

Seven-nothing, Dougherty.

For about 15 seconds.

Spencer’s Jordan Hudson took the ensuing kickoff and raced 75 yards for a touchdown.

Tie game.

Less than 90 seconds had elapsed.

Apparently, everybody had somewhere to be.

Then it was Poole’s turn.

He returned the next kickoff across midfield to the Spencer 48 and immediately caught a Joyner pass that moved Dougherty to the 28.

Moments later, Poole was in the end zone.

Penalty.

No touchdown.

So Dougherty went to somebody else.

Joyner found Hammond for a 26-yard touchdown instead, and Christian Hernandez’s extra point made it 14-7.

Then captain Trevion Williams got involved.

Williams intercepted a Spencer pass and gave the Trojans possession at the Greenwave 23.

Joyner looked Hammond’s way again.

Touchdown.

Dougherty 21, Spencer 7.

Less than five minutes had elapsed.

Three Dougherty touchdowns.

Three different Trojans had already made major plays.

And Poole had another touchdown erased by a penalty.

Anybody arriving late missed a lot.

Spencer didn’t go quietly.

The Greenwave moved the ball effectively and drove to the Dougherty 18 before the Trojans stopped them on downs.

Early in the second quarter, Spencer Cohen caught a 46-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 21-13.

Even then, Dougherty found a way to make a play.

Eric Spann, a Georgia Southern commit, blocked the extra point.

Then Hammond flipped the field with a kickoff return across midfield.

A pass-interference penalty moved Dougherty to the Spencer 23, and this time it was Burgess who slipped free.

Joyner found him wide open for another touchdown.

Burgess had two.

Hammond had two.

Joyner had four.

And Dougherty led 28-13 as rain began falling at Hugh Mills.

The Trojans’ collection of offensive weapons was getting most of the attention, but their defense made sure the lead held up.

Spencer twice drove deep into Dougherty territory during the second quarter.

Twice the Greenwave came away with nothing.

One drive reached the Dougherty 3 before the Trojans slammed the door. Spencer reached the 12 late in the half but ran out of time.

Those were chances to turn the game.

Dougherty wouldn’t let it happen.

Then came the second half.

And another weapon.

The Trojans returned the opening kickoff across midfield to the Spencer 40. Gibson caught a slant and raced to the 18.

Then Joyner finally got Poole the touchdown that had been taken away in the first quarter, finding him for an 18-yard score.

Hernandez’s extra point made it 35-13.

Five touchdown passes.

Three different receivers.

And Gibson had helped set up the latest one.

Spann intercepted a pass on Spencer’s next possession, adding another big defensive play to his blocked extra point.

The Greenwave eventually scored on a 3-yard run to cut the deficit to 35-19.

But once again, Dougherty had too many answers.

Gibson caught another pass across midfield. A holding penalty wiped out a Joyner scramble to the 20, but that only delayed things.

Joyner went back to Poole.

Then he went to Poole again.

The consecutive completions moved Dougherty all the way to the 1.

This time, the Trojans turned to Williams.

The same Williams who had intercepted a pass in the first quarter powered into the end zone for the final touchdown.

Dougherty 42, Spencer 19.

Game over.

And perhaps the most impressive thing about Dougherty’s second victory wasn’t Joyner’s five touchdown passes.

It was how many Trojans had fingerprints on them.

Burgess.

Hammond.

Poole.

Gibson.

Four receivers Spencer had to account for every time Joyner dropped back.

Throw in Williams making plays on offense and defense, Spann producing an interception and blocked kick and a special-teams unit repeatedly giving the offense excellent field position, and Dougherty suddenly has options everywhere.

That’s a significant development for a team that won only twice last season.

The Trojans are 2-0 now.

They’ve already matched last year’s win total.

They’ve scored 74 points in two games.

And next Friday they’ll return to Hugh Mills to face crosstown rival Monroe (0-1).

Joyner will undoubtedly get plenty of attention.

The bigger question for Monroe might be what Spencer discovered Friday night:

Who else are you going to cover?