Etowah 48, South Forsyth 22
South Forsyth 3 6 13 0_22
Etowah 0 28 0 20_48
First Quarter
SF: FG Barbir 20, 3:55
Second Quarter
E: Devezin 2 run (kick good), 11:47
E: Devezin 8 run (kick good), 7:48
E: Knox 6 pass to Dye (kick good), 4:56
E: Knox 58 pass to Logue (kick good), 1:47
SF: White 18 pass to Kline (2-pt missed), 0:36
Third Quarter
SF: LaFlamme 49 pass from White (2-pt missed), 11:46
SF: Kline 4 pass from White (kick good), 0:19
Fourth Quarter
E: Devezin 33 run (2-pt missed), 7:26
E: Morgan 15 interception return (kick good), 6:59
E: Knox 26 pass to Head (kick good), 6:41
WOODSTOCK— Forty-five seconds. Forty-five seconds is all it took to end any chance South Forsyth had at upsetting Etowah on Friday in an eventual 48-22 loss in the first round of the Class AAAAAA playoffs.
South had the ball with a chance to take the lead after rallying from a 28-3 first-half deficit.
South, down 28-22 with 9:53 remaining, was forced to punt the ball from inside its own end zone after going three-and-out.
Etowah scored two plays later when running back Tyray Devezin (22 carries 198 yards, three touchdowns) kept churning his feet after South appeared to have him stopped for a minimal gain. Instead, Devezin broke free for a 33-yard touchdown.
Three plays later, South quarterback Matthew White was intercepted by Scott Morgan while attempting a screen pass. Morgan returned it 15 yards for another Etowah touchdown.
White was intercepted once more on the very next play after the kickoff, this time by free safety Stuart Head.
Etowah went for the dagger on the first play after the turnover, and quarterback Robbie Knox connected with wide receiver Trevor Head for a 26-yard touchdown, Etowah’s third touchdown in 45 seconds.
"They made plays and we didn’t sometimes," White said.
South came out strong with a 15-play, 67-yard drive but had to settle for a field goal by Alex Barbir after the drive stalled inside the Etowah 5-yard line.
"We got rolling that first drive," White said. "I think that really set the tone and then they come back and score on us."
After the South field goal, Etowah scored touchdowns on its first four possessions to take a 28-3 lead.
With 57 seconds left in the half, South recovered a fumble deep in Etowah territory and scored three plays later on an 18-yard White touchdown pass to Cameron Kline to take some momentum into the half.
Coming out of the locker room, South dialed up an onside kick and recovered it. The very next play, White connected with running back Tyler Laflamme for a 49-yard touchdown.
"I’m proud of the way they fought," South coach Jeff Arnette said. "We could have quit at 28-3 and we didn’t."
South score just once more before Etowah was able to put it out of reach.
"These seniors have made a step from winning four games as sophomores to winning seven games last year to going to playoffs this year," Arnette said. "I love them, they’re great kids. I wouldn’t want to coach anybody else."