THOMASVILLE, Ga. – 707 days without a win. 1,071 without one at home. But on homecoming night, the Night Hawks triumphed over the Andrew College Fighting Tigers 43-34 in a South Georgia showdown on Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
After the defense forced a quick three-and-out to start the game, the Night Hawk offense quickly went to work. Starting at its own 48, Thomas quickly crossed into Fighting Tiger territory.
On third and two, Roshaun Dudley rumbled down the field for an eight-yard gain and a first down. Facing a fourth and four, the Night Hawks decided to go for it but a false start penalty set them back for a fourth and nine. Connor Langford stepped back to throw and found Dudley, who got just enough to move the chains.
Thomas continued to feed its workhorse, as Dudley gained eight yards on first down and then Langford dumped a short pass to Everett Byrd to reach the Andrew 11. A pass interference call on the Fighting Tigers made it first and goal. Going back to the well, Dudley forced his way into the end zone for a touchdown, putting Thomas up 7-0.
The Fighting Tigers' ensuing drive went nowhere fast. As Cameron Thomas Sr. brought down the running back behind the line of scrimmage on the first play, then back-to-back pass breakups by Thomas forced a punt. The snap to the punter went over his head and forced him to boot it out of the end zone for a safety, giving Thomas the 9-0 lead.
Looking to add on, Langford hit Aaron Wilson on the first play of the drive for a 13-yard gain. A penalty on the Fighting Tigers tacked on 15 more yards, and Langford found De'Vijion Woodie scampering down the sideline for a touchdown, putting the Night Hawks up by 16.
Things slowed as the first quarter came to an end but picked right back up early in the second.
On the first drive of the second quarter for the offense, Langford hit a strike over the middle to Wilson for a 12-yard gain. He then escaped pressure and found Tre Woodson for a massive 14-yard gain to the Andrew red zone. Dudley split the defense and found a seam for his second score of the day.
The Night Hawk defense continued to impose its will, forcing another three-and-out, bringing the offense back onto the field. After a short completion to Wilson, Langford connected with Woodson for the third-down conversion. He went back to Woodson again over the middle, and this time Woodson shook off a defender on his way to the end zone.
The Fighting Tigers managed to break through on the next two drives, scoring back-to-back touchdowns before the half came to an end.
The Night Hawks picked up right where they left off to start the second half. Langford and Woodson connected again for a chunk gain first down before Dudley powered his way to the Andrew 45. A big strike to Ty'won Walker put Thomas at the five, and Woodson finished the drive himself, taking an end-around handoff into the end zone.
Andrew's next possession stalled at midfield when a deep ball was picked off by Thomas Sr. A penalty on the return pinned Thomas at its own two-yard line. On the first play, a fumble was scooped up by Andrew in the end zone for a touchdown making it a 15-point game going into the final quarter.
The Fighting Tigers carried momentum into the final quarter, driving to the Thomas 22 before the third ended and scoring on the first snap of the fourth to make it a nine-point game. A blocked extra point attempt was wiped out by a roughing-the-kicker penalty, bringing Andrew close enough to go for two. On a designed quarterback run, the Thomas defense rose to the occasion, stopping the quarterback in his tracks to keep the lead.
Thomas couldn't move the ball on its next possession, but Wyatt Waddell's booming punt pinned Andrew at its own four. The defense forced a third and six, and Zakari Henderson chased down a scrambling quarterback short of the sticks to bring out the punting unit.
Following an excellent return from Jaden Paulk, Thomas began their drive with a four-yard run from Dudley. A false start and a pair of short runs later, Garrett Stevenson's 43-yard field goal attempt fell just short.
With the ball and momentum, the Fighting Tigers' offense had an opportunity, but the Night Hawk defense found another gear. Joe Miracle III brought down the running back behind the line of scrimmage on second down to force a third and long. An incomplete pass on the next play brought up fourth down.
Deciding to go for it, Andrew ran the ball, but Zayden Coleman brought down the ballcarrier short of the line to give Thomas the ball at the Andrew 25. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty then moved the ball to the Andrew 13, and Dudley bounced it outside and hit paydirt for the touchdown.
Andrew drove the ball down to the one-yard line on the ensuing possession, but on fourth and goal, the Night Hawk defense answered the call one final time to secure the victory.
The 43 points scored by Thomas is the most in a single-game in school history.
Dudley finished with 27 carries for 117 yards and three touchdowns breaking single-game school record in each category. Langford went 22-of-32 for 247 yards and two scores, Langford broke the single-game record for most completions. Woodson had nine receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, Mustapha Kromah finished with 12 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a sack. Miracle III posted 10 tackles and three tackles for loss, and Thomas Sr. ended the day with eight tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception and three pass breakups.
Next week, Thomas will begin Sun Conference play against No.1 Keiser on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 4 p.m at home.
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