Spencer wins fourth straight, longest win streak since 1993

Spencer is trying to party like it's 1993. That was the last year Spencer won four straight football games and the last time it made the playoffs.

The Greenwave's 22-16 win Saturday over Westside-Macon at Kinnett Stadium was not only its fourth win in a row, it also keeps the Spencer playoff hopes alive.

One more bit of history, one more win and Spencer has its first winning season since 1977.

"We have about 22 seniors and they have put this team on their back," Spencer coach Pierre Coffey said. "The kids have bought into what we are doing. We came in and saw a bunch of hungry kids that want to be good."

After a scoreless first period, the teams swapped turnovers to open the second quarter.

Westside opened the scoring with a 7-play, 58-yard drive and went up 7-0 when Nygel Woodard ran in from 6 yards out. One play earlier Savion Knowlton lofted a ball to the left sideline that Steve Dolphus made a leaping catch on setting up the score.

The Seminoles' next drive ended in a 41-yard field goal by Blaine Halvarson, pushing Westside out to a 10-0 lead with only 1:24 left in the half. Knowlton was 2-for-3 on the drive with a 17-yard pass to Dolphus and a 28-yard catch and run by Gerimie Mitchell.

The Greenwave scored the next 22 points to take control of the contest.

Needing to score quickly before the half, Spencer got help on the first play of its ensuing drive with a pass interference call on the Seminoles moving the Greenwave to its 42.

On the next play, Khalil Thomas hit Jermaine Hernandez in the right flats and Hernandez took it to the Seminole 24. One play later Thomas threw a lateral to Jaleel Grimes who stopped and threw to Hernandez in the end zone for a 28-yard score. The point after kick was wide left pulling Spencer to within 10-6 with only 10 seconds until the half. The play capped a 4-play, 73-yard drive that lasted 1:14.

Spencer opened the third quarter with a 70-yard scoring drive that took 11 plays and 4:48 off the clock. The Greenwave took a 14-10 lead on a 4-yard quarterback sneak on 4th-and-1 by Thomas. Thomas was initially stopped short of the first down before the offensive lineman pushed him the 4-yards into the end zone. Hernandez ran the point after in from the wildcat formation with a flipping dive at the goal line.

"He's 5-foot-7, 165 pounds," Coffey said of Hernandez. "Every day at practice, every game, he gives you all that he has. He's one of our seniors and a game changer."

With 23 seconds remaining in the third period, Hernandez and the Greenwave took their largest lead of the game at 22-10. Thomas threw a receiver screen to Hernandez on 3rd-and-11. Hernandez made two men miss before sprinting to the end zone and diving to the pylon ahead of the Seminole defenders. After a Westside penalty on the PAT, Spencer went for two, with Tyrell Smith carrying it in for the final Greenwave points.

Mitchell returned a punt 34 yards to set Westside up at the Greenwave 49.

Five plays later, Mitchell scored on a 2-yard run. The Greenwave blocked the kick, leaving the score at 22-16.

Spencer was able to run out some clock but gave the ball back to the Seminoles with 1:57 remaining and Westside needing to drive 71-yards for a score.

On fourth-and-4 Spencer was called for defensive holding, moving the ball to the Greenwave 40.

On fourth-and-10, Knowlton found Donta Pate for a 22-yard gain to the Spencer 18. The final pass was knocked down by Travelle Jones in the end zone as time expired.

Spencer improved to 5-3, 4-2 in Region 2-AAA and plays Kendrick next week. Westside falls to 6-2, 4-2.

"We enjoy this win for tonight," Coffey said of keeping his team grounded. "Tomorrow we meet, we get ready for Kendrick. It's going to be an intercity rival."

Saturday at Kinnett

Westside 0 10 0 6--16

Spencer 0 6 16 0--22

Second Quarter

W--Nygel Woodard 6 run (Blaine Halvarson kick), 6:34

W--Halvarson 41 FG, 1:24

S--Jermaine Hernandez 28 pass from Jaleel Grimes (kick failed), 0:10

Third Quarter

S--Khalil Thomas 4 run (Hernandez run), 7:12

S--Hernandez 21 pass from Thomas (Tyrell Smith run), 0:23

Fourth Quarter

W--Gerimie Mitchell 2 run (kick failed), 6:04

Team records: Westside 6-2, 4-2 Region 2-AAA. Spencer 5-3, 4-2. Next: Spencer, vs. Kendrick, Oct. 31, 2 p.m., at Memorial Stadium.

This story was originally published October 24, 2015 at 11:17 PM with the headline "Spencer wins fourth straight, longest win streak since 1993 ."