Patriots fall flat in loss at Helena
The important step that the Homewood High football team took forward last week in Class 6A, Region 5 play was followed by a perplexing step backward on Friday night. The Patriots never really got untracked – offensively and defensively – as they stepped outside of region play in a 25-7 loss at Helena.
“We were just flat tonight, I haven’t seen us like that (before Friday night),” said Homewood head coach Ben Berguson, whose team held off Jackson-Olin in region play last week. “We never could get going tonight. I don’t know, I can’t put a finger on it.”
The lackluster performance was hard to predict against a Helena team that is playing in Class 6A for the first time this season and entered with a record of 1-2. But the Huskies showed quickly that they are a very capable team.
The Huskies took the opening kickoff and marched 84 yards on 12 plays. Quarterback Riley Davis and wide receiver Randall Tolbert combined for 41 yards in the drive and running back Devan Walker scampered in from six yards out for the score. Homewood’s Jacob Biles blocked the extra point but Helena still enjoyed a 6-0 lead while setting the tone.
“We figured they’d come in tonight and really throw the ball on us,” Berguson said. “I didn’t think they’d be as effective running the ball but they did a great job.”
Helena moved the ball well in both areas most of the evening. Walker rushed for 115 yards on 28 carries with three touchdowns, sparking a running attack that produced 231 yards and four touchdowns. Davis was 13 of 19 for 135 yards.
Homewood (2-3) had just one consistent offensive drive in the first half. Quarterback Larkin Williams threw for 29 yards on the drive as the Patriots moved to the Helena 17-yard line. But a fumble on 3rd-and-2, which was recovered the Patriots for a 10-yard loss, stalled the march and a 45-yard field goal attempt by Lane Gilchrist came up short.
Helena took a 12-0 lead into halftime following a 9-yard touchdown run by Nash Adams. But Homewood showed some signs of life at the beginning of the second half behind running back Nick McCoy and the Patriots’ offensive front. McCoy rushed for 35 yards on the first four plays of the second half and Chestin Jones followed with an 11-yard run. However, the drive stalled once again and Gilchrist missed a 35-yard field goal attempt.
“We just keep shooting ourselves in the foot,” said Berguson, whose team produced just 188 yards on 50 plays. “We just keep making the same mistakes. What we’re doing in practice is not carrying over to Friday nights right now. We just got to go back to work.”
Helena eventually put Homewood away with Walker scoring runs of 6 yards and 7 yards. Homewood finally got on the scoreboard with 5:02 left in the game when quarterback Ty Hatcher and wide receiver Ryan Williams combined on a 55-yard scoring pass.
The game also featured a scary moment in the first half when Homewood defensive back Jackson Griggs was hurt while defending against a Helena run. Griggs was on the field for about 15 minutes before being taken off the field on a stretcher. Berguson said afterward that he didn’t have an update on Griggs’ condition but he added that, “I think it was mainly precautionary, I think he’ll be OK.”
The Patriots have a week off before returning to Region 5 play against John Carroll.
“We’ll just go back and get to our basic fundamentals next week,” Berguson said.